This is a terrific restatement of basic design principles,* and especially timely in what the author describes (rightly, I’d say) as “the instant design age”.
Know problem
There’s a reductionist argument in journalism education that we should teach students what they need to know and no more – i.e., just use the CMS, don’t worry about the interface, usability, etc.
Know way
I don’t hold with it. First of all, how could anyone who says they know what journalism students need to know possibly know?
Know point
Secondly, it’s boring. Point, click, point, click, point click…
Know chance
And thirdly, I’d like to think any student who is told they can only know what someone else thinks they need to know would want to know why they didn’t need to know whatever it was that person knew they didn’t need to know.
Know what I mean?
* The link came from design informer. Excellent resource. Follow them on Twitter.
Thanks for the link! Coming out of school recently (I’m 23) I think that the argument in your first point still pertains to when I was in school as well.
At the time I said man, I hate learning all these stupid rules and foundation stuff I just want to design. Now, I am glad I have all of that to fall back on. Especially now that the tools are so readily available. Everyone can “design” to some extent. i.e. powerpoint But not everyone can execute in a creative & effective way.
The professors that taught me everything were the ones I got the most out of. They usually challenged me and gave me so much information that I could just be a sponge and soak it up.