Design a Way Out: The Plagues of the Graphic Design Industry
Everyone needs graphic designers. And you don’t think about design until you genuinely need it. Markzware says that 80% of businesses say the design of their branding & marketing materials is needed. As a growing industry, design has many great uses around the world.
But every good industry comes with hardships, and design is no different. The graphic industry is a mess, especially in its earliest stages. And its biggest problems are affecting the workload that designers deal with day to day. Changes must be made so that the graphic design industry can be easier for both the designers and the businesses they work for.
What are the Problems?
1. Burnout
Lookout world, it's burnout! Burnout is the feeling of extreme levels of stress and overworking. And for designers, this is a very common occurrence. Tight deadlines, demanding clients, and the constant need to stay ahead of trends are some of the main causes of burnout for designers. As a result, designers are often led to exhaustion and even a loss of passion for their work.
2. Job Market Entries
When you are first going into the design world, it is rather challenging to find a job. Ever browsed a graphic design job listing? You’ll see requirements for entry jobs like: "Must have 5+ years of experience, be proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Sketch, and more". And many of those programs require multiple years to learn. It's clear that many businesses don’t want entry-level jobs but are more looking for experienced workers. However, for designers, our job field is experience-based. So if entry-level designers can’t work, the future of design will be a struggle.
3. Adapting to AI and Rapidly Evolving Technology in Design.
While AI and changing technology isn’t a bad thing, it's clear that it will impact the graphic design industry. Engine Creative did a study about AI in the workplace, and found that 74.3% of respondents said that AI is going to impact their job roles in some way in the next decade, with an additional 24% percent stating that it would be damaging to their roles. While AI can prove to be beneficial, it's clear that many designers are worried about how AI will be used.
What are the Solutions?
There's a solution to each of these that can be beneficial to the graphic design industry. So let's see how we tackle them.
1. Set clear boundaries
To tackle burnout, designers must set boundaries. And why is that such an important thing? Well, a study by found that nearly 4 in 5 (78%) of Americans have decided to set healthy boundaries in 2023, because they allow for people to be overwhelmed by situations as often and recognize their worth. Designers absolutely should apply this as well because setting boundaries can help prevent extreme overworking to the point of burnout.
2. Acknowledge the Jobs that Know You and Your Worth
Since the job market for design is so crazy, it's important to know that not everyone will have the same experience in design. Some designers will have those high-level skills and some might not. However, there are many other ways that designers can get early experience in the job market. Freelancing, school, small businesses, and career insights are all extremely useful to designers. And most importantly, everyone is running their own game. If you’re a designer, please don’t feel you’re behind or lack skill. These things take time, but you will gain the experience in multiple ways.
3. Adapt and evolve.
When looking at AI, while there are problems with the ethics of AI, overall, it's better to adapt and evolve with AI. It's such a powerful tool that many don’t even realize how useful it can be. You can create information for your product, or colors for your design. You can let it give ideas for logos or branding. The potential it has is extraordinary. However, if it is to be implemented in workspaces, it must serve to work alongside designers rather than be the main focus of businesses.
Thanks for reading!
