Welcome
to the Dojo

The Design Dojo is the passion project of Kevin McMahon, +20 year digital media educator and award-winning designer and artists.

Kevin teaches Graphic Design at Bellarmine College Prep, where they kindly put up with his eccentricities. He is a 10-year Adobe Education Leader, a contributor to the Learn Adobe series of books, and a frequent guest expert for Adobe Generations Pro courses.

Kevin’s freelance work ranges from logo branding to motion graphics to character design. His clients include: Adobe Systems, USA Track and Field, Z Shoes, Stanford University and +50 others.

 
 

Dual Goals

 

The Design Dojo is dedicated to:

  1. Helping students develop their creative superpowers - by making digital media education faster, easier, and more enjoyable.

  2. Incentivizing students to use their skills for the forces of good - by rewarding creative work done for nonprofit organizations.

Yep. We think it’s cool too.

Teachers interested in applying the Design Dojo model to their own classes are encourage to learn more (and gain access to exclusive resources) by joining the Design Dojo teacher community via the link below.

 

The MAP Method

Studies show that what really motivates us are 3 key factors: Mastery, Autonomy, and Purpose (MAP).

There’s even a great book about it.

That’s why the Design Dojo:

  • Focuses on real-world, professional design processes and projects to develop true Mastery of the craft (not just the apps).

  • Makes use of a points system, range of opt-in challenges, and highly personalized projects in order to provide Autonomy.

  • Limits the ultimate honor - Design Dojo Black Belt - only to those students whose work includes a project done for good cause in need, providing a real sense of Purpose.

For a more info on the driving motivation and assessment methods used in the Design Dojo, check out this TED talk.

 

Why a Design “Dojo”?

In Japanese, the term dōjō (道場) literally translates to “the place of the way” and is typically associated with the study of martial arts.

Both the physical space and all those within a dojo are shown great respect. For example, an ojigi (bow) is performed: before stepping onto the training mat, to the instructor at the start and end of class, and to one’s opponent before sparring.

While it is a creative (rather than martial) art, the study of digital media draws many parallels with Japanese martial arts and the dojo tradition.

Like Judo, Karate or Aikido, the creation of digital media content comes with great responsibility - its power can be used to educate and serve society - or to misinform and harm others. Additionally, as with martial arts, mastering a creative art requires: an experienced instructor, personal discipline, and years of practice.

So, in developing the Design Dojo, the intention is to honor this dojo tradition with cultural respect always in mind.

To this end, a great amount of: personal experience (including studying Japanese martial arts and visiting Japan), extensive research, and feedback has gone into assuring that the Design Dojo’s content is respectful of Japanese traditions - both old (e.g., the Kyū -Dan belt rank system) and new (e.g., the kawaii “cute” aesthetic and chibi character style used in many of the Design Dojo resources.)

With this in mind, it is our hope that the Design Dojo honors the admirable Japanese tradition and spirit of the dojo.