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.

Most recent results

The quarterly index for October 2009 continued a dramatic rebound from its low point of just a year ago, rising to 99.01. The increased confidence may reflect a realization that the current recession has not hurt design practices as much as was feared.

AIGA anticipates that the real measure of the state of the design economy is likely to come in the first quarter of 2010, as designers experience the effects of corporate budgets that were determined during a weakened economy.

Only 25 percent of respondents believe they will be more likely to hire new designers in the next six months. Many studios that are busy have avoided hiring, which, in the short run, makes business appear more robust.