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Today we learned, in an apparent slip, that Richard Buchanan is leaving the School of Design. At the very end of class, in a conversation largely framed around the question of what is design, he mentioned that he would be a professor of information systems, “whatever that means.” There was a pause in the room as we students wondered if we just heard what had been rumored to be the case ever since Dick dropped all thesis advisees a few weeks ago. I took the opportunity and broke the silence: “So you are leaving?”

“Yes.”

He did not say much more, only that it was very difficult to leave the program. Not surprising for the person who has been with the school for 17 years, first serving as the Nierenberg Chair, followed immediately by a 10-year stint as head. He redesigned the undergraduate program and spearheaded the creation of the grad program that I am about to graduate from.

Sources indicate that he has accepted a position at Case Western.

As Buchanan has provided the theoretical and philosophical perspective to design that has influenced everyone that has passed through the grad program and contributes greatly to what makes designers from the School of Design stand out amongst their contemporaries, his departure will definitely impact the feel of the program and perhaps the thinking of its future grads. I’m very curious to see how the school adapts to his leaving next year.

Personally, I have enjoyed the classes I have taken with Dick. I appreciate the broad view of design that he promotes. And there was something wonderful about being beaten down and made to struggle through difficult texts during Seminar 1 the first semester of my graduate experience. If nothing, the experience contributed to a stance of humility and appreciation for different perspectives. It’s difficult to know how much he has influenced my thinking. I tend to believe that I have been influenced more by my peers when talking about the material of his classes than the classes themselves. However, if the stories Dick tells are true, I may not realize the impact of his classes for years to come.

At the end of this semester, Dan Boyarski, the current head of the School of Design, is stepping down after six years. Dan has an inspired character and has done an excellent job representing the school. His personality and teaching ability helped seal my decision to apply to the interaction design program at Carnegie Mellon. Replacing him will not be easy.

The search for a new head is well underway, and with the looming end to Dan’s reign, the final candidates have been chosen to visit the school and present to the faculty and select students from the undergraduate and graduate programs. I was selected to represent the second-year interaction design graduates, and yesterday sat in on the first presentation. Throughout, I imagined what the presentation would be like if Dan were giving it. Unfortunately, the candidate did not compare.

I cannot name names or locations, and will not directly comment on the particulars of today’s candidate, but will submit some general considerations if you happen to be applying for the position of head of a school of design, or in particular, head of the Carnegie Mellon School of Design.

• If you don’t seem excited, no one else will be. Leaders must excite and inspire.
• Your presentation should be kick ass in a very designerly way. At a minimum, no centered text, overuse of italics, or orphans. Legible text and images, even better.
• Don’t read directly from your slides (I know, this applies to everyone).
• You should mention user-centered design at least once, perhaps often.
• Do your homework. Don’t ignore important aspects of the school, like the unique graduate program. Specifically, don’t confuse CPID with information design, and also have something to say about the IxD program.

Of course, these are the bare minimum. I urge any candidate to shoot for blowing us away with your awesomeness.

The remaining presentations will take place over the next few weeks. After each, the attendees complete a survey to help the selection committee make a decision. I commend the committee for including students in the selection process, and feel honored to be taking part.

Bruce Nussbaum announced that next week Business Week will publish the annual International Design Excellence Awards winners. A new category this year is design schools, and CMU’s School of Design is mentioned. Uncanny that I was just talking about the School of Design’s lack of exposure.

“And talented design students are coming out of a whole range of schools in the US, including the University of Cincinnati (go Craig Vogel!, the Institute of Design in Chicago, the University of Notre Dame, the Cleveland Institute of Art and Carnegie Mellon, of course.”

“And Carnegie Mellon, of course.” Of course? I would, of course, say “of course.” So it’s nice to see Nussbaum do the same. Though, I don’t think he’s talking about the graduate program.