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Karim Rashid on Design Losing Ground as a Respected Profession
"Designers never speak about the financial realities"
Yesterday Karim Rashid posted this 8-minute walk-and-talk, where he brings up some topics you rarely hear about: An oversaturation of design schools and designers, a high number of designers willing to work for little or free, and the effect that's having on the overall business model whereby someone pays you to add value to their product or process.
If it wasn't COVID times, I'd say watch this video, then let's meet up at the bar to discuss.
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Comments
It is very difficult to hear this from someone who doesn't pay his interns. I understand and agree with what he is saying (in isolation of the larger global context and making design accessible to all), but its just difficult to hear from him in particular.
I was curious to see what others thought and I'm in the same boat. In my career there have always been tons of designers and it has been my understanding from day 1 that this is a competitive industry. Design tools have become more accessible and people are more comfortable working virtually which significantly expands their options and the competition. However like many of you have said, prove your value and the work will come. I have several clients who have gone to other cheaper designers only to circle back later. That's actually been really good for me!
Rashid is obviously a living design legend in his particular practice, and his points about oversaturation are valid. College & University's (particularly in United States) prioritization of profits/enrollment growth over real-world-readiness and placement is becoming more and more clear in recent years especially in for profit colleges. Many of us have experienced this or know fellow colleges who have.........but COME ON lol
Alterative article title......."Man obsessed with round things who also profits off unpaid interns rants about design economics while people try to stay afloat"
First, isn't this argument at least as old as "desktop publishing"? If people can print their own _____________ then graphic designers and printers are out of work. Yes, it has changed the industry, but I don't think that has played out as people initially feared.
I don't work for free, but clients expect to pay really low amounts. the things I can do alone are many. I compete with designers in Asia and South America, where money costs a lot less. I don't know how a professional used to working in the 90s could stay in business.I imagine two scenarios: 1) Industrial designers start to create a kind of lobby, like lawyers, it seems unlikely.2) the profession will change to a type of craft, such as the carpenter who creates your custom furniture, at a minimal price.
I wonder if this has to do with our business approach in that most freelance work I have done involves delivering a basic design service and negotiating a basic hourly rate. I think this approach is great for getting your career started, but ultimately not the right answer for designers. Karim talked a lot about percentages, and that suggests a different kind of relationship. It suggests that designers need to step up and become a sort of partner in the business, somebody who will be looking into the long-term health of the venture, and compensated as such. Maybe we can improve this whole situation by focusing on long term relationships over short term tasks. We are not just another service the executives need to hire, we are a business partner.
just to clarify, he's complaining about the glut of architects (non-licensed arch's are called designers) and interior designers, not ID.
The democratization of design is a good thing. More people having access to more/better tools to bring their ideas to life. I think more rigorous design is definitely still out there in fields that require it ( medical, construction, architecture, ect) . If you're having a hard time competing with the expanded (so called flooded) market place of designers then maybe you aren't bringing more value to the table than them.
You get what you pay for.