1. Design is Leadership
Patrick Gibson

2. Problem
Graphic Designers work invisibly as middlemen
between the originators of a project and its
intended audience. Few laypeople can name a
single graphic designer, while plenty can name
other "behind-the-scenes" professionals like
architects and movie directors.

3. Hypothesis
In order to break free of this frustrating role as
a silent communicator, designers must begin to
participate as more than masters of
communication. They must take command of
and responsibility for the very outcomes of
their projects, leading others through not just
effective communication, but rather leading
toward the measurable change sought to be
achieved by that communication.

4. Effect
With this added responsibility as leaders, by
taking a holistic view of their designs and adding
a component of measurability of effective
outcomes, designers can evolve their profession
beyond one of being graphic aestheticians who
have no concern with or follow-through to
final results.

5. Creative References
“The designer… has a passion for doing
something that fits somebody’s needs, but that
is not just a simple fix. The designer has a
dream that goes beyond what exists, rather
than fixing what exists… the designer wants to
create a solution that fits in a deeper situational
or social sense.”
– David Kelley, Founder of IDEO, in Bringing Design to Software by Terry Winograd

6. Creative References
David Plouffe
Chief Campaign Manager for Barack Obama’s 2008
presidential campaign
"Plouffe was the mastermind behind a winning strategy
that looked well past Super Tuesday's contests on Feb.
5 and placed value on large and small states." —
Chicago Tribune

7. Creative References
Dave Eggers
Graphic Designer
Author, Screenwriter
Founder of McSweeney’s independent publishing house
Co-founder of 826 Valencia and 826 National, a
nonprofit writing and tutoring center for kids and
young adults