To launch our new study of the UK design industry, the Design Council hosted a national debate which saw more than 400 designers voting on burning issues affecting the industry.
The debate was held at the Royal Society of Arts in London, while people watched online and six regional design networks hosted satellite events around the country, from Sunderland to Sheffield to Poole.
The debate was chaired by Simon Waterfall and saw respected industry figures speak for and against three motions. These were then voted on by designers around the UK.
The debate
First up, Tom Dixon and Mandy Merron battled it out over the motion that recessions are ‘good news in disguise for designers’. Despite Dixon’s spirited argument that designers can benefit from companies seeking creative solutions to stay competitive, 60% of the audience agreed with Merron’s view that recessions were ultimately bad news for designers.
Then design business advisor Shan Preddy went up against retail design specialist Callum Lumsden to debate whether networks can really keep you in business. This motion saw 59% per cent of voters agreeing that networks are crucial in keeping them afloat.
The third motion was more finely balanced, with 54% voting against the suggestion that more on the job training prompted by tighter budgets would be a good thing for designers. This was presented by grandees of graphic design Mike Dempsey and Brian Webb.
Watch the webcast
Read the transcript for this event.
But the debate doesn’t end there – we want to hear your views on all three motions:
- Recessions are good news in disguise for designers
- Networks are fine but they won’t keep me in business
- Tighter budgets mean more on the job training, and that’s a good thing