Brave New Normal: Intergenerational Mentoring & Women in Graphic Design

Brave New Normal: Intergenerational Mentoring & Women in Graphic Design reports on the findings of a two-year pilot project (2019-2022) which seeks to extend existing research on mentoring models in a new context, that of the graphic design profession, and to challenge embedded ways of thinking about career lifecycles. The project emerges out of a context of (post-Covid-19) uncertainty about the future of work in the UK, and especially how this relates to gender. The project builds upon the work of Satterly, et al., (2018) and Khandekar, et al., (2020), and extends the concept of intergenerational mentoring into the field of graphic design and for the benefit of women at differing career lifecycles (rather than exclusively across generational categories). The main research question asks: How might intergenerational mentoring inform how women navigate graphic design careers in a post-Covid-19 world? The report identifies and highlights insights contributed by 70+ women who are primarily based in the UK and working within the graphic design profession. The research was undertaken via digital platforms and was divided into three main phases: a first phase cooperative-led meeting (July 2020), a second phase workshop (March 2021), and a third phase leading to the findings of this report (October 2021 - February 2022). The project utilised a tailored set of methods (e.g., mutual exchange, reciprocal interactions) and specific activities (e.g., interactive workshops, discussion forum) that emphasised inclusivity and diversity. Findings centred on five principles including promotion of multiple perspectives, design organisations to challenge discrimination, and designing training programmes in consultation with women professionals. The evaluative report’s contribution resides in laying a systematic foundation for a research-focussed approach as applied within the field of graphic design. A secondary contribution resides in collecting original interviews and information from questionnaires from women facing design career challenges during the pandemic. The project is undertaken by the Royal College of Art in partnership with Hidden Women of Design (HWoD) and the Women’s Design + Research Unit (WD+RU). Funder: Royal College of Art RKEI Development Fun