Designer leaders express concern about economy

NEW YORK, May 14, 2008. At the start of the second quarter of the year, AIGA’s Design Leaders Confidence Index continues to reflect strong concern over a faltering national economy for the next six months, although the decline in confidence is not as dramatic as it has been in the past two quarters. This comes as national economic figures released earlier this month were better than forecast. Design leaders believe that the design economy will fare better than other sectors, with only one-third of the respondents believing that design business conditions will get worse; most of those feel conditions would be only moderately worse. This cautious group is smaller than the number who felt the past six months were worse than usual.

The overall confidence index—declining to 64.06, its lowest since we began collecting data—documents the anticipation of a severe drop in overall business activity. The positive signs are in the assessment of design business, which only one-third of respondents feel will decline in the next six months. Only one in four reduce their likelihood of hiring new employees, and only one in six expect to reduce the acquisition of equipment and software.

The next survey will be conducted in late July 2008.

For more information, visit www.aiga.org/confidence-index.

About AIGA

AIGA, the professional association for design, is the oldest and largest membership association for design professionals engaged in the discipline, practice and culture of designing. AIGA’s mission is to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.

Founded in 1914, AIGA is the preeminent professional association for communication designers, broadly defined. In the past decade, designers have increasingly been involved in creating value for clients (whether public or business) through applying design thinking to complex problems, even when the outcomes may be more strategic, multidimensional and conceptual than what most would consider traditional communication design. AIGA now represents more than 22,000 designers of all disciplines through national activities and local programs developed by 60 chapters and 240 student groups.

AIGA supports the interests of professionals, educators and students who are engaged in the process of designing. The association is committed to stimulating thinking about design, demonstrating the value of design and empowering success for designers throughout the arc of their careers.

For further information, please contact:
Katie English
AIGA | the professional association for design
Tel 212 710 3136   Fax 212 807 1799
katie_english@aiga.org