The Design Aristocracy

I get a lot of mail from PR companies.

Much of it is completely useful and valid information, considering I write for a design magazine, some of it tasteless and tacky solicitation, and the rest absolute garbage. Every once in a while, however, a gem appears amongst my daily barrage of e-mails that opens my eyes and steals me away into inspirationville for a brief moment. RitaSue Siegel, of New York-based design recruiting firm RitaSue Siegel Resources, recently sent out an article via mass e-mail that caught my attention. Titled "An Aristocracy of Our Own," the article speaks of the impact a design leader (emphasis on the word leader here) can have on a business, versus seeking a collection of doers. Creative thinking is the secret to success in this industry, and in the world at large these days. In a swimming pool full of rapidly rising computer technology, unless a safety net of inspired ideas and actionable performance can keep you afloat, you'll drown. Says Siegel:

"Technology can replace a check-out clerk in a supermarket, but not a design leader who can proselytize design thinking to people throughout a company. Machines can log deposits and dispense cash, but cannot conceive of a brand identity or design an easy-to-understand way to enable consumers to manage their finances online. Technology also relieves a retail clerk from making transactions to making interactions by helping customers on the floor, becoming a critical element of experiential branding."

Siegel goes on to talk about the experiential type of knowledge path that each designer must pursue throughout his/her career to rise to the much-coveted peak of Design Aristocracy. You have to make mistakes. Learn from them. Grow.

At the end of the piece, Siegel defends her stance:

"Recently I’ve been accused of being “aspirational” in my writing, meaning that things out there are not as I write about them but how I want them to be. E-mailers and callers ask for a list of companies that consider design to be an essential function (and those companies that are working on it), because they can’t find any. How about Nike, Apple of course, Citigroup, JCI, Kohler, Whirlpool, Samsung, BenQ, Motorola, TTI, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Symbol Technologies and Nissan for starters?"

Or Whole Foods, Target and Prada? Can anyone think of any others? I've got a rolodex scrolling through my head right now. Seems to me the era of the Design Aristocracy is only in its infant years of a long and prosperous life.

--Alison Embrey Medina

Comments

[George Watson]

(Way late... but better than never.)

Referencing the original article 'An Aristocracy of Our Own', it demonstrates why Rita Sue, along with a few other senior recruiters in New York are the 800lb. gorillas of the communication arts placement world. Lots to think about!

That said, I'd like to offer a few comments to round out this ambitious overview of design leadership in America. I agree with much of what Ms. Siegel has to say, but (always the 'but') what others might be calling 'aspirational' may be, IMHO, just a little oversimplification.

As an aside, I would like to suggest we find another catchy title for design leaders... Creative people already have to contend with what has been largely a bum rap regarding ego and inflexibility. The term Aristocrat conjures images of a prima donna, or snob if you will, empowered by title or appointment instead of talent. Yes, I understand the 'crème de la crème' analogy... but 'A list' works for me, too. I prefer Design Masters.

Now that we've gotten taxonomy out of the way, on to the real issues.

The article seems to be pointing to a shortage of Design Leaders, and offers numerous rationales to support the premise. But a more complete examination would have discussed the shortage of meaningful positions open to this level of talent. It is no accident that most of the world's Design Leaders are leading their own practices, and are 'rented' or 'leased' on an 'as needed' basis by business and industry. The same is true for advertising.

Should designers and creativity play a more important role in the business world? Of course... and maybe that's the message we should be promoting.

The article also paints a picture of the business world with problems only the Design Leader can solve. I my experience, designers have no corner on the business creativity market. One has only to look at the writers in ad agencies for talent with outstanding concepting ability. The entire field of marketing is dedicated to innovation, and some suits contribute quite effectively and creatively to business, branding and communications strategy. All of this to say there are many ways to skin this cat.

So what are we left with? Design Leaders are hard to find. Real 'leadership' positions, with real 'leadership' salaries are hard to find for Design Leaders.

And Design Leadership will increasingly be a key part of retail success in a global economy where ideas and imagination are the chief capital, and materials, labor, manufacturing, distribution and sales are commodities.

Are our educational system and business community prepared for this eventuality? Not hardly. But there are signs of awareness. Rita's disagreements notwithstanding, Florida and Goodnight's article 'Managing for Creativity',
http://www.creativeclass.org/acrobat/managing_for_creativity.pdf,
is well worth a read.

For those concerned, there are plenty of creative resources... starting with Rita, if you're fishing for an Aristocrat to hire. Or if your organization is not ready for on-staff design leadership - New York has more than its share of Design Masters for rent.

Onward and upward!