The idea that design isn’t helpful anymore comes from a very specific idea of what design is. Design isn’t necessarily aesthetics, it isn’t making something look pretty, protests are designed, strikes are designed. This idea that “design” is something specific is how we are able to gatekeep who does what, what is credible, and what or who is “developed.” Now you could say that contemporary design has lost some of the problem-solving aspect because there are ‘fewer problems’ but that is simply not true. Even though we have already found solutions to many problems, we are always creating more. Design is inherently universal and necessary.

With graphic design we can always help to contribute to the solving of real problems. You can choose who your clients are. Van der Velden uses the example that people manage to get on their flights regardless of the signage in the airport. Is graphic design adding to the strength of a message or is it simply conforming to the gatekeeping society and saying “you should only pay attention to something if it is pretty”? How do we as graphic designers ensure we are doing more than just making something look pretty if the outcome would be the same regardless of the designer? How do we ensure that our design makes the outcome different than previously possible? Is graphic design about conforming? There are some cases of design that are historically known for being so bad that they changed elections, most notably the ballots in the United States Presidential Election of 2000, George W. Bush versus Al Gore. In Florida, there was a large number of Jewish residents who, because of the confusing design of the ballot, voted for an anti-semite. Now are all issues we work to solve in design, this serious? Are graphic designers helping to make things important and successful or are we just conformists?

1. Who are your clients?
2. How much do you charge them? Do your rates vary, do you use a sliding scale model?
3. Do you lower your rates for those who have been systematically disenfranchised and are therefore much less likely to be able to afford your services?
4. Why do you work with the people you do?

Why does this article only use he/him pronouns when referring to designers?
This article was written about a specific type of designer, but for the article to have a real impact, to call out what is wrong, it needs to name that designer. This is not the only designer and to say so would be to deny the existence of others.