Pratt Institute

Graduate Communications Design

Spring 2026

Instructor: Munus Shih

munus.shih@pratt.edu

Office Hours

5:00pm - 7:50pm, Every Tuesday

Pfizer Building, Room 720-01

Week 4: How to self-organize?

Illustration for Week 4

First Thing First Manifesto is a call to action for designers to prioritize their work towards social and environmental causes rather than consumerism. Originally published in 1964 by Ken Garland and updated in 2000, the manifesto challenges designers to use their skills for the greater good and to consider the impact of their work on society and the planet.

How did this week's content land for you?

Assignment

Due: Feb 24, 2026

Submit Here

  1. Work within your group and finish part 1 and 2 of Collective Proposal (read more here). This includes coming up with a collective name and writing a manifesto. Only one of you needs to submit the proposal on behalf of your group, but make sure to include all group members’ names in the submission form. Please bring a copy of your manifesto to class to share with your peers.
  2. Considering the following resources linked below, for your notebook, write a personal reflection on the following questions:
    1. What did you notice about the different manifestos you read? What are some common themes and differences you observed across these manifestos?
    2. What are some of the challenges and opportunities of working in a collective? How do you see the values and principles of a collective manifesting in practice?
    3. What are some of the ways you can contribute to a collective? What are some of the ways you can support your groupmates and the collective as a whole?

In-Class Activity

Other Resources