What Does a Graphic Designer Do?

Having been paid to be one for 20 years now, you would think I have a clear defining description for my job title of Graphic Designer. I do have several responses to the question. Depending on the age, gender, occupation, eye contact, and general true interest, I will respond a number of ways.

My colleague, @PaulTrani shared this image recently that I feel best visually sums up my responses. All are correct.

I adore my role in business relationships. I am a problem-solver. A visual communicator. A listener. An informant and educator. Most times my software and computer skills take precedent over design and communication skills for clients. I wear many different hats, making it difficult to quickly spat a decisive answer, such as, "I sell propane and propane accessories."

Well this is depressing. Thanks Bureau of Labor Statistics:

I am lucky to have entered into "commercial arts" at a time when desktop computers were just gaining traction. I had a hand in rubylith and hand-lettering in college, then cut my teeth with Quark Xpress and PostScript in the work place. These are all just tools for what I do.

Ridiculous amounts of food money was spent on Syquest and Zip Drives and disks.

Print was where all of my designs and concepts landed, but CD-ROMs and the internet quickly diverted focus and my definition of responsibility.

It was at this time in my life, I realized that a designer could be just a "Print Guy" or she could be a "Jill of All Trades" which quickly entailed (but not limited to):

• videographer
• website programmer
• multimedia developer
• sound-recording artist
• Microsoft Office engineer
• photographer
• legal representative
• topographer
• animator
• sign maker
• branding police
• stage manager
• editor
• marketer
• photo-manipulator
• instructor
• database administrator
• file converter
  and
• IT troubleshooter

All this leads to my most recent embarkment into the realm of HTML5 and Web Apps. Which is an amazing technology, that like all of the roles listed above, could be their own stand-alone professions.

Side Note: I am nearly done with this great Udemy online class on creating your own Web App, instructed by my friend, and colleague, @ChrisConverse that I highly recommend. It is a fantastic price for the world of knowledge he provides.

Learning this or any new technology has been par for the course for my profession. One I welcome, but feel is deeply under appreciated and undervalued. I mean, clients have a hard enough time paying for what I already am an expert in (see the satirical video at the end of this on The Vendor / Client Relationship), let alone paying for another learning curve.

It did give my heart great pleasure to read this recent Fast Company article that defines the roles of new technology designers, partly because I can now add User Interface (UI), User eXperience (UX), Motion Designer, User Researcher (UX Researcher), and Product Designer to my ever-growing list of things that I do. I can also refer to myself as a Visual Designer, but I think I will refrain from abbreviating that title.



Have a similar experience? Share it. I would love to hear others' stories or references to similar articles or videos.