Michael Bierut Interview…

What do you get when you mix together a designer, a writer, an information architect, a business partner and an advocate; who by the way hails from the greatest state in the union? The answer is Michael Bierut.

Michael Bierut is a partner at the renown design firm: Pentagram, in New York. He has won hundreds of design awards and even served as the national president of AIGA from 1998–2001. He still teaches at Yale and is co-founder of the design blog: DesignObserver.

More than that, Michael is known within the design community for his tireless volunteerism and for his great admiration of the profession of graphic design. When I sent out these questions, I had no doubt that he would respond. If you’re trying to think of a piece of Michael’s design work that you’ve seen, reach into your wallet for your Citi Bank card. See that little logo in the corner “citi”, that’s his. Paula Scher also claims to have had something to do with it (but since she wont respond to my email interview) I’m giving all of the credit to Michael.

TOBIAS:
What is graphic design? How would you define it?

MICHAEL:
Graphic design is the purposeful combination of words, pictures and other visual elements to support the communication of an explicit or implicit message.

TOBIAS:
Who in your opinion is making good design work right now?

MICHAEL:
Good graphic design is happening in so many places right now that the list would be endless.

TOBIAS:
Who are your design heroes?

MICHAEL:
Another nearly endless list, but one that deserves a start: my teachers, especially Gordon Salchow and Joe Bottoni; my bosses Dan Bittman, Chris Pullman, and Massimo Vignelli; my partners at Pentagram here in New York, Abbott Miller, Lisa Strausfeld, Jim Biber, Michael Gericke, Woody Pirtle and Paula Scher; and many more friends and colleagues I've made through the years.

TOBIAS:
What (book/magazine/blog/whatever…) should every graphic designer read?

MICHAEL:
Graphic designers should read, and read a lot, and read constantly and obsessively. It doesn't matter what. You can start by reading whatever it is you're designing.

TOBIAS:
What advice do you have for design students and design educators?

MICHAEL:
Successful graphic designers know a lot about the world and use graphic design as a way to discover more every day. Design is a means, not an end.

TOBIAS:
Do you think designers will hold a different place in our culture in the future? If yes; in what ways?

MICHAEL:
As more and more people get their hands on more and more tools for design and communication, our profession will become increasingly democratized. A world where everyone is a graphic designer will marginalize some of us, but push others into new, exciting directions.

Thanks to Michael for responding.