CREATE

DESIGNING THE PRODUCT OF THE FUTURE

The Caribbean has always been known for its creativity and creative expression, and in this region, the creative industries have always played a role in driving economic activity. Fromthe colourful carnivals to rhythmicmusic, to thriving theatre scenes and the products and fashion thatwemake, however the economic impact of our creative production is not always recognised. The reality however, is several areas of design have the potential to contribute significantly to the Caribbean economy. Focusing specifically on the area of Product Design, this segment of the creative industry can vastly improve the profitability of the manufacturing sector from small-scale artisanal production to large industrial factories. Design can also assist with the enhancement of the tourism experience in the Caribbean, and since tourism contributes significantly to the GDPs of the region, this contribution is one that cannot be ignored. Yet many of the producers and consumers in the Caribbean do not recognize the production of artisans and small manufacturers in the region as a segment of the manufacturing sector. Their products are often classified as ‘handicrafts’ and considered ‘inferior’ to products manufactured on a larger scale or manufactured abroad. Product designers and makers of well-designed products can support the tourism industry in many ways, such as helping hoteliers and restaurateurs to upgrade their facilities, by making well-designed souvenirs and mementos available for sale to retailers and visitors, through branding and packaging that may make a product more appealing to a more sophisticated audience and through other areas of design such as interior design, which can enrich an experience. There are also less obvious ways in which the design industry can contribute to the regional landscape. We tend to think about design as it relates to the design of ‘objects’ or ‘artifacts’ and product design and even graphic design are examples of this, but designers also design ‘non-tangible’ things such as systems and experiences, and therefore design and designers can also contribute to the regional landscape and economy by applying design problem-solving methodologies to grander social problems. Most international counterparts do not realize that there is a creative design industry in the Caribbean and that there are art and design schools and professionals from most areas of design practicing in the region. Where the presence of the creative industry is acknowledged,

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