It’s been said that life’s trajectories only become clear in hindsight, and that’s certainly how I’ve felt about this year. My teenage years of painting lessons, my college major studying computer science and psychology, and my odd kinship with commerce students all strangely map to aspects of what I am studying in graduate school in interaction design. It’s only now, however, that I begin to see the linkages between all these fascinations, and how it’s prepared me for all that I learned here in New York.

Reflecting on Learnings

So, eight months of graduate school, what did I learn this year? Zooming out and looking at the whole year, the first lesson is about the landscape of the interaction design field, and its adjacent disciplines.  I stumbled into web design and development by accident, driven by a desire to make things and fortunate predispositions to graphics and computer science. Coming to the program was like getting a map to this territory I’ve been hurtling through for the first time.

Technology is Still My Home Base

On the technical side, I was introduced to the vast world of creative coding by Amit, who taught me to see code-as-art, in addition to my past conceptions of code-as-engineering and code-as-mathematics. I was also introduced to the world of creative electronics by Rob and Jeff. Did it ever cross my mind that I might build a popcorn machine that responds to Foursquare checkin’s? Never. It became fairly evident that my affinity with the technical is a gift. It also revealed itself to be a trap, since it was so easy to simply keep doing what you’re good at.

Design is More Vast Than I Ever Imagined

In terms of design, I learned that I had no idea what the word “design” even meant prior to coming here. I only had the vaguest intuition what design might be about. It was incredibly enlightening to have the philosophy and the process of design laid out and made legible. (Thanks Liz!) From the nitty gritty of typography, hierarchy and sequence (Jason), to the explicitly iterative process of learning and refinement (Paul, Josh), to the methodologies of design research (Nate, Carla), to the art of storytelling and narrative (Clay, Jill), this year has been a crash course in what the act of design encompasses.

Yet Design Itself is in a Larger Context

Of course, there’s the systems and strategic side of the program. Paul Pangaro’s class, John Zapolski’s class and Gary and Christina’s class were some of my favourites this year. Coincidentally they were also the classes over which I agonized the most. These three classes really helped set the context in which we as designers and makers operate. They taught me to ask the questions, “What is the role of design in the world?” “What is my role in the world?” “How will I make an impact?” The conceptual framework I walk away with from these classes has uttered changed how I see my work, how I communicate, and how I look at the world.

Meta-Lessons Emerges

The second big lesson is on the depth of the learning still to come. Even as I push to learn more, I have given up all hope of mastering any one of the disciplines I studied here. Whether it is electronics, typography, or strategic innovation, all I’ve learned this year points to the vast wealth of knowledge I simply will not get to master. The most you know, the more you know that you don’t know.

The follow on lesson from that is the importance of collaboration. I had the privilege of working in some incredible collaborations this year, and it is obvious that the work was only possible through a compliment of strengths. It is increasingly obvious that in order to do any good, significant work, I must learn to collaborate with people in a wide range of disciplines.

The final big lesson was the value of time and space. This idea began in conversation with Tom, when we reflected on how much we got done during the 24 hours of the GOOD hackathon because we dedicated the time and space to it. This year at SVA as a whole is similar. It is incredible how much I’ve learned and how my thinking has progressed because I have devoted the time and space to it.

All in all, this has been an incredible year. I am simply grateful.