What is design management?

In order to begin it is necessary to have an understanding of the terms at hand. The following definitions are provided as a framework to enhance the discussion of this report.

Design: to intend for some purpose; form, plan, intend, arrange (Krebs, 1981). Or perhaps, a working definition such as 'problem solving' is more appropriate.
Management: to direct affairs, to have charge of (ibid.), the process of achieving organisational goals through the planning, leading, organising and controlling (Bartol, Martin, Tein and Matthews 1995)

So, as a basic framework, design management involves planning, leading, organising and controlling problem solving activities. Exploring this idea, I see design management fall into three main categories. These are:

1. How to manage a graphic design studio
2. How to manage clients of a graphic design studio
3. How to manage the provision of graphic design services

The first seeks to improve the internal runnings of a graphic design studio. This encompasses areas such as staffing, work flow, budgets, business plans, filing systems, presentation skills, marketing programs and resource management.

The second aims to form a strong working relationship with clients. Short term issues are project management, including scheduling, budgeting and reporting for individual projects. Long term issues look at planning a calendar of forthcoming projects and developing a deeper understanding of the client's business. Another issue is the studio's client base. This requires analysis to determine whether to foster or conclude the relationship.

The third area takes the perspective of someone who would employ the services of a graphic design studio. Often this is the corporate affairs or communications manager. Additional skills needed here are an expert understanding of the brand and the ability to effectively position the company or product.

What is the position of design management in Australia?

Design management in Australia is part of an evolutionary process. Slowly awareness has increased but still only a handful of studios are taking a proactive approach to management. The broader context of this issue is that not only is it applicable to the graphic design industry, but to small entrepreneurial professional businesses in general.

Effective management in Australia is lacking. In 1994 the World Economic Forum's World Competitiveness Report ranked Australia eighteen out of forty-one nations on a measure of management practice. This placed us well behind Japan (1), USA (5), Denmark (6) and Germany (12). It revealed poor performance compared with world best practice.

Karpin (1995) in his report "Enterprising Nation" confirms the need for management development within Australia. He states:

'the majority of Australia's managers do not have the education or skill levels of those of the major trading nations, nor are most of our educational and training institutions providing world class service' (p170).

This identifies the skills gap within the design industry between Australian practices and those of our global competitors.

David Trewern (past AGDA Student Scholarship recipient) identified Australia as a creative equal of many other nations. Looking at Alliance Graphique Internationale membership, Australia is to be commended for its representation of six from a population of about 18 million. Compared to fifteen members in the USA with a population of 250 million our creative excellence is clear.

What we need now are the business skills to harness this creativity to its fullest potential. Australian designers deserve a stable and productive environment in which to work. This is the aim of design management.

Excerpted from Lucy Elliott's report on Design Management, which was written as a result of her study program funded by the 1998 AGDA/ISS Fellowship in conjunction with Fuji Xerox Australia.

For the full report in pdf format, download here:

• AGDA-ISS Design Management.pdf [69K]

A related article by Lucy Elliot, Tale of Two Studios, looks at the organisational and cultural differences between two UK-based megastudios, Pentagram and Wolff Olins.

The views expressed this article are not necessarily those of AGDA. Please note that the information in this article is the view of the author only. The author can therefore accept no responsibility for actions taken on the basis of this information. Copyright Lucy Elliott, May 1999. Permission is granted to freely copy this document in electronic form, or to print, for personal use. Reprinting for non-personal use will require the express permission of the author.