Foreword / Forward
The only way forward is to change.
2020 was a year of reflection, rebuilding, revitalization, and response.
We saw pivotal moments of change amidst the pandemic, and we chose to pivot with the intention of healing and re-forming with transparency. Taking that intention into 2021 and beyond, AIGA Chicago combined multiple survey approaches (Culture Amp, Typeform, and paper questionnaires) to create and release a single online survey. The survey was composed of multiple-choice, scale, and open-ended questions resulting in quantitative and qualitative responses from members and non-members of AIGA Chicago.
The following results, insights, and perspectives will play a critical part in shaping our Chapter moving forward.
Our Survey Takeaways
Some of our key takeaways from the survey were:
- 53% of non-members responded that membership fees were the main deterrent from joining AIGA Chicago.
- When asked what topics they would want to see AIGA explore, respondents rated the following with the highest interest: Design Ethics, Design for Social Impact, Design Education with/for Youth, Community Mental Health, and Climate Crisis.
On a scale of 0–4, respondents rated AIGA Chicago as the following:
- AIGA Chicago makes me want to engage with design more: 2.7 of 4 average
- AIGA Chicago has helped me move forward in my design career: 2.2 of 4 average
- I feel like AIGA Chicago’s leadership is accessible: 2.2 of 4 average
- AIGA Chicago provides me with a design community I wouldn’t otherwise have in Chicago: 2.5 of 4 average
- I feel inspired by AIGA Chicago programming: 2.4 of 4 average
- I feel seen, heard, supported, and welcomed by AIGA Chicago: 2.3 of 4 average
- Being involved with AIGA Chicago improves the quality of my life: 2.3 of 4 average
In combining all of the ratings above, we scored 16.6 out of a possible 30, which equates to a 55.3% agreeable rate.
These responses are crucial to our understanding of the perception of AIGA and its value to the community. But how do we make the data matter?
Analysis & Action
Through this feedback and involvement in public meetings, we have the power to envision a new normal. We understand and acknowledge the part AIGA Chicago — and AIGA National — has played in making people feel alienated or unwelcome. The only way forward is to embrace change.
One of the ways our Chapter is changing is through new leadership. Alexandra Harcha-Montes, Nick Adam, and Dave Pabellon are accepting the Co-Presidency nominations to restructure the current board model. This new Presidential team structure is a work in progress, and we aim to do the following:
Share labor proportionately at the Co-Presidency and Vice President levels and work towards our strengths.
This will help us avoid burnout, promote a more flattened hierarchical structure within the board, and continue to foster autonomy amongst the committees. This will also allow us to work towards our strengths in design practice. Alexandra enters the position with a deep understanding of corporate communications and in-house expertise; she currently serves as Design Principal at Newell Brands. Nick has flourished in the independent design agency world for decades, now serving as Partner at Span. And Dave brings a set of experiences from in-house, design studio, and most recently academia, where he currently serves as Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Columbia College Chicago.
Lead with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).
We will use DEIB as a focal lens for the board moving forward by recruiting as many DEIB task force members and BIPOC designers into open Board Positions as possible, regardless of past or present AIGA affiliation. By doing so, we hope to promote DEIB through action in leadership, programming, and Chapter offerings, while also debunking the long-lived stereotype that AIGA is a “clique.” Diversity is “good” for business and the design profession.
Stay mindful of our Chapter’s community engagement.
As mentioned in the appendix of the community survey results (below), the number of participants that fully completed the form was 101, just over 1% of our 10,000+ email subscribers. Many factors play a role in this figure, but whatever the reasons, we want to acknowledge that our survey sample size was small compared to our event and programming participation. Our 2020 Virtual Programming options reached audiences beyond Chicago in 27 states and 12 different countries. Over 100 mentors have shared their skills and knowledge with over 1,000 mentees in the last 5 years. Our Education Initiative partners include Marwen, CPS, and 12 local universities and design programs AIGA Chicago has an impactful reach, but we want to remain mindful of fostering stronger and more authentic relationships so we can best understand and serve our community.
“Move at the speed of trust.”
Author Stephen Covey once claimed that “change moves at the speed of trust.” Change takes time and can only happen if we have developed trusting relationships with our partners. As we introduce our new Co-Presidents, we sought to be slow and to not over boast. That’s not to say we are passive or non-serving; instead, we’re going to start with listening first. Many in our Board are new in these roles — in a very new world — and we want to be given the opportunity to learn and build trust. We will be announcing a series of Office Hours to introduce ourselves to the AIGA Chicago community as we head into the fall (which we will announce via email and social media).
Moving Forward
AIGA is a national organization, but we want our Chicago community to feel secure and celebrated in its own uniqueness. There’s an open and known feeling of disconnect from the larger, national identity of AIGA, but our focus is our local community. We want the group to be a space that is ‘Chicago for Everyone’, by first evaluating what makes sense for our Chapter and tailoring to what’s pertinent, rather than following blanket national initiatives that might not be relevant to our particular community and its nuances.
Our goal as a Chapter is also to create a welcoming and safe space for anyone who volunteers and is trying to make a difference in the design community and through design. We want to always honor the work that is lovingly being put in by individuals, encouraging involvement and active participation.
Join us in taking part in our upcoming public meeting, where we invite you to take a stand and get involved in creating the community you want to see. To get involved in future events and initiatives, please visit the AIGA Chicago website, check out our open board positions, or contact us directly at kel@chicago.aiga.org.
Appendix: Demographics
The respondent demographics of the survey are as follows:
- Out of a mailing list of over 10,000+ we had 101 responses.
- 56% of respondents were not members of AIGA Chicago.
- The majority of respondents worked in Communication Design, Art Direction, Content Strategy/Design, Marketing, Visual Design/UI, UX/IxD/Product Design, and Research/Strategy.
- 50% of respondents were either in-house designers or freelancers.
- Age: 40–55 (33.3%), 30–39 (29.3%), 23–29 (21.2%), 55–70 (10.1%), 18–22 (3.0%), Under 18 (2.0%), 70+ (1.0%).
- Racial/Ethnic Identity or Background: White/Caucasian/European American (66.7%), Latinx/Hispanic/Chicanx (13.1%), Asian/Asian-American (8.1%), Prefer not to identify (5.1%), Middle-Eastern (4.0%), South Asian (3.0%), American Indian/First Nations/Native American (2.0%), Black/African-American (2.0%), Jewish (2.0%).
- Gender Identity: Female (57.1%), Male (36.7%), Prefer to self-describe (3.1%), Non-binary/third gender (2.0%), Prefer not to say (2.0%), Genderqueer/Gengderfluid (1.0%), Transgender (1.0%).
- Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual (74.7%), Queer (9.1%), Gay (5.1%), Prefer not to identify (5.1%), Bisexual (4.0%), Pansexual (3.0%), Questioning (2.0%), Lesbian (1.0%), Other (1.0%).
- 8.1% of respondents identified as having a disability, 91.9% did not.
We are incredibly grateful for those who participated. In the future, we hope to interact and engage with a broader community, specifically aiming to better reflect the demographics of Chicago.
