Critical thinking and shrewd negotiating skills are as imperative to success as is mastering the most cutting-edge computer platform. Further, technical knowledge may harvest a false sense of security in designers. In effect, designers must hone their expertise with both machines and people. Achieving equilibrium between technical ability and communications savvy begins with education and ends in the field. Life lessons are as important to success as a solid curriculum, according to Gensler.
People come out of school and want to be designers.
In addition to adding a new dimension to design capabilities, technology has broadened the scope of communication for designers. The emergence of the World Wide Web has created a network that links practitioners across time and space. The boundaries of geography are going to disappear. Technology also bridges the gap between cultures by creating a virtual community of collaborative learners. Yee works with the Design Studio of the Future, a group that looks at the use of design technologies and total communication technologies in the studio.