分不到獎金，卻分到了喜樂和興奮！
去年底收到了一個我從前學生的來電，告訴我他那組同學拿了我當他們導師時候他們那份功課去參加一個business plan competition，名為「
香港社會企業挑戰賽2010」，並想邀請我當他們的faculty advisor。經過數月來的努力和競賽，結果他們從超過1,600位參加者所組成的超過300組參賽隊伍中脫穎而出，
摘下冠軍，贏得共約20萬港元的啟動資金！
我當時教授的科目內容是有關如何利用設計為營商創新（to innovate）和創造價值（to create value），與及介紹一些開發創新產品的理論和方法，所以功課都要以包含business plan成份的design proposal形式提交。這幾位學生當時的功課是想拿廢車場的廢棄零部件來「
升級再造」，替顧客度身訂造成為高級環保家具。他們不但很用功、享受整個學習過程、產品模型做得極漂亮、就連business plan也寫得可以，當時我給了他們最高分。但更重要的，在最後一堂我通常都會鼓勵學生不要完了學期拿了分便將自己的功課丟掉或置之高閣，而是要等機會或甚至製造機會要將這盤構思的方案孵化出來，成為真的生意，不要浪費他們這麼好的作品和心血。
我很欣慰這幾位學生聽了我的勸告，跟著兩年來他們把握著每一個機會孕育他們這盤生意，拿錢拿時間拿心機出來，在西貢租了個地方做工場，慢慢建立了一點顧客網絡，並給不同的
傳媒訪問過。然而在沒有起辦費的限制下，他們只能在工餘找時間生產，所以在產量上並不理想，無法應付有價有市的訂單。不時他們還會找我談寫申請資金建議書的意見，我也喜見他們真的赴諸實行。
去年底《明周》報導過他們。其實兩年來已經至少有11家本地和遠至
德國的傳媒和
網站報導過他們這項目了！照片中的玻璃咖啡檯和檯燈，都是利用廢汽車零部件升級再造的。每件貨品送到客人手上的時候，都會有一個標簽，說明的除了是設計師的名字，還有包括有份參予製造這件家具的低技術工人的名字，例如負責清洗的工人、縫紉皮燈罩的婦女、給予製作上的意見、到落手落腳鑽孔裝嵌、打磨焊接等五金師傅們，突顯了產品背後對人的那份尊重。
既然當上了advisor，我絕不會顧而不問，所以也一直就他們這次比賽所必須提交的計劃書、和現場怎樣有效並具說服力地介紹他們的營商方案、怎樣透過它體現企業的社會責任等，盡力給予意見。還有，每次他們要現場介紹的時候，我除了幫他們拍照之外，還給他們代禱！
ATB AutoArt是他們的參賽名稱，是來自他們三位核心成員英文名字的initial：室內設計師Alex（左一）、平面設計師Beatrice（右一）、和後來索性全身投入這盤生意的Telly（右二）。高挑男孩阿基（左二）是後來加入的組員，也是我現時的學生。Telly和阿基都是基督徒，都相信祈禱的功效。
好了，現在他們有了起辦費，我要好好考慮應否入股呢...
結業照
在順德完成了一個為期三星期共九節（每節三小時）的培訓項目，主題圍繞產業創新，參加者來自當地的製造企業和設計公司，上至老闆和管理人員，下至工業設計師和工程師等都來了。我除了設計和籌備了整個培訓的流程和內容外，也講了幾堂課。
結業那天有副鎮長和幾個高層來參加，當然也要來個集體照。
贈書
我在國內的工作單位請了一個剛從設計學校畢業出來的年青伙子，主要幫我跟進那裡有關設計的項目。聽說小伙子在畢業班中也算是個優秀份子，我看他拿來應徵的作品，風格也是典型的國內看為時尚的那一類（是讚是彈，你自己想），當中亦明顯反映他對
字體排印（
typography）的興趣。上任個多月來，言談間也看得出他那份典型fresh graduate對設計的熱情、要求和期盼；但另一樣的典型是：只要遇著小小對人和事的挫折，便馬上如一般八九十後一族一樣，想著要放棄。
我看著他，幻想著中國平面設計的下一代是怎樣的，特別在字體排印方面，將來中國會有些甚麼出色的設計師冒出來嗎？特別是他們的作品能面向國際嗎？嗯... 聽起來像很大很崇高的題目... 還是別去想了...
剛過去的這星期出門去攪培訓班，我順道從家中書架上拿下了原本買給自己，
廖潔蓮的《中國字體設計人：一字一生》，打算送給他。我在
扉頁上這樣寫：
小郭：
字體排印和設計故然是一門很有趣的學問和藝術，但真是要做起來的時候，你便會感受到它在這個方寸的小世界裡，其實也是要改了又改、乏味非常、充滿挑戰、和消磨意志的一項工作。
但要是你能夠忍耐經過它而沒有放棄的話，一套好的字體、一件蘊含著你無限心血的精煉作品便得以誕生。
既然你告訴我你希望專攻字體排印，我希望我送給你這本書，能夠每每在你經歷枯燥乏味的創作過程中想到要放棄的時候，可以成為你的提醒，也算是我作為一個教授字體排印的一個過來人給你的鼓勵。
對中國字體排印的發展，我想除了在課堂上教授，在工作上做給人（無論是上司或如小郭這些下屬）看，我想我可以做的，就是這麼一點點。
看來我們又回到
年前的討論了！
對從前自己深信不疑的東西產生動搖，我相信是因為我們多是站在自己故有的看法和信念evaluate其它的看法，卻鮮有給自己的看法給予較深入的反思或甚至質疑。不過在我看來，這裡的「動搖」並不是對與錯的問題，而只是選擇或point of emphasis的問題。
「設計的目的是溝通」這種偏向實用或功能主義的取向，根本是Bauhaus傳統form follows function思維下的產物。那當然仍然可以是金科玉律（我
再說，我也是吃Bauhaus奶水長大的），但我們卻少有追問為甚麼追求「好看」偏偏被偋棄在function所涵蓋的範圍之外...
宏觀地看，Bauhaus的主張其實是源自十七八世紀的
理性主義（之前的意識形態是以宗教和經驗為主導，偉大但「中看不中用」的藝術都是由此而生）。理性思維激發了數學和科學的急速發展，繼而是設計機器，之後是工業革命... 通過科學（如物理和化學）和數學精確的計算，無論在質和量上，人設計的機器都大大延展和提高了人類一雙手所能做/造的東西。這種以理性出發的思潮甚至影響了我們對「美」的看法：人們重新拿遠至
古希臘Acropolis的Parthenon，近至文藝復興Michelangelo的畫作來分析，認為比例、構圖等泛指「美」的原則其實都是可以客觀地、理性地計算出來的，甚麼「黃金比例」之類的說法日漸廣被接受。將這種以實用或功能出發的進路說為因，將一大堆藝術、建築、平面、室內和工業設計的作品說為果，這種論述成為上世紀初的主導思潮。然而世界就是這樣的，一種思潮的興起，往往又會有一種抗衡它的想法應運而生：
Arts & Crafts Movement，以歌頌人手所造的創作如何優勝於用機器大量生產出來沒有人性的東西云云...
回來看設計的目的，我想我們必須給設計的論述範圍分類和收窄，這樣的討論才會有較建設性的結果。在服裝設計的領域裡，將一襲衣裳弄得好看肯定必要，亦可以說這就是它最終極的目的。但給太空人的設計太空服又怎樣？是否功能方面絕不能忽略呢？當較有野心或前衛的時裝設計大師作更大膽和expressive的嘗試，不惜犧牲或甚至偋棄衣服的functionality或現有的風格，為要突破和創造潮流，這又是否也算是用設計達到「溝通」的目的呢？在typography和平面設計的領域裡，這樣的例子也俯拾皆是（
Neville Brody、
David Carson...）。
「取悅」這功能：對visual communication design而言，我認為它肯是problem solving重要的一步，因為好看和美麗至少可以令你的作品在坊間云云叫人嘔心的設計之中脫穎而出，叫我們花時間看（如你所說），達到溝通的第一步。只是在「fulfil the purpose by being pleasing」之後，還有沒有後著繼續將要傳達的訊息有效地傳達給觀眾，也是我們必須追問的問題。
"
Design is to design a design to produce a design." (
Heskett, 2002, p.5)
Design (a concept or field; a noun) is to design (an action; a verb) a design (a concept, a proposal, a solution, a tool; a noun) to produce a design (a finished product, a concept made actual; a noun)。我常常覺得我們在討論「設計」時，往往傾向將它的含義無限擴展，以至曖昧不清，再談美重要還是功能或是溝通重要也就落得沒有結果。設計既可以是人類任何有意識的行為，亦可以是狹窄如一個幼稚園小朋友的小手工，你到底在說上面四個design的那一個？否則誰要說服誰對誰錯，那種概念較為重要等，豈不是白費時間？
鬆一口氣！
終於完成這學期一科兩班（full-time and part-time）Experimental Typography的所有課堂！（還要在個多星期內完成評分工作。）雖然已經是第五個學期教授這個科目，但今個學期算是最吃力的了：既要為改動課程內容而傷腦筋和重新做準備功夫（especially some changes that I don't really believe in），也是最多學生的一次 —— 日夜校兩班共57人，每次tutorial和他們逐個談功課十分鐘，也最少要用上九個半小時！ —— 叫我不得不將有限的事間花在導修上而犧牲了lecture的時間。結果今晚final presentation至十時下課後，一些學生雖然已經離開，還是有八九個同學嚷著要看看我一早已經準備了卻沒有時間deliver的lecture PowerPoint...
日校的學生下課後說要拍張集體照。Congratulations to all of you finishing the classes and assignments, finally -- not an easy task indeed!
好了，還有星期二晚的一科尚有兩堂...
A good day
This was a good day.
When the golden ray shone into my window, onto my bed, woke me up, I knew this would be a good day. I remembered
my fellow Chinese people in mid-southern China who suffered from the snow disaster. After days of struggling with the cold, the freezing rain, the chaos, the hunger, the exhausted bodies... I knew this warm sunshine would ease their suffering a bit. This would be a good day.
I prayed that their desperate wish for going back home to spend the Chinese New Year with their families could come true soon!
Despite it was Sunday, I still need to work today, for it was the last session of the MBA class on Strategic Design. This was
the 2nd time I co-taught this subject with my boss. Today I didn't need to prepare for any lecture because it was them presenting their final assignment. After spending with the class a consecutive 3 weekends, 6 hours each session, I was eager to see if they managed to learn a thing or two and reveal those learning in their assignment. Whatever subject I taught, I would always be excited at the last class, because it is a time I enjoy and harvest the result of my teaching. That was a good day.
19 students in 5 groups, they presented their final assignment. I always tried to be critical in giving comments as well as giving suggestions on how they could improve in preparing the written proposal for final submission. I find students always welcome suggestions on how they could move on. And because I pointed to them the way ahead, they usually felt less offensive about my critical comments. Today, we didn't end the class until we finished all the presentation at 2:30 pm. Before we dismissed, student C (the man sitting on the floor), the leading figure among them, also one of the students who my boss and I gave the most harsh criticism during the tutorial last week, proposed to take a photo together, as well as treated my boss and I a late lunch too! This was a good day.
These students came from a diverse spectrum of background and streams of specialism: they are from MBA in Innovation and Design Management, MBA in Information Technology Management, MBA in General Management, and Master of Design (Advanced Strategies); they are design managers, designers, design teacher, R&D manager, HR manager, account servicing, IT and marketing practitioners, TV producer... From their accents, I could tell many of them are either raised or educated in foreign countries: from India, New Zealand, Britain, Taiwan, the US... Gladly there were many positive comments given on the dining table, mostly on what they learned and what could be applied in their daily work. Apparently, most of them had a good experience in this subject. Thank God!
This was a good day indeed!
又是寫在學期終結時
It is usually the most satisfying moment when a semester comes to an end: neither do I need to prepare for lectures nor scratching my head on thinking how to push my students to work against tight submission deadlines.
在整個學期裡我給了學生五項功課，單poster design一項已足夠鋪滿地上！日夜校兩班Typography共43人，你幫我算一算我有多少件功課要評分！While I'm grading my students' works, it always feel great when I
receive compliment emails from them. But in this semester I do receive something new, something I've never heard before from previous semesters（Mmm... 沒有徵得他們同意便放上來，哈！）:
"Thanks very much for your kindness and smile. They make the lessons more interesting and we are not afraid to ask questions in the class.【這可真是第一次聽見這樣的comment！早陣子才聽見成人和小朋友都說我的樣子蠻嚴肅的，現在正好有人幫我平反了吧！】
Indeed, we improved our sensitivity of font and typography thru this project. Some presentations are quite unique and we learnt a lot from them. Actually, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for making this course interesting."
"I found your course is very useful, and it enlightens me to be more sensitive in typography. Most of time now, I will unconsciously keep watch for typo designs like on movie posters, movie trailers, magazines ads, signages and shop's logotypes...etc.
Well, I don't know how long this habit will last, but at least I can apply what I learnt from you to answer/challenge my marketing colleagues' stupid comments on typography."【這位同學每次功課都做很多concept sketches，比起今日很多designers在工作上都只做一兩個草圖，沒有design development便直接在電腦做final artwork，他是否算是瀕臨絕種一族呢？】
"I pleased that I can join these high-standard lesson, lets me pay attention how to create typeface, analyzes the typeface, resolution of letterform...
Because your lecture on typeface let us know to request the homework standard. I study many course, I never seen a lot of diligent classmate in a class, it lets me positive diligently myself.【By the way，這個semester夜校生的學習態度又真積極，叫我做教的都格外有心機和加把勁！】
At the end of the subject of Typography, thanks for the tutorial and the email opinion, it is very detailed and clear. I gained a lot from this semester and I think it really can grab every chance in future in applying I have learned."
"I am glad to finish all the lessons of 'Typography'. Thanks for your patient to teach us for these months. Typeface design made me satisfied... they are designed by myself and are unique. Now, I have my own typeface!【你能否感受到她那份興奮？】
It is a special experience to me. After I finished the final assignment, I understood that typeface design is really really difficult thing. During the process of designing the new typeface, I did many many times revision including the revision of the strokes. But I still enjoyed to do it. It is because I can learn more from each revision."
"May you spend some time to give some comments as your comments are highly effective and useful."
"Thank you for your kindly teaching/tutorial. I learnt a lot from the lesson."
"I am really grateful to you for that you had done, eg. diligent teaching, tutorial/e-mail opinions, especially you would still try your best to give me some detailed and useful opinions even if I hadn't do the well prepare for the tutorial... actually I feel so shame about that... Thank you for your teaching~~"【能否透過tutorial給學生一些用得上的意見是我非常重視的一環。既不應spoon-feed、亦要point the way ahead、inspire他們回去後知道下一步做甚麼... 這位同學跟很多其他同學一樣，過了遞交功課的時間還不斷寄來改進了的功課，要求我給予意見，完全體現「讀書不是求分數」的精神！】
"I also would like to thank for your teaching, the lesson make me interest in typography and let me know there are different angles tolook at design. I'm really enjoy your class... And feel surprise lot of the works of my classmates are doing so well in the final... I hope to share more about design with you at the future in the spare time~"
"... thank you so much in the Typography module. Before this semester I think I am sensitive to the fonts or text... But now, I know we have a long long way to go ... haha! All topics in the lessons are interesting, although the courseworks are really hard for me... I have to spend so much time to do... But i earned so much!!! At least, I will 堅持 what I learnt in the Typography lessons!!"
「我們一些同學想食飯with u, like 謝謝宴~哈哈」【這個問題我真不懂回答呢！應承她們會否給人說我受賄？】
在另一個科目，我跟學生分享著作為老師，我教學方法的取向是多給建設性的批評（等他們知道下一步應怎樣做），不單給一些苛刻的意見（用俗一點的廣東話就是「插」他們或「打沉」他們），因為我贊成
Edward de Bono的說法，這個世界太追捧critical thinking而忽略了creative thinking。有一位學生這樣覆我：
"yes, I agree with your standpoint... you are the first runner up in my favourite tutor list. Just keep it up and I am sure you will be a brilliant teacher and teach someone likes me, hahah!【然後他提到自己白天做的工作】
I have a successful private show last night and of course after writing the proposal, frankly speaking, I gain a lot of inspirations through your lesson....I am sure you are a passion and a sincere lecturer, just keep it up and make more contributions, you inspired me actually."順祝各位
聖誕蒙福，新年快樂！
我當時教授的科目內容是有關如何利用設計為營商創新（to innovate）和創造價值（to create value），與及介紹一些開發創新產品的理論和方法，所以功課都要以包含business plan成份的design proposal形式提交。這幾位學生當時的功課是想拿廢車場的廢棄零部件來「升級再造」，替顧客度身訂造成為高級環保家具。他們不但很用功、享受整個學習過程、產品模型做得極漂亮、就連business plan也寫得可以，當時我給了他們最高分。但更重要的，在最後一堂我通常都會鼓勵學生不要完了學期拿了分便將自己的功課丟掉或置之高閣，而是要等機會或甚至製造機會要將這盤構思的方案孵化出來，成為真的生意，不要浪費他們這麼好的作品和心血。
去年底《明周》報導過他們。其實兩年來已經至少有11家本地和遠至德國的傳媒和網站報導過他們這項目了！照片中的玻璃咖啡檯和檯燈，都是利用廢汽車零部件升級再造的。每件貨品送到客人手上的時候，都會有一個標簽，說明的除了是設計師的名字，還有包括有份參予製造這件家具的低技術工人的名字，例如負責清洗的工人、縫紉皮燈罩的婦女、給予製作上的意見、到落手落腳鑽孔裝嵌、打磨焊接等五金師傅們，突顯了產品背後對人的那份尊重。
ATB AutoArt是他們的參賽名稱，是來自他們三位核心成員英文名字的initial：室內設計師Alex（左一）、平面設計師Beatrice（右一）、和後來索性全身投入這盤生意的Telly（右二）。高挑男孩阿基（左二）是後來加入的組員，也是我現時的學生。Telly和阿基都是基督徒，都相信祈禱的功效。
