The ripple effect: how the economy affects design
As someone who’s decided to join the freelance workforce (and launch my own studio) at the worst (not my words, but the those of many freelancers I’ve talked to the past few months) time for our industry compared to the last 10 years, I have been having many conversations with small business owners, one/two person studios and freelancers about the economy and its effects on design. Now that was a very long sentence to begin a newsletter with, but hopefully you are still with me.
A personal note
The past few years have been increasingly difficult for our industry. We’ve seen a lot of fluctuation in roles, client projects and a steady decline in innovative work within the UK client space. This is my personal opinion and observation, after having spoken to many designers and small studios, especially with creatives who have been affected by wave after wave of redundancies. The picture I’m painting is very grey indeed, but I’ve started doing a bit of research to figure out how the economic climate affects our industry.
The ripple effect
The global economy and the design industry are closely intertwined, influencing everything from the type of work we do to the risks we’re willing to take. In a booming economy, businesses are more likely to invest in bold, innovative designs and push the boundaries of creativity. But when the economy slows down, the focus tends to shift. Design becomes more cautious, with clients looking for value, durability, and longevity over experimentation.
Diminished client demand means…
Economic downturns affect client demand directly. Businesses and consumers cut back on spending, which often means fewer design projects or a shift towards more conservative, long-lasting brand strategies. Design choices reflect these realities, with an emphasis on practicality and cost-efficiency over bold aesthetics.
The industry gets even more competitive…
The economy also amplifies competition within the industry. With many talented designers vying for a limited number of projects, negotiating higher wages becomes a challenge.
And in return, impacts education.
And as the industry tightens, the decision to pursue a design education has also been impacted. The decline in students choosing design degrees shows how the economic return on investment is making young adults reconsider their paths in creative fields.
What does that mean for us?
In both good times and bad, the economy influences every part of the design process—from the projects we take on to the future generation of designers. For now, the challenge is finding ways to balance creative vision with economic realities, and creating work that can stand the test of time.
I won’t pretend I have a solution. I know many creatives who are optimistic about the wheel turning around. Having faced times of economic instability before (as a foreign citizen who’s seen this play out before), I’m not overly optimistic. I choose to be cautious instead. Most importantly, I chose to set boundaries on the job I’m willing to compromise for and the fees I’m willing to charge. But that’s a topic for another day.
In my last newsletter I’ve asked to gather your thoughts on content frequency and subject matter. Thank you to all who completed the polls. At the moment I’ll try my best to hit my weekly newsletter target. When times get busy (and I mean very busy), I might need to fall back to a biweekly share. Hopefully this means the content remains relevant. I’m always keen to hear your thoughts on my musings and general shares, so please feel free to start a conversation in the comments section.
Thank you for being faithful readers of Abnorm!