The center of design has always been about the people behind the things we love — what makes them tick, what makes them feel motivated, and what we can all do to support the creative community we all love. So as we close this chapter and look to the future, I wanted to share our dreams, fantasies, and dreams for this community we have grown to know. But before I jump in, I would really like to know: what are your hopes for the future of design?
What do you expect design looks, sounds, feels, and functions like in the future? What do you hope for in the future of design websites? I’d really like to know how you are feeling and what we can finally leave here for prospective bloggers, manufacturers, and community leaders to take with them. The biggest mistake I made in my own time wasn’t creating a space that was welcoming to everyone locally. I understand better now, and I am still learning, but it is the thing I hope to see a lot more of in our area.
From sites and businesses to conferences and investment — our community deserves to find a greater diversity of voices, backgrounds, points of view, and demands affirmed. I expect that will look like as things go forward:
I’d really like to see more design media outlets (print, radio, TV and online) run by (but also including the tales of) writers and creatives from underrepresented communities.
I wish to see more stories told from the points of view of people of color, disabled individuals, people living with chronic illness, those who have immigrated or return
to the county from different areas, LGBTQ people, people over 50, people living in rural areas, people living on lower or fixed incomes, and people that have points of view
or experiences which we just don’t see enough of.
Design does not move forward, evolve, or become as different and unique as it could be if we just hear stories which seem like our own. I’d love to find conferences include all the people mentioned previously in notable (paid) positions at events. Stars are fine, I understand they drive ticket sales, but we all benefit and learn more when there are far more varied points of view highlighted and supported. I’d really like to see more inclusive hiring throughout the board. In the mastheads of print magazines to website staffs, podcast teams, and at executive levels of trade fairs and trade businesses.
We do not get to see business change if more varied points of view are not included in places of power. The same is true for design publishing: I would really like to see more books, magazines, and newspaper columns moving to individuals who can understand the design world from another. This means I hope we can all continue to speak up and take actions to guarantee everyone in our community is welcome, reflected, supported, and paid equally in our community. It may be uncomfortable sometimes, but it is work I hope most of us keep trying to do every opportunity we get.
A Better Understanding of Living Wages (and Costs ). One of the things that I struggle with as I finish this chapter, is feeling like I was not able to move the needle as far as I desired when it comes to the notion of knowing why indie/handmade design costs more and , even when we can not afford it, we could learn how to respect those rates. I understand why all of us want more affordable design, but one of my main goals was to ensure everybody who read here knew why smaller design brands and I don’t know if we had the ability to do so, but I hope as time goes on, people will have the ability to hold both truths (that handmade work costs more and it won’t be in everybody’s budget) without judgement or shaming. I’d like to see that concept extend to all types of design: such as box shop. If we would like to buy less expensive brand new furniture, I hope our community will keep digging into how these rates are lower and if they are tied.