AIGA Design Leaders Confidence Index

In April 2005, AIGA began conducting a quarterly survey of design leaders to assemble an authoritative statement on the current conditions within the design economy.

This Design Leaders Confidence Index is modeled on the confidence indices developed by the Conference Board for private sector corporate leaders.

Each quarter we obtain the answers to a few simple questions from several hundred design leaders—the possible responses to the following questions are: substantially better, moderately better, same, moderately worse or substantially worse.

• How do you rate present business conditions for the economy as a whole, as compared with six months ago?
• How do you rate present business conditions for design, as compared with six months ago?
• In looking ahead six months as compared with today, do you think business conditions for the economy as a whole will be:
• In appraising the prospects for design, do you think business over the next six months, as compared with today, will be:
• Compared to [three months ago], are the chances of hiring additional staff:
• Compared to [three months ago], are the chances of purchasing additional hardware and software:

Over time, the responses enable AIGA to develop a confidence index of conditions in the profession that will be helpful to members and their colleagues in judging current conditions nationwide. The index will also help us in advocating the interests of the design community in Washington and with sponsors.

The quarterly index for October 2008 dropped to the lowest level since the survey was launched in 2005, hitting a measure of 50. This reading mirrors the findings of consumer and CEO surveys done by The Conference Board in the same time period.

Only thirty-four percent of respondents believe the design economy is as strong or better than six months ago. Yet their perspective on the next six months is more positive than business leaders’ (though still very sobering): 38.5 percent feel the design economy will be moderately worse, and 13 percent feel it will be substantially worse. Twenty-three percent believe the design economy will be stronger in six months.

Design leaders are not positive about hiring prospects or equipment purchases. Only one in eight is likely to increase either staff or equipment during the next six months.