Prof. Dr. Jan-Henning Raff

Head of Department of Design Campus Berlin

B.A. Graphic Design and Visual Communication

M.A. Communication Design and Creative Strategies

Background

Jan-Henning Raff studied Communication Design at Kunsthochschule Weißensee from 1995 to 2000. In 2001, he joined Prof. Alex Jordan’s (Grapus, Nous travaillons ensemble) master class.

“Print is dead!” was proclaimed at the time, so he immersed himself in multimedia design and took his self-constructed hardware and software to Berlin clubs as a VJ. After the first dotcom bubble burst, he specialized in e-learning. Time to be serious. He joined the Media Center at Technische Universität Dresden, where he worked as a research assistant designing e-learning in an interdisciplinary team. Starting in 2007, Jan-Henning headed up the Media Design department at the Media Center. In 2011 he finished his doctorate on design aspects in learning activities at Technische Universität Dresden.

After a move back to Berlin, Jan-Henning worked at the German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF) and founded his design studio “Graffik”. In addition, he joined “Webducation”, Austria’s most important e-learning provider, to ensure the quality of their didactic design.

In 2013, Jan-Henning joined Media University Berlin as a Professor for graphic design and visual communication and became Head of the Department of Design in 2014.

His research focuses on the usage aspects of visual communication. In teaching, his focus is on communication in public spaces and interaction design.

Graphic design is not all about the visuals - it has to be useful, too!

Teaching

  • Graphic design in public spaces (BA)
  • Foundations of interface and interaction design (BA)
  • Interactive media (BA)
  • User-centered design (MA)

Research- and Teaching Focus

  • Usage aspects of graphic design
  • Research methodology of graphic design
  • Dealing with advertising

Curriculum Vitae

  • Education

    2011

    Doctorate “Learner as Designer”, Faculty of Education, Technische Universität Dresden
    2001

    Master student under Prof. Alex Jordan, Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee
    1995-2000

    Communication Design studies, Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee

  • Work Experience

    Since 2014

    Head of Department of Design at Media University Berlin
    Since 2013

    Professor of Graphic Design at Media University of Applied Sciences, Berlin
    Since 2011

    Design studio “Graffik”

    Concept and didactical design for “Webducation”, Vienna
    2010–2011

    Work at German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF)
    2007–2010

    Head of Department of Media Design, Media Center, Technische Universität Dresden
    2004–2007

    Research Associate, Media Center, Technische Universität Dresden

Awards

German Design Award 2014, nomination (Graffik)

Comenius Medal 2013 (Media Center, TU Dresden)

Design Transfer Bonus Berlin 2012 (Graffik)

100 Best Posters 2011 (Graffik)

Memberships

German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF)

Other Activities

Organization of World Usability Day 2006–2009 in Dresden

Organization of the colloquium “Design Promoviert 2008” in Dresden

Cooperation on publications and conferences at the German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF)

Reviewer at “Design Promoviert (colloquium), Design and Culture (Journal)

Publications and Conference Papers (Selection)
Publications

Raff, J.-H. (2021). A model to identify the data needed for ai-driven graphic design. In M. Engenhart & S. Löwe (Eds.), Designing with Artificial Intelligence. München: appliedAI, Digital Product School.

Raff, J.-H. (2020). Methoden für eine visuelle Analyse von Grafikdesign. In S. Foraita, B. Herlo, & A. Vogelsang (Eds.), Matters of Communication. Formen und Materialitäten gestalteter Kommunikation (pp. 104–114). Bielefeld: transcript. https://www.transcript-verlag.de/chunk_detail_seite.php?doi=10.14361%2F9783839451182-011

Raff, J.-H. (2020). Analyse der Lesetätigkeit am Smartphone am Beispiel von Instagram. In L. C. Grabbe, P. Rupert-Kruse, & N. M. Schmitz (Eds.), Bildgestalten. Topographien medialer Visualität. FURE+. The Future of Reading. Design-Meets-Science Conference. 1.12.2018. (pp. 117–131). Marburg: Büchner-Verlag. https://www.buechner-verlag.de/buch/bildgestalten/

Raff, J.-H. (2019). Theories to Understand Graphic Design in Use: The Example of Posters. In T. Triggs & L. Atzmon (Eds.), The Graphic Design Reader. New York: Bloomsbury Academic. https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/the-graphic-design-reader-9781472536204/

Raff, J.-H., & Löwe, S. (2018). Visuelles visuell analysieren. Zur Problematik der Analyse von Visuellem (nicht nur) in der Designausbildung. In B. S. Bauer & D. Hensel (Eds.), Designlernen. Diskurs, Praxis und Innovation in der Designlehre. München: Kopaed. http://kopaed.de/kopaedshop/index?pg=31_51&pid=1129

Raff, J.-H. (2017). Advertising as Obstruction. How to Think with Obstacles? Experts Opinions. https://web.archive.org/web/20180902211023/http://htwo.org/2017/11/13/jan-henning-raff-advertising-and-obstruction/

Raff, J.-H. (2014). Über den Gebrauch von Plakaten – Handlungstheoretische Ansätze im Grafikdesign. In 100 beste Plakate (pp. 164–177). Mainz: Hermann Schmidt.

Raff, J.-H. (2013). Theoretical frameworks for the conceptualization of graphic design in use. Iridescent: Icograda Journal of Design Research, 2(2), 10–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/19235003.2012.11428507

Raff, J.-H. (2012). Lernende als Designer – Untersuchungen zum Alltagsdesign in der Lerntätigkeit. Dresden: TUDpress. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-138832

Raff, J.-H., & Melles, G. (2012). Design without designers: thinking everyday design practice. Design Philosophy Papers, (1). http://dx.doi.org/10.2752/089279312X13968781797517

Raff, J.-H., Huber, J., & Steimle, J. (2011). Media disruptions as a support for learning. In M. Mühlhäuser, W. Sesink, A. Kaminski, & J. Steimle (Eds.), IATEL – Interdisciplinary approaches to technology-enhanced learning (pp. 369–389). Münster: Waxmann.

Raff, J.-H., & Melles, G. (2010). Everyday practice as design. Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, 3(2), 149–159. https://doi.org/10.1386/jwcp.3.2.149_1

Raff, J.-H. (2010). Studentisch inszenierte Lernorte, lernstrategisch gesehen. In Schriftenreihe der Deutschen Initiative für Netzwerkinformation (pp. 60–71). Bonn: DINI.

Raff, J.-H., & Wölfel, C. (2010). How useful is user experience as a concept for design practice? In 21th Biennial Congress of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics, Dresden.

Raff, J.-H., & Melles, G. (2009). Learner as designer: theoretical approaches to learning and design. In Proceedings of the 1st Art.Media.Design | Writing Intersections Conference (pp. 33–34). Melbourne. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/77049

Raff, J.-H. (2009). Designinnovationen im Lernalltag. In N. Hentsch, G. Kranke, C. Wölfel, J. Krzywinski, & F. Drechsel (Eds.), Symposium Technisches Design (pp. 283–289). Dresden: TUDpress.

Conference Papers:

Raff, J.-H. (2017). Grenzen der Semiotik in der Lehre. In 15. Internationaler Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Semiotik 12.–15.09.2017, Passau.

Raff, J.-H. (2016). Design Research – just do it? Wissenschaft in der Design-Bachelorarbeit. In DGTF Tagung 2016 “Reflecting Research.” Dessau.

Raff, J.-H. (2016). Forschungsfrage und Designproblem – Theorie und Praxis einer BA-Abschlussarbeit. In Edulab HTW Berlin.

Raff, J.-H. (2015). Der Umgang mit dem nicht-menschlichen Akteur Werbung. In DGTF Tagung 2015 “Reassembling Relationships: People, Systems, Things.”