by Linda Cooper Bowen

Career way-finding is about personal choice and fulfillment. Originally I planned to find designers who had made dramatic changes in their working life and moved on to entirely different occupations, but I found that there are often interesting detours or parallel routes. In the past, firms described themselves as either “specialists” or “generalists” but today’s designers express themselves more broadly and feel free to explore directions off the traditional graphic design grid. A designer may chose to work in a variety of media, forms and materials either alone or in collaboration with related professions, building innovative, unlimited, multidisciplinary design practices by integrating creative talent with an adventurous business approach.

What were once considered personal projects or even hobbies may now be part of the extended practice, sometimes under the banner of a new company name or a separate web site. By being receptive to new types of projects, the multidisciplinary practice expands the definition of Designer, to include initiating a salable service or mass-produced product line. Not since the Eames, Saul Bass or the Vignellis have designers been associated with such a variety of marketable endeavors. The benefits of this approach to a practice are many. Working on new types of projects requires new skills and often means working with a greater variety of designers, architects and fabricators. The learning experience is both challenging and liberating no matter how long you have been practicing.

How does a firm develop a multidisciplinary business? Jason Wright is constantly open to unusual opportunities. “In my practice I’ve worked on, designed or consulted on interior, clothing, landscape, web site and package design projects, software and UI development, information architecture, photography, cartoon/ animation, music/voice-overs, advertising, marketing, teaching and lecturing, and been paid as a food stylist, personal chef and dog trainer. I have earned more this year with my photography than some professionals I know.” And all this while doing traditional branding and print work. “Having a diverse practice is purely intentional. My biggest fear as a designer and business owner is becoming obsolete. What if I become a genius flash programmer and then an application is produced that can replace me? So every six months I evaluate where my business is headed, what my current skill set is and if I’m working on projects that I actually care about. If you can only solve one kind of problem your ability to grow is limited when markets change.”

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LINDA COOPER BOWEN
Design Marketing Consultant-Journalist

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