Foreword: Better skills through better research / Steven Heller -- Introduction: The rise of research in graphic design -- SECTION I: VISIONARY PERSPECTIVES: Graphic design: fine art or social science? / Jorge Frascara -- Shaping belief: the role of audience in visual communication / Ann C. Tyler -- From formalism to social significance in communication design / Jodi Forlizzi and Cherie Lebbon -- Being serious, being popular: positioning design research / Liz C. Throop -- Activity theory: a model for design research / Judy D'Ammasso Tarbox -- SECTION II: Triangle, square, circle: a psychological test / Ellen Lupton and J. Abbott Miller -- Visual design of interactive software for older adults / Zoe Strickler and Patricia Neafsey -- Sharpening one's axe: making a case for a comprehensive approach in the graphic design process / Paul J. Nini -- Design methodologies: toward a systematic approach to design / Matt Cooke -- The utility of design vision and the crisis of the artificial / Mark Roxburgh -- Communication research: theory, empirical studies, and results / Peter Storkerson -- Audience as co-designer: participatory design of HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention posters in Kenya / Audrey Bennett, Ron Eglash, Mukkai Krishnamoorthy, and Maria Rarieya -- SECTION III: DESIGNING CULTURE: Graphic design in a multicultural world / Katherine McCoy -- Encoding advertisements: ideology and meaning in advertising production / Matthew Soar -- Directed storytelling: interpreting experience in design / Shelley Evenson -- Dezyne Klass: exploring image-making through the visual culture of Hip Hop / John Jennings -- A step ahead of praxis: the role of design problem definition in cultural ownership of design / Peter Martin -- Mediating messages: cultural reproduction through advertising / Seval Dulgeroglu Yavuz -- Compartiendo suenos: sharing dreams: an interview with Toni O'Bryan / Audrey Bennett -- SECTION VI: HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN: Human dignity and human rights: thoughts on the principles of human-centered design / Richard Buchanan -- Impact: inspiring graphic design through human behavior / Roshi Givechi, Ian Grouls, and Marc Woollard -- Personas: practice and theory / John Pruitt and Jonathan Grudin -- Educating design citizens: passing on a mind, body, spirit practice / Ann C. Tyler -- In between: challenging the role of graphic design by situating it in a collaborative, interdisciplinary class / Ann McDonald -- SECTION V: FURTHER READING: Introduction / Meredith Davis -- Cultural studies bibliography / Andrew Blauvelt -- Cognitive and emotion bibliography / Elizabeth B.-N, Sanders -- Design planning bibliography / Ewan Duncan -- Education and learning theory bibliography / Meredith Davis.