Communications design is a communicative medium that has ability to transform and transmit cultural values through innovative problem solving. However, the practice is often pursued with a commodified end result in mind. This thesis presents the hypoth-esis that communications design should be studied as a pure science, outside the constraints of commodi-fied production, for the sole purpose of discovery.

Revised Thesis Hypothesis

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I. History of visual mediaII. Importance of A) Psychological Answer: society as entity 1) Repression versus acceptance - Nathanial Branden 2) Collective Consciousness - Jung B) Pragmatic Answer 1) Building on Knowledge - no reinventing the wheel 2) Science model C) Modern Psychological Impact: Visceral Connections (sensory perception, memory) 1) Marshal McLuhan 2) Communication as CultureIV. Commodification of A) Kalle Lasn B) Maude LavinV. Methodologies A) Scientific Research B) Visual Investigation 1) Art 2) Design C) Draw comparisonsVI. New Paradigms: Case Studies A) Collaboration: Community Advocacy B) Educational: MultidisciplinaryVII. New New Paradigm: Social Scientific Visual Investigations A) Art Methodology B) Design Methodology C) Interdisciplinary MethodologyVIII. Solution?: Interdisciplinary Methodology