AIGA Strategic Framework 2015-2020

8/12/2019 AIGA Strategic Framework 2015-2020

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PLANFOR

AIGA2020

MID-TERM

2017 & 2018

SHORT-TERM

2015 & 2016

In 2014, AIGA celebrates its 100year history and looks forward to itsevolution as the nations premiereprofessional organization for design.

After several years of research andconversations to better understandthe needs of both members andchapters as well as the emerginglandscape of design and culture inthe 21st century, AIGA developeda vision for the next ve years.AIGA 2020 is a bold and ambitiousproposal for organizational trans-formation, from a club to a hubadynamic platform to fully engagethe potential of its 25,000 membersand extensive nationwide networkof chapters.

The catalyst for advancing the stra-

tegic direction of the organization isthe creation of a $17 million en-dowment that will for the rst timehelp secure the long term nancialstability of AIGA. It also sets as ide$3 million into an AIGA 2020 Fundto strategically invest in importantnew resources and activities overthe next ve years to help achievethe AIGA 2020 vision, including a $1million Chapter Innovation Fund.

This document lays out that visionbut it also establishes an on-goingreview process for the organizationsproposed and existing activities that

is integrated into its annual budget-ing process. This combination ofopportunity and due diligence willensure that AIGA emerges as theworlds largest, most ambitous, andnancially endowed design organi-zation.

AIGA operations have been suc-cessfully relocated to another build-ing in New York City.

Endowment established and therst new initiatives using AIGA 2020Funds have been launched.

Development of a new member

participation platform is underway,that will transform aiga.org.

The national design conference willbe held in New Orleans, celebratingdesign excellence, social relevance,and cultural and business impact.

The Chapter Innovation Fund de-nes its criteria and seeds its rstproposals and shares those learn-ings with members and chapters.

A search for the next generation ofAIGA leadership.

LONG-TERM

2019 & 2020


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AIGAs strategic plans focus ontransforming AIGA into an agile,adaptive national organization thatoffers support and opportunity tomembers and chapters.

The strategic plan focuses on theperiod 2015-2020, categorizing theprofessions objectives in four areas:those that advance design; design-ers; members and chapters; andorganizational viability.

AIGA will use the strategic frame-work as a means of guiding itsactivities at the national level,depending largely on encouragingmember and chapter engagement.In addition, members and chapterswill set many of their own prioritiesfor this period. In only a few cases

will national resources permit fund-ing the achievement of an objectivecompletely; the strength of AIGAis in seeding activities that becomesustained by its 25,000 membersindividually, as self-forming groupsor as chapters.

Similarly, resources are never suf-cient to advance systematically andcomprehensively on all objectives atonce. AIGA will proceed on thoseactivities which are most promisingat any given time, reect interestamong members who will advancethe objective, or for which funding

is available.

The annual process by which theboard will review, prioritize, andbudget for activities is documentedin a ow chart and accompanyingnarrative.

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AVISION

FORAIGA

THEMISSION

OFAIGA

WHOAIGA

IS

WHATAIGADOES

AIGA brings design to the world,and the world to designers.

As the professions largest commu-nity, we advance design as a profes-sional craft, strategic advantage andvital cultural force.

From content that denes the glob-

al practice to events that connectand catalyze, we work to enhancethe value and deepen the impact ofdesign on business, society and ourcollective future.

AIGA advances design as a profes-sional craft, strategic advantage andvital cultural force.

As the largest community of designadvocates, we bring together prac-titioners, enthusiasts and patrons toamplify the voice of design and cre-ate the vision for a collective future.

We dene global standards andethical practices, guide designeducation, inspire designers and thepublic, enhance professional devel-opment, and make powerful toolsand resources accessible to all.

AIGA is a global community of de-sign advocates and practitioners.

Broadly speaking, AIGA consistsof a relationship among designersbased on community, beliefs, learn-ing and voice.

AIGA advances design as a psional craft, strategic advantavital cultural force by connecpractitioners, enthusiasts andtrons through regional, natioglobal events and by creatincurating content that:

1. Inspires designers and the

by celebrating great design

2. Advocates for a greater unstanding of the value of desiand design in government, bness, media and the public

3. Enhances professional devment through the arc of a decareer

4. Denes global standards aethical practices

5. Supports design educatio

6. Makes powerful tools and sources about design availabaccessible

7. Mobilizes a global design ment

8. Convenes thoughtful discuof issues important to design


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AIGA brings design to the world,and the world to designers. As theprofessions largest community, weadvance design as a professionalcraft, strategic advantage and vital

cultural force.

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FOCUSON

DESIGN

FOCUSON

DESIGNERS

FOCUS ONMEMBERS AND

CHAPTERS

FOCUS ONORGANIZATION

VIABILITY

1. Inspire designers and thepublic by celebrating designexcellence (national designconference, celebratedesign.org,AIGA100, Design Envy, Justiedcompetition, guest exhibitions,medalists, fellows, gala, videos,archives)

2. Establish AIGA as a respected,authoritative voice in matters ofdesign (advocacy)

3. Promote the strategic valueof design thinking to designers,businesses, and the public

4. Stimulate dialogue on impor-tant design issues (Gain businessconference)

5. Represent interests of U.S.designers in business practice,laws, civic experience and publicperception (advocacy)6. Promote the social impact and

social value of design to design-ers, businesses, and the public(Design for Good)

1. Offer opportunities for profes-sional development and mentor-ing at each stage of a designerscareer (Business Perspectivesfor Creative Leaders, facilitationworkshops, continuing ed, webi-nars, Womens Leadership initia-tive)2. Offer powerful tools and ac-cessible resources for profession-al development (salary survey,

design jobs board, career guide,Studio of 2015)3. Dene and advocate globalstandards, ethical practices andcriteria for responsible design(Living Principles for Design, De-sign Business and Ethics series)4. Establish criteria for designeducation that meet the needsof the profession (Design Educa-tors Community)5. Encourage diverse designapproaches and new emergingpractices (AIGA INititaive)6. Increase ethnic and culturaldiversity of the profession(DesignEd K12, WorldstudioAIGA Scholarships)

1. Offer effective tools, resourc-es, platforms and strategies toenhance chapter activities andfacilitate member participation(chapter development, ChapterAdvisory Council, chapter duessubvention)2. Support and facilitate inter-actions, collaborations and learn-ings among chapters (ChapterLeadership Retreat)

3. Grow membership and associ-ated revenue through broaden-ing and deepening strategies(membership development,technology hosting, and devel-opment fees)4. Integrate the AIGA communityinto the global community ofdesigners

1. Manage a lean, well-traand equipped staff to worciently and effectively in suing prioritized member int

2. Ensure that organizationresources (staff and budgereect and support key pr

3. Establish an endowmenwill help fund the organizain perpetuity

4. Ensure effective and traparent communications amboard, staff, chapters andmembers

5. Routinely review and rethe efcacy of key programinitiatives to the board6. Create sufcient operatreserves to help weather enomic downturns

7. Maximize earned and cotributed revenue opportunthrough fees, licensing, spship, planned gifts, and fotion and government gran


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WHAT WILLAIGA LOOK

LIKE IN 2020?

There will be a global brand based onAIGAs legacy, scale, and leadership indeveloping and promoting the designprofession.

The immediate AIGA experience will be atthe individual member level, among self-organizing communities of members andat the chapter level.

The national presence will develop andpromote common principles and pro-grams that strengthen the relevance, lead-ership and opportunity for every memberand will develop systems that support allchapters.

Membership will grow to include emerg-ing design practices andthroughexpand-ing the number of chapters. Thechapternetwork will be stregthenedfrom the

bottom-up.AIGA will be the standard-bearer for pro-fessionalism in design practiceand will bea respected voice in celebrating the valueof design worldwide.

AIGA will focus more on facilitating op-portunities for member engagement,member-originated content, memberinvolvement and the expression of per-sonal opinionthan on reinforcing a centralauthority on design, professionalism andvalues.

AIGA will offer daily online examples ofdesign excellence, with opportunities formember input as well as expert jury opin-ion. Design excellence will be dened bycriteria of aesthetics, creation of value forclients and social responsibility. Nationalefforts to bring attention to extraordinary

effective design will be based on newmodels for competitions and/or curatorialselections, always respecting opportuni-ties for stimulating discussion among allmembers.

AIGA will develop programs and activi-ties that highlight opportunities for so-cial responsibility, social engagement,sustainability, multiculturalism and diver-sity. These are critical to the long-termstrength and relevance of the professionand AIGA.In content, AIGA programs will reectdesigns creativity, originality and inspira-tion and also business practices, leader-ship, values, ethics and standards. In tone,AIGA activities will reect the ages, expe-rience levels and interests of members, inall their diversity and differences.

In advocating designs value to business,AIGA will focus on the results of designstrategy as a competitive advantage at thenational level, developing case studies ofbusiness effectiveness and dening thevalue of design on business objectives. Atthe same time, AIGA will encourage activi-ties that celebrate designs virtuosity andinspiring creativitywith activities at thechapter and member level.

AIGA will place a higher priority on con-tributing to long-term benets for the pro-fession, such as building stronger demandfor design in the future, and less emphasison tangible individual member benets.

Members will have ample opportunities toengage in networking activities, to createcontent and make connections. Oppor-tunities will be online and in person; the

AIGA experience will be dened from thebottom up rather than top down.

The model for conferences will involvemore regional and local gatherings, with

resources invested primarily in the devel-opment and distribution of digital videoprogramming. More content will be avail-able on the website, with particular atten-tion paid to where the line is drawn foraccess by nonmembers.

AIGA conferences, webcasts and work-shops will focus on helping the designprofession think through the futureandthe complexity of context in a constantlychanging world. Like the Aspen Institute,it will focus on the big issues. AIGA willbecome an issues manager, and an editorand aggregator of content.

Non-dues revenue will increasebecauseof the line drawn between member andnonmember access to web content andevent discounts. A broader membershipwill help AIGA attract greater sponsorshipand advertising opportunities.

Members will have access to a strong coreof national programs for professional de-velopment, particularly for midcareer de-signers to develop leadership skills. AIGAwill help to guide students from schoolto studiowith programs and informationto prepare them for a productive profes-sional experience.

With its educator members, AIGA willlead the national discussion of designeducation and curriculum developmentas a progressive voice in national designeducation forums, and incorporate designcurriculum into general education.

Although members will receive a limnumber of signature print pieces eacyear, AIGA will distribute content priin digital form, for reasons of sustainity, economics and reach.

Designers will become involved withto assume a role in the broader businsocial and cultural environments, in tU.S. and abroad.

AIGA will develop collaborative rela-tionships with organizations outside design eld, to expand appreciationvalue of design and to seek a leadersposition for its members in internatiodesign forums and among social entneurs.

AIGAs mantra will be Head, Heart aHand,reecting interrelated eleme

of strategy, social impact and the cradesign.

DESIGN

DESIGNERS

MEMBERSCHAPTERS

ORG.VIABILITY

Documents

AIGA Strategic Framework 2015-2020