where the designer goes after 15+ yrs. work exprience

Clowns.

to the 1st poster… typical 3.5 year experience view of the industry. You know that original view point is true for engineers, marketing, lawyers, doctors, etc… on and on. NOT just design.

Just like any other profession you move up the food chain - take on business impact roles, impacting product line development decisions, tiering, etc… People management and procurement. Management, VP, owner, partner, etc…

If you think of it as “just design” and staying current with the latest software… then you will stay in the entery level bracket competing with the next stud that has 5 yrs experience… and you will paid like that person. With age - you may even look out of place for that position. If you still want to design like an entry level person then you probably have to lock into a technical position at a corporation or start your own thing or look at creative director roles within consulting firms… otherwise you start merging over to business impact roles.

Let me end this by saying this topic summarizes why we don’t see CDO’s [Chief Design Officers] at the level of COO’s, CIO’s, CFO’s, etc…
or Presidents of Design or even wide spread VPs of design in corporations.

Designers sell themselves short and bitch about it… man up to the level of other professions… or just be a designer and be happy about what you do for a living vs others.

Well said.

FYI, There are very few true CDO’s in the world.
Samsung has one.
P&G has one.
Apple does not.

PS, pick up a copy of June’s Fast Company.

Absoletely right! I also would like to add to this that in the event that a industry switch might seem evident, then “going back to school” like some kind of Rodney Dangerfield sounds very bogus to me. If you haven’t learned what you need to learn in the real world after 15+ years, another degree will most likely not teach you that either. We’re very fortunate to be in a extremely dynamic industry where we interact and work together with many different disciplines. We can take advantage of the very unique structured process of problem solving we’re used to and apply it to any other discipline and you are an asset to any employer. So please forget the 9-midnight Alias/photoshop/painter evenings where you almost have to beg for a late night pizza and think bigger…

Absoletely right! I also would like to add to this that in the event that a industry switch might seem evident, then “going back to school” like some kind of Rodney Dangerfield sounds very bogus to me. If you haven’t learned what you need to learn in the real world after 15+ years, another degree will most likely not teach you that either. We’re very fortunate to be in a extremely dynamic industry where we interact and work together with many different disciplines. We can take advantage of the very unique structured process of problem solving we’re used to and apply it to any other discipline and you are an asset to any employer. So please forget the 9-midnight Alias/photoshop/painter evenings where you almost have to beg for a late night pizza and think bigger…


Great Point… we as designers bring to the table a problem solving process that no other profession brings… it can be a powerful business strategy tool.

After 15 years we could be a great Marketing, Business, Program Management, or Engineering professional… or simply a designer. Open your mind and become what you want - it is a free market!

I have found it easy to move around within a large corporation seeking opportunity and impact up business food chain… many friends have started firms and have been successful, and others have developed products on their own, and still others have moved on to Asian sourcing coordination/businesses. Consider ID just a beginning as other professions do initially.

Well,
Here is an example, one of our Senior Designer started his own firm with freelance work & hired some marketing guys on commission basis for new pitches. And you know he is doing extremely well, though in our firm he was going to be fired over burden.

I would definately suggest to go for your own firm once you reach at the height of your career.

I am not agree to move for another profession, i think a designer can never justify his creative essence to any other profession.

Good story… but nonsense on your last statement.

That’s naive and something you obviously are not equiped to address YET, or simply don’t want to.

Design is a creative process that can be applied to any profession… except maybe science, medicine, and accounting.

I have brainstormed business process, methods, competitive strategy, and product portfolio overlays with President level MBA’s… I drove it with proven brainstorming methods and creative process that had their heads spinning. It wound up changing our division business plan quite a bit.

The nice impact for “design” as you see it… it puts the rest of the designers in a more impactful and powerful position when they present their ideas. They are on a higher pedistal from which to work.

Good story… but nonsense on your last statement.

That’s naive and something you obviously are not equiped to address YET, or simply don’t want to.

Design is a creative process that can be applied to any profession… except maybe science, medicine, and accounting.

I have brainstormed business process, methods, competitive strategy, and product portfolio overlays with President level MBA’s… I drove it with proven brainstorming methods and creative process that had their heads spinning. It wound up changing our division business plan quite a bit.

The nice impact for “design” as you see it… it puts the rest of the designers in a more impactful and powerful position when they present their ideas. They are on a higher pedistal from which to work.

i think that its a choice if you stay in the design field or not. i dont care what you guys say someone with 15 + years is way more valuable than some kid strait out of school. I’ve worked with people that have been in the business for 30+ years, and their work is awesome because that is their passion. And to whoever said designers don’t get retirement, what company are you working for?