How does AIGA come up with a theme for the design conference?

Each biennial design conference offers AIGA a chance to bring together original thinkers and provocative designers to challenge the state of affairs for our profession. When choosing a conference theme, we listen carefully to the needs and interests of our members, placing them in the dynamic of our vision and making sure they are considered in the context of the moment.

Themes emerge from listening and observing...

As executive director I ultimately decide on the conference theme, but not before a long and cumulative process of listening and observing, which entails:

• Listening to reactions from the previous conference, which are gathered through comments on the conference survey and by reading blogs and press post-event
• Reading and synthesizing feedback from the biennial member survey
• Reading the roundtable summaries from our annual chapter leadership retreats, as well as listening to questions asked and points raised at these events
• Paying attention to design blog discussions and user comments, to see which topics spark the liveliest debates
• Asking every designer we meet, what are your needs? what are your issues? who do you want to hear from? 
• Engaging with design educators and staying informed of education curricula changes
• Understanding the current literature on sociology, demographics, social policy, popular culture and corporate strategy, and then identifying the themes, trends and transformations
• Observing data on the design economy and the global business outlook
• Taking into account the issues that matter to current board members and chapter leaders
• Empathizing

...and synthesizing

After considering what others feel are the pressing issues (often made prominent simply by the pattern of comments we hear on a daily basis), we place designers' experience of these trends in the context of current and anticipated economic and social dynamics.

The conference theme and its execution must also fit with the key aspirations that AIGA has articulated for the profession—to demonstrate relevance and leadership, ultimately leading to enhanced opportunity. Speakers and topics should address the broad, strategic view that AIGA advocates by incorporating: multidimensional design; multicultural expression; a global perspective; human-centered design practices; strategic and conceptual design thinking; diversity in imagery, practitioners and practices; and, of course, great examples of how ideas are made visible and comprehensible. Our hope is that, by defining a theme and selecting presenters, we will be leading and not following.

Once the conference theme is chosen, the external programming chairs and committees are put in place. And along with the internal AIGA team, they work within the theme to create a meaningful conference experience.

Does the process work?

We think so. Take a look at our most recent themes:

• 1995: “Change,” in Seattle, as people coped with technologies transformation of design
• 1997: “Jambalaya: The Design of Culture Meets the Culture of Design,” in New Orleans, as designers sought a return to cultural influencers to counter technology
• 1999: “America: Cult and Culture,” in Las Vegas, at a time when popular culture seemed to overwhelm thoughtful design
• 2002: “Voice,” in Washington, D.C., as designers yearned to gain respect in the civic realm (this event was postponed from 2001 due to the events of 9/11)
• 2003: “The Power of Design,” in Vancouver, as design embraced sustainability and responsibility
• 2005: “Design,” in Boston, as a return to the core principles of the profession
• 2007: “Next,” in Denver, as a look toward the future and the emerging generation of designers

And now, in 2009, our conference theme is “Make/Think”—taking on the dichotomy of designers as both the makers of artifacts and masters of integrative thinking, and exploring the contrast between tangible/physical solutions and the strategic/innovative ways that designers use their creativity to defeat habit. This issue is especially relevant today, as we position design and its competitive advantage to emerge stronger and even more essential to business and society coming out of the current economic downturn.

The greatest value a designer can contribute to a client is often in the process of thinking through solutions. This more strategic level is often more valuable to the client and is also less likely to be commoditized, which is always the threat to the role of designer as the maker of things. Current disruption in the markets is the best time for designers to rethink their role and develop the perspective and skills to reposition themselves.

Of course, there is no place like the AIGA Design Conference to also appreciate that most designers started down their current path because, at heart, they were simply compelled to make beautiful things for the love of it. And we hope “Make/Think” will remind them of that obsession, beautifully and thoughtfully.