Everyone can design, but is everyone a designer?
Should everyone be a designer, or should the title be reserved for the professional?
I debated this topic in college with my friend and fellow design student, Artsiom, where we argued that yes, everyone can design, it’s an inherently human process, but no, the term “designer” should not be something attributed to everyone; the role carries certain expectations that anyone, but not everyone, can fulfil. I think people get confused when we say no not everyone is a designer. They think we’re saying not everyone can design. What we’re really saying is not everyone can design to a professional standard and the term “designer” should be reserved for those who can.
Why? What separates a professional designer from “everyone” else?
Just like every other profession, it’s their level of skill and expertise. We need not look further than other professions to see why everyone should not be called a designer. People know general things about healthcare but they don’t call themselves a healthcare specialist because they don’t yet have the knowledge to consult professionally. There are certain milestones that one must cross before they can say I’m this or that and it should be the same case for design. Yes, contrary to other professions, design is a very open and accessible practice but, taking industrial design for example, it’s also one that requires meticulous attention to detail, knowledge of manufacturability, engineering, ergonomics and even psychology. While everyone can take out a piece of paper and sketch out designs, not everyone can turn that idea into reality. This is the job of a designer and in a way, to call everyone a designer you’re essentially devaluing the expertise of a professional designer. I can kick a ball but I wouldn’t call myself a football player because I know there’s more to it than just that. If everyone who could kick a ball was called a football player what would separate the people who spend hours each day and years improving their skill from everyone?
But why should we reserve the term designer?
“Everyone is a designer because there is no perceived ramification for practicing design.”
Jesse Weaver, Entrepreneur and Designer
Because people often associate design with just aesthetic, there doesn’t seem to be any consequence of bad design. Design is often seen as an art form which means that it’s subjective. People think that there is no weight when making a design decision but a bad design decision can be just as detrimental as a mistake in an operating room. So if you say everyone is a designer that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is a good designer. The professional aspect of being a designer means you have to be good because your job and people depend on it. We should limit the term to those who have studied or trained under some sort of design curriculum, apprenticeship or self-education and have the portfolio of work to show that because that’s the standard of skill the design industry needs.
Everyone can drive the design process so everyone is a designer right?
If we allow everyone to drive the design process the vision is often lost. We see this all the time with the marketing department expecting one thing, the business department wanting another thing. All these creative differences create conflict and don’t allow the designer to do their job as they intended. The restrictions of business, manufacturability and marketability are necessary of course but the conflict is not.
Designers do in fact need to interact with people of other expertise outside of their own to achieve the best result with their designs but these experts are not designers, they only assist in the design process but they don’t or rather shouldn’t drive it.
“Everyone can participate in the design process, but that doesn’t necessarily make them a designer. That doesn’t mean you have to exclude them, but you shouldn’t allow them to drive the design process.”
Marcin Treder, UX Designer and Blogger
Jesse Weaver’s article:
https://modus.medium.com/why-the-everyone-is-a-designer-debate-is-beside-the-point-6b176863b065
Fiat Chrysler Gear Stick Recall:
Looks Can Kill: The Deadly Results of Bad Design — Pacific Standard (psmag.com)
Marcin Treder’s article:
https://thenextweb.com/dd/2015/07/28/why-everyone-is-a-designer-but-shouldnt-design/
