What's a Design Strategist?

Design Discussions design employment
1

I’ve been seeing posting on ID firm’s websites looking for Design Strategists and Analyst? What is this position exactly? Are they more of the people that meet with clients and work with them to understand their needs? What skills usually make a good one?

Thanks in advance!

2

i don’t really know myself, but i’m guessing it’s someone that looks at brand market placement and determines where a product is and therefore gives a direction as to where a design/product should be?!

my wild guess…

3

The brand strategist position is a direct product of design being recognized as essential to product innovation and an integral part of the product development process.

Companies who recognize that designers are problem solvers and not just artists which make things pretty are giving them more of a say in overall product strategy and long term product development roadmap development. Historically, this used to fall under the responsibility of the marketing group, but that is changing.

What it boils down to is that people are realizing that designers are better at problem definition than marketing.

4

Perhaps true, but I would guess that most of these positions are still targeted to marketing/business backgrounds. At the very least, the position is more marketing/business focused and I would assume requires some expertise in the field, as opposed to just a smart designer with product experience.

is there a specific postion/job description you are looking at?

R

5

I was just browsing Jobs over at Continuum’s website, and they had Design Strategist listed as a job, and their description is far from informative as to what exactly the position is.

http://www.designcontinuum.com/content/employment.php#position_24

Thanks everyone, for all your input!