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Technology and the Designer

From the VCR, cell phone and digital cameras to smart textiles, the computer, the Internet and CAD, technology touches all our lives on a daily basis. For those of us born before the technology revolution, it is both a blessing and a curse. We seem to have to be in the learning process all over again. Is it worth the time it takes to learn how to use all these new products?

A number of years ago, I decided to look at technology from that standpoint. How much time and money could I save vs. how much time and money it cost me to purchase the equipment and learn to use it. I remembered that at the age of 15 I had to learn to drive a car. It took some time and, I am sure, some years off my Father's life. But, today I can go at my leisure, not dependent on someone else to take me somewhere in their timeframe. That learning process was critical to my freedom. And, while the automobile is a complex technical wonder, the only thing I needed to know or still need to know is where to put the gasoline, how to turn on the ignition and how to steer the car where I want it to go. I am sure I could learn how to change my own oil, make the car last longer, and all kinds of other things about cars, but the fact is, it's not worth my time to do so.

My next brush with technology was a microwave oven. That was about 30 years ago. I do not have to tell you the amount of time that has saved me. My children would have no doubt gone hungry on many occasions had I not completely mastered the microwave.

Then came the VCR. Since I do not watch TV the first time, I have no desire to learn to program a VCR to replay soaps and the like. All I needed to know was how to put in a tape and push Play. Mission accomplished. And so it went through the years until the computer.

It became very apparent to me in the late 80's that I would be woefully behind the competition if I could not use a computer. So, again, I learned only what I had to know. At that time it was how to use a word processing program. To be able to do my own correspondence, invoicing and the like eventually led to one less staff person which saved me about $25,000 per year..and I was more aware of what was going on in my office.

Over the last 15 years, I have mastered programs as I needed to know them such as Microsoft WORD for text documents, PowerPoint to do first class presentations for my clients, Publisher to make my own business cards, stationery, paste-up boards, etc. I have turned to the Internet for research for product, resources and information of all kinds. I have learned to use a digital camera and a flatbed scanner to keep records of furnishings, room views and even fabrics; and a printer for those people and times when paper copies are required. I communicate with e-mail and my cell phone. In short, technology enabled me to reduce the size of my office, do my work much faster costing my clients less, reduce my staff, work anywhere I chose, and increase my income.

Each and every technical tool I learned to use was on what I considered a "Need to Know" basis. Therefore I was not overwhelmed by trying to learn everything at once. Those of you who are reading this have obviously found the Internet to be a valuable tool. I have found it to be an indispensable tool and any amount of time I spend learning to use it more effectively pays off in time saved and money invested.

In fact, I found the potential of the Internet so huge that in 1994 I developed an Internet library for designers, which eventually became a buying service as well, called Design Online. However, the company fell victim to two problems: (1) It was years ahead of its time and (2) the "dot com" frenzy. In 2002 a group of investors took control of the company.

But the concept was great. Today, as designers learn more and more to depend on technology for all the reasons above, I believe that the idea will grow. Therefore, from lessons learned, we have begun to create a new and better resource...designerEsources. The time and money you invest in learning to use this program will save you hours of time and frustration. For instance, we are taking the hours and hours of trying to find product on the Internet away by providing you with an ever increasing library of information..both products and resources for information on such things as accessibility, sustainability, codes and business as well as featured articles of timely information each month.

You can also show your clients wonderful presentations with our Presentation Board tool. Just load your photos saved from the Internet or scanned or taken with your digital camera into this tool and send an e-mail to your client through our secure web site and they can look at the whole space, not just one attachment at a time.

We also have a place for you to sell your unused items or buy at bargain prices, create your own web site, store files or back up your computer, find a job or list one.

So invest a little time with us. The cost is $75 for a year. Once you get used to using us, you will find it will be the best time and money you can spend.

Technology is spreading through our profession. It is changing our lives, but it can be a blessing instead of a curse if you learn to look at it in terms of money and time saved vs. doing things the old fashioned way. One of our subscribers from Design Online days told me once that he was totally upgrading his office to a technical one using as much technology as possible because he had lost one of his largest clients because his charges were too high doing things the old fashioned way.

Competition will only get keener..and not just from other professionals. Another designer told me this weekend that he was embarrassed that his clients could find things faster on the Internet than he could. Keeping ahead of the client as well as the competition will keep you hopping. Learn to work smarter not harder. And, celebrate the technical tools that will help you to do that.

Joan Gaulden is an Interior Design graduate of Ringling School of Art. After working with her own firm in Greenville, SC for 35 years, she founded Design Online and now is a co-founder of designerEsources.com She also teaches nationwide with education-works. She can be contacted at joan@designeresources.com