Confidence index
In April 2005, AIGA began conducting a quarterly survey of
design leaders to assemble an authoritative statement on the
current conditions within the design economy.
This Design Leaders Confidence Index is modeled on the
confidence indices developed by the Conference Board for private
sector corporate leaders.
Each quarter we obtain the answers to a few simple questions
from several hundred design leaders-the possible responses to the
following questions are: substantially better, moderately better,
same, moderately worse or substantially worse.
- How do you rate present business conditions for the economy as
a whole, as compared with six months ago?
- How do you rate present business conditions for design, as
compared with six months ago?
- In looking ahead six months as compared with today, do you
think business conditions for the economy as a whole will be:
- In appraising the prospects for design, do you think business
over the next six months, as compared with today, will be:
- Compared to [three months ago], are the chances of hiring
additional staff:
- Compared to [three months ago], are the chances of purchasing
additional hardware and software:
Over time, the responses enable AIGA to develop a confidence
index of conditions in the profession that will be helpful to
members and their colleagues in judging current conditions
nationwide. The index will also help us in advocating the interests
of the design community in Washington and with sponsors.
Most recent results
AIGA’s Design Leaders Confidence Index
rose again in the most recent quarter. For the first quarter of 2012, the index
rose from 100.71 to 104.15—the second highest level of confidence since AIGA
began monitoring confidence in the first quarter of 2005.
Responses to this quarterly survey of more than 350 design
leaders demonstrate a continuing surge of optimism in the design industry. For
instance, less than 7 percent believe the overall economy is worse now than six
months ago, although slightly more (8 percent) feel the design economy is worse
than in October 2011. Just over 80 percent think it will be the same or
moderately better in six months, and 10.8 percent believe it will be
substantially better.
Looking ahead, nearly all respondents are confident that the
broader economy will improve over the next six months (95.8 percent) and also
believe this economic growth will drive improvements in the design economy in
the next six months (96.3 percent).
In terms of hiring, only 11.9 percent feel their likelihood
of hiring additional staff has weakened in the past quarter. The optimism of
the respondents also affects their willingness to acquire hardware and
software: 46.2 percent believe they are more likely to invest in technology
tools today than in January 2012; fewer than 9.3 percent expect to be less
likely to invest (44.5 percent believe it remains the same).