From AIGA Insight ~ Topics: governance, membership
Letter from AIGA’s incoming president
As I embark on this new and challenging journey, there are several goals I intend to focus on during my term as AIGA President. They include the following:
The Connectivity Initiative
No question about it: The way in which humans connect and communicate has fundamentally changed. In the United States alone, we went from three television channels to more than 500 channels, from no webpages to billions. It took 35 years for 150 million people to own televisions; it took seven years for 150 million people to own cell phones; and it took less than two years for 150 million people to sign up for Facebook. Nowadays, the average teenager sends more than 2,500 text messages a month! We are in the midst of a revolution of the way we communicate, and as visual communicators it is imperative that we embrace these changes. Yet in order to rise to this challenge we must also embrace and accept each other, so I am committed to crafting a new connective structure for AIGA that is progressive, authentic and meaningful.
The Inclusivity Initiative
My first foray into AIGA was both challenging and frustrating. At the time, I blamed my work as a brand consultant; I didn’t feel AIGA was particularly interested in or respectful of brand design. But in subsequent conversations with members (and nonmembers) around the country, I have come to realize that, for many different reasons, designers of a diverse cross-section of disciplines don’t always feel welcome to participate or that they’re being heard. Let me say this here: I am deeply committed to fostering a spirit of transparency and inclusivity within AIGA and beyond. All design disciplines—whether online or offline, on paper or on screen, in code or in ink—are welcome to join our efforts! As we near our centennial celebration in 2014, we must break down the barriers separating our specialties and work together to design the change the world needs.
Advocate the AIGA Mandate
As we approach our 2014 centennial, AIGA membership, leadership and staff have taken a hard look at the organization’s activities and positioning alongside the needs of the design profession. As a result, we have adopted a bold new course for meeting our mission “to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.” At our annual leadership retreat held in June in Portland, Oregon, 250 board members from more than 60 AIGA chapters nationwide met to exchange ideas and success stories, and to review and discuss the results of six months’ worth of research to help chart AIGA’s future. The three-day event culminated with a unanimous and enthusiastic endorsement of a new “mandate” for AIGA—in effect, a roadmap for the organization’s progression over the next five years (and beyond) that will support the profession’s aspirations for relevance, leadership and opportunity.
I am thrilled to be working for this incredible organization and its extraordinary members. Moving forward, I will be reporting back to the membership regularly in an effort to record our interim steps and accomplishments. I encourage you to reach out, to contribute, to volunteer and to get involved. Your voice is important to me, as it is to all of AIGA, and we can’t do this without you.
Thank you for entrusting me with this opportunity.
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My response is here: http://dirkweiss.com/clients/aiga-begins-emergence-plan-but-seems-to-lack-in-key-areas/ - We're rooting for you AIGA
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Mathew,
I encourage you to place your response directly in this comment section. It will better place your response in context and foster group discussion in one consolidated location.
Best Regards -
Firstly, Don’t get me wrong. I have had some great times working and planning events with the AIGA. The Boston crowd is a great one. I was a student member for two years, and then I lapsed my membership when the dues went up. Typical story.
After reading the letter from newly elected AIGA President Debbie Millman, I was both relieved, and well, let-down. The buzz words were there that enticed me to read on (facebook, connection, transparency etc..). But when I got to the end of the letter, I noticed a few things that jarred me. Here are my comments on each section of the new AIGA initiative:
The Connectivity Initiative
This initiative boasts that “a revolution” is happening! Quick! Gather your vintage, socially active posters, and unite!! – Well, when I think of the typical AIGA fashion sometimes that is my first thought. But really, if you are a working designer right now, this is not news to you. You probably found this post by checking your Facebook or Twitter. There is a new communication structure in the works that is to be “progressive, authentic and meaningful”. I am hoping at least that what ever it is, can be proven to be effective for jobs, and useful before people buy in. There is no more “trust me” source any more in this Twitter environment we live in.
The Inclusivity Initiative
You can imagine our understanding of Debbie’s point about multi-disciplined designers feeling out of sorts with the AIGA. For a while there, we here at Dirk+Weiss felt that way. But however, only recently, have our view points changed about this topic. I feel, at least in the Boston chapter, that the need to embrace all viewpoints of design has come from a dwindling membership and the need to be unique in a print-less environment. It is great to see that AIGA National has started its 21st century emergence (even if it is nine years later), but I get the feeling that its still, just too slow of a process, and there is a lot of catching up to do (and fast).
Also, I have had a long standing gripe with AIGA’s perspective of students or recent graduates. Students are commonly overlooked by AIGA as real designers. But in reality, students are the future of this profession. They will be in the next wave of industry trends. Even in Deb’s letter, there is a feeling of catering to the thirty and over crowd. Just because someone has recently graduated, or is about to, does not make them a less valuable member of the design community.
Let’s see some student board members!
In the 20th century method, junior designers became senior designers after having much “experience”. Well, experience never hurt anyone in any field, but the playing field has changed remember. In the 21st century method, that same junior designer has probably been laid off, and is now creating a web based company, and some sort of viral mechanism to promote their venture. Why? How?! It’s simple. There are tools out on the web that allow almost anyone to do this and enable it to be seen by the world.
AIGA needs to become one of those tools. A viral, job-getting mechanism. This means they need to pull the trigger on more situations. I have noticed in my dealings with AIGA, that pulling the trigger is rare sometimes.
Oh yeah, “Break down barriers by 2014″? again, too slow of a process. In today’s time management arena, six months is long term, and technology is king. Predicting and strategizing a whole nicely packaged plan for that long away is overly ambitious, I think, for AIGA, or any company/organization. The real solution here is to get the AIGA vehicle up to the speed of not only its members, but to non-designer folks, you know, your clients. Then, when at that speed, determine how far ahead to look and plan.
Advocate the AIGA Mandate
A new mandate is a great launching pad for new things. But, I had no idea there was an AIGA mandate before I read Deb’s letter.Hmm…
“As a result, we have adopted a bold new course for meeting our mission “to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.”
The official new mandate can be found here.
Still, I hear nothing about how AIGA would like to help get you jobs. Designers understand their ‘craft’ and ’strategy’. In this economy, AIGA needs to be more than an “Inspirational Resource”, and actually help promote designers to non-designers.
How about this for a new AIGA mission: “The goal of AIGA is to promote the value and effectiveness of designers to the world”.
We here at Dirk+Weiss are active participants with AIGA Boston (although not members). The trend it seems is now from the ground up, rather than the top down. I feel that chapters are becoming much more independent, and almost competitive, with each other. A great, and healthy point. We feel that progression is happening, and love seeing it happen. Even if it means pushing all the right (or wrong) buttons.
Overall, all comments aside, we would like to say good luck in your new endeavor, we’re rooting for you AIGA. -
First, I'll start by welcoming Debbie as the new President of AIGA. I am a big fan of Debbie's as a great design thinker and AIGA leader, and I am excited to see her head our organization. Congrats Debbie!
Matthew, I'm happy that you wrote your thoughts. AIGA is definitely not perfect, but I have nothing but trust in our leadership in that they have our best interest at heart. I don't think that it is a perfect organization, but I do trust that they do their best to improve our field and I trust that they listen to us and our needs.
I have many thoughts and opinions in response to your comments. I will limit myself to a couple of thoughts that I hold more personally.
I think it's important to understand that "AIGA’s mission is to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force." Advance, not solve. As much as I see AIGA as a powerful organization that backs me up as a designer, I don't expect it to solve all my problems and find me a job. However, I do expect AIGA to improve my experience as a designer, and so far the organization has exceeded my expectations.
Yes, AIGA could do more and work quicker. But as an organization of well over 20,000 members and more than 60 chapters, change can hardly happen overnight. As a board member for AIGA Philadelphia, I have seen our leadership at work and I know that they are moving mountains to improve our experience as designers. I also know how much they reach out to its membership: there are annual round tables held by each chapter that report back to the organization, there are several questionnaires sent to the membership via email and each board is encouraged to reach to their membership to form their programming. I couldn't trust the development of my profession to anyone any more than I trust it to AIGA.
Oh, and here's a student board member. I was appointed Sponsorship Chair for AIGA Philadelphia the week before I graduated from undergrad, served one year as an entry-level designer at a small studio and the next year as a graduate student. And now, as I enter my second year of grad school, I will continue to serve, now as Ethic co Chair. And one of my Ethics predecessors is still in school. Each chapter has autonomy in choosing their board, and I don't know how many other students/entry level designers are on other boards, but it is possible. I never felt under represented as a student, as there are tons of initiatives that address student. And now that they extended the Associate level membership to four years I will have more time before I worry about the rising cost of membership after school.
I'm glad you are bringing dialog and different opinions; I know that our leadership takes it into consideration. I look forward to seeing how Debbie and her board continue to improve the organization and our field.
Best,
Bernardo -
I've long argued that AIGA is an organization for its members first and an organization for the design profession second. However, considering that it's a member-supported organization, the amount of advocacy that AIGA provides to the general design community is pretty amazing. Many of AIGA's national and local initiatives function effectively regardless of member support -- thereby benefitting *all* designers, members and nonmembers alike.
That said, and without turning this into an infomercial for member recruitment, I'd like to offer a few of my insights into why I'm psyched about the new course that's been set by the national leadership and championed by our new President Millman.
CONNECTIVITY
My own purpose for initially joining AIGA was both simple and selfish: I had taken a job working at an excruciatingly-small design office after teaching full-time for two years. I needed creative interaction, and I decided to find it through AIGA. I surmised that the Minnesota chapter had plenty of members, plenty of programming, and plenty of opportunities for me to engage with other members of the local design community.
And lo and behold, after learning that it would be necessary for *me* to make a small effort to *meet* *other* *people* at AIGA events, I soon found an embracing community of my peers ready and willing to work on how to make our careers better. (Attention introverts: we really *do* need to learn how to suck it up and say "hi" while offering a handshake.)
The basic principle here is that we're stronger we're connected to each other. As demonstrated recently in Iran, single voices have little effect alone. But get a few dozen people to shout in unison from the rooftop, and you'll start to command attention. AIGA attempts -- rather well, I believe -- to organize those disparate voices.
A previous poster mentioned that communication is rather difficult for an organization with 20,000 members and 60 local chapters -- which it is. But I would expand that difficulty to include communication *and* connection. By its very nature, a group of 20,000 people who live all across the nation (Hawaii included) will never agree on every fine point -- but we hope we're intelligent enough to come to consensus on the big stuff, if its argued cogently. To do so requires us to all to all talk to each other: to share ideas, successes, failures, and advice.
This is where Debbie's call-to-action comes in: It appears to be her desire to hear as many voices as possible so that the organization may continue to modulate its course and tailor its priorities and offerings to its members -- those who choose to invest their time, money, and confidence into an organization which always has their best interests at heart.
(This begs that I skip off to a tangent which would compare the many professional industries that have professional lobbying organizations and compare them to our own industry, which has none, save for *possibly* AIGA -- but that would be off topic.)
INCLUSIVITY
Like Debbie (and like most?), my initial experiences with AIGA weren't amazing. I agree that our organization needs to bend over backwards, twice, to welcome new members (and distant members) into events and conversations. Everyone needs to be welcomed. Everyone needs to be included. And then we need to welcome them again. And AGAIN -- because the third time is the charm.
If AIGA is to succeed as an organization well into 2014, we need to do at least two things: (1) Erase the "clique" mentality that too often permeates local organization activities, and (2) Actively recruit and embrace those who work in the designing of interactive experiences. Both are essential to ensuring that AIGA continues to grow; young people today are increasingly leery of stratified and authoritative/centralized institutions, and far less likely to exist and practice in an ink-on-paper environment. AIGA must recognize these two truisms and adjust accordingly.
MANDATE
I agree that 2014 is a long ways away. (I suspect that year was chosen less for prudence and more for centennial significance.) We'll be dead by then if we don't start changing now.
Message received. Loud and clear.
If the national organization hasn't yet responded, rest assured that the chapters have. It was obvious at June's Leadership Retreat that the chapter organizations have been implementing programming for years -- if not MANY years -- that directly support the directives of the mandate.
While it may be a bit embarrassing for the national organization to hear so, they're essentially catching up to what the local chapters have been collectively doing for a very long time: Mentorship programs, local and regional design conferences, lecture series, outreach efforts, accessible award shows, sustainability workshops and guidelines, portfolio reviews, studio tours, skills training. These are things that local chapters have been doing successfully for decades, and will continue to do for decades more.
What local chapters cannot do on their own, however, is make a large and concerted effort for the effectiveness and value of design as a whole. (Even the large chapters can't do this alone. AIGA Minnesota, of which I'm a board member, is one of the largest and oldest in the nation. We struggle as an organization to even make the case to our *local* corporations who are generally considered "design friendly.")
We need help. We need numbers. We need organization. We need unity. We need authority.
There, and there mostly, is there the national organization comes into play. Please, AIGA: Do what we can't do ourselves. Do what we can't do in our 10-person committees in Minneapolis. Or Omaha. Or Salt Lake. Or Jacksonville.
Oh, and national student members aren't a bad idea. Nor are young professional board members.
Let's make it happen. My sleeves are rolled up and I'm ready to work. Whose else are? -
What has resonated most for me in all these comments is Matthew White's statement:
How about this for a new AIGA mission: “The goal of AIGA is to promote the value and effectiveness of designers to the world”.
We are working in a floundering economy, and while long-term broader-spectrum goals of AIGA are important, I would like to see AIGA start an initiative to somehow educates the public/business community about the VALUE of design. As a freelancer I am continuously confronted by clients who do not value design, don't want to pay what my services are worth, and I am not alone. It makes it hard to pay those AIGA dues! Everytime this happens I think "how can we educate people about what design is worth?" People think nothing of paying lawyers, doctors, accountants, but ask them to pay for an identity...
I really appreciate all that AIGA currently offers members, and what Debbie wrote in her letter. I am excited she is the new AIGA president. I just hope there is room in the new AIGA agenda to address some of the practical problems designers are facing. -
Having been a lapsed member up until May of this year, my sentiments reflect the small sampling of comments and their writers here.
I recently transplanted myself from Minneapolis to Seattle. Late last year I started attending events where I could fit them into my schedule. This led to meeting board members, exchanging ideas and rants, which to my surprise led to the recommendation that I be invited to the roundtable discussions that were happening around the nation. (thanks Mark and Laura). This was very informative and the sampling of varied voices which ranged from creative directors of multi-nationals to student members had every perspective you could think of during our discussion.
We were very split, but had established much common ground based around the questions that drove the discussion. Yes, we wanted advocacy, but we also wanted initiatives that gave individual members the satisfaction they are looking for.
Some chapters do this well or are growing really good. Minnesota, SF and NY are outstanding chapters as far as balanced programs, initiatives and events go that reach out to not only our community but the larger non-design community as well. Other chapters are strengthening their chapters as we speak (and as we hope). The Seattle chapter has just put together a strong board of whom I hope they work the community to drive opportunity and membership. Though this can't happen without the assistance of members and potential members.
SPEAKING TO AS IT RELATES TO TECHNOLOGY
Under the guidance of Debbie, I hope that the local chapters will encourage conversations vs. talking at their members. Some chapters choose to create their own sites (NY, SF, etc), while others use the AIGA template. Honestly, the template was outdated prior to it launch and its flexibility really is not conducive to the modern web, which is communication and feedback oriented overall.
The irony of it is designers, PR, marketing professional every day are trying to sell communication every day to their clients via interactive sites, Twitter, blogging, social networks or whatever is hot at this moment. Yet most chapters lack a great ability to solicit feedback 24 hours a day. So what is happening is still a "talking to".
As designers with various notions of aesthetics, purpose and self-regard our arrogance is what holds back progress. Personally, I like information. I prefer it to be pleasant in presentation, but as long as I can get it and give feedback, I really could care less about the kerning, color palette or photography used. Why is it that we haven't implemented a solid template for use by chapters based on Wordpress, Movable Type or the like I'm still not certain. These are infinitely extensible, proven platforms that are utilized by fellow design blogs like Design Observer and Under Consideration, which have driven design conversation and knowledge for at least 5+ years now, but yet cannot be used locally by chapters to engage their members.
With that, programming for the growing market of interactive design, that which dominates many agencies and the collective conscience of our consumers is but a speck on the roadmap that AIGA is still using. It's growing as evident by AIGA NY's recent Print to Web transition events or Seattle's Hive events (of course various others as well) have shown. But seriously, interactive kicks ass. This alone should probably be driving half of any boards programming broaching the issues of moving into interactive after a lifetime of print or effective UX design or just plain old skill building courses. This is just not happening at the frequency it should be.
STUDENTS
Not gonna sugar coat this friends. If they are not the focus, then who is? AIGA needs to be driven by the young. There are more creative graduates than ever before being churned out by community colleges, state universities and private programs, but when they get out they are faced with the over 30 mentality of "fend for yourself kid". It's kind of sick upon graduation that firms aren't actively pursuing young talent, actively advertising internships or junior level positions.
Now I can understand the senior level positions being word-of-mouth, internal searches that woo talent from people and are hidden from daily site, but why is the approach the same for juniors? The agencies operate off a strict Darwinian code of "the stronger survive IF they contact us". I agree, if you want to work at Pentagram, so be it and send them mailer after mailer till you get Bierut in front of you. Though from my perspective not everyone knows where they want to work, what they should pursue or even if they actually hire junior talent. Some places don't!
Talent can be sussed out by many means. Ahem...portfolio. Ahem...interviews... or just being proactive and actually pursuing people that fit into your culture. Why should students have to just contact you?
So where does the AIGA fit into this? At the very least it should (and does minorly) provide some practical advice for students on job searching. If its advocating for designers, it should be advocating our own private practices to hire interns and juniors (preferably paid, but unpaid in school?) where people can gain the experience needed as it's all about experience. At this stage they're expecting genius out of school and if you're not that, you're not hired. In some sense, the industry itself, whether members or non-members is actually killing the success of AIGA.
Too many issues and opportunities to talk about here. I'm glad subjects are being addressed though. I'm glad there are people who are equally active and upset by their chapters or AIGA as a whole. Agitation can bring about many forms of change. Hopefully we'll see a whole lot of that in the Debbie Millman era and beyond. -
I would like to congratulate Debbie Millman on her new position. It will be challenging to somewhat change and expand AIGA's role as a reference, community and educator of graphic designers in al industries of design. However, in my opinion some universities that offer Design degrees are lacking in the teaching department. As a undergraduate from a 4 year university, I feel as though I really didn't get an education on design at all, at least the real world perspective of design. So now 2 years later, I'm making it a point to learn on my own as much as I can about all facets of design. I think it would be wise if AIGA could partner up with all or at least some of the Design programs featured in US colleges. Meeting with Dept of Art chairs to discuss the future and impact of graphic design and how to efficiently educate design students so that we don't feel as if we aren't learning or contributing to design. Also, it would be beneficial if AIGA worked with design firms and in house studios to create internship or co-op programs for design students to get real world experience. i have seen design's impact and anyone that wants to deny it, they need to open their eyes.
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Wouldn't it be great if one day in the near future everyone who didn't know what AIGA was when they woke up, would by the time they lay their heads to sleep that night?
Is that even possible? -
I'd like to welcome you Debbie and congratulate you on your new position!
In the coming years, creatives will need AIGA to help separate those who ARE committed to their work as professionals and those "designers" who are comfortable stealing work from others, engaging in spec work or who promote unethical business practices that devalue our trade. AIGA is the difference.
My wish is that more professionals will see the important issues at stake and will do their part to make AIGA more influential. We need to continue finding ways to meaningfully mentor deserving students at educational institutions that foster an appreciation for taking pride in ones work and ones reputation - above making lot's of money. (No one does this for the money!)
AIGA's success in the coming years, will not be a result of "luck" or chance. It will be the result of collective hard work by both creative AND strategic thinkers who understand the value AIGA provides.
Presidents can lead, but they cannot do everything themselves. -
First of all welcome Debbie and congrats on your new position!
I thinks she is a great design thinker and that she is going to be a great AIGA leader.
Matthew , Bernardo is right, you can't expect AIGA to find you work. Think about it, there are over twenty thousand members, so it's the best organisation to trust with your profession's development, because so far, I can't say it ever let me down.
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