Designers are gifted with a special ability to see and communicate with clarity what others may not even understand. Designers are the intermediaries between information and understanding. And yet, there is a vulnerability to this vision—they can react to what is asked of them, but they do not always anticipate their own future as clearly.

Although no one can predict the future, we must prepare for it. Knowing that there are tectonic shifts occurring in the sociological, technological and geographical environments in which designers create their paths, we can begin to formulate a picture. In even the near term, just eight years from now, what will the profession look like—and how do we equip the next protégés and ourselves for this experience? More specifically, who will be the designers of 2015?

Just this past January, AIGA assembled a council of established practitioners and design educators to examine that question. Only in understanding where today’s changes are leading us will we be able assure a deep relevance in the challenges of tomorrow. Here, we set out to explore the design landscape of 2015.

Although we do not know what the future holds, we can anticipate who the desired designers of 2015 will be. AIGA has placed a high priority on transforming public understanding of designers from those who create appealing things to those who help to solve complex problems with innovative solutions. Together with our council, and the input of numerous perspectives from the community, we will continue this exploration and further define the ideal design candidates of tomorrow, concluding in a presentation at “Next: AIGA Design Conference” in October. Stay tuned as we share our discoveries with the Taxi audience—since the designers of 2015 will be you.

Richard Grefé Executive Director, AIGA Icograda Vice President 2005-2007

From 2007, AIGA will be contributing a quarterly article on the future of design. Along with the Designer of 2015 initiative, AIGA is pursuing a revised definition of a graphic designer with the US federal government. TAXI Design Network supports this endeavor. The government has not yet acted to accept the revisions.

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