The Power of Story: Using Narrative in Design

The Michael Graves College Lecture Series will present a talk on storytelling and design by RBSD professor Alan Robbins on Tuesday, October 11 at 5:00 p.m. in GLAB room 617. Robbins is an award-winning mystery writer and designer.

After years as a graphic designer, art director and interactive designer in the game industry, Robbins came to Kean University where he has created and taught courses in visual communications and graphic design.  He was the founder of the Design Center at Kean University and the Janet Estabrook Rogers Professor of Visual and Performing Arts at Kean University from 2006 – 2009.

Professor Robbins is the author of over 30 books, many of them mystery novels and story collections.  He has also designed and written dozens of mystery games and puzzles, including his BePuzzled series with over a million fans worldwide.  Articles about his work as a designer, writer and teacher have appeared in numerous publications over the years.

“As a writer and designer, I see an important connection between design and storytelling," said Robbins.  "Because people make sense of design through the narrative function of the brain, designers who understand this connection can make their work more impactful. Storytelling is also a memorable way to communicate ideas with emotional resonance.  This presentation is about the central role of story in the making of things.”

The Michael Graves College Lecture series is free and open to the public. To learn more visit: http://design.kean.edu/events/2016/9/7/alan-robbins-robert-busch-school-of-design.