Graphic vs. communication design. Will changing our profession's name solve the issues of misperceptions in the marketplace?

There has been a great deal of discussion in our community regarding ‘design thinking’ and design’s relevance and value to the business community and other buyers of design. I have long been an advocate of a stronger business focus in design – but the closer our profession has aligned itself to these ideals, the more I have felt that something has gone astray. It’s not easy to say, but I think I got it wrong; I’m not happy simply being a tool of business.

Say what you will about the value of design, but one thing is clear: no two people think exactly alike when it comes to defining the value of design itself. And if the question of defining the value of design sounds like a simple one, let me assure you - you're dead wrong. It's not just about dollars and cents..

The cascade isn't just for style sheets it's also for website style guides. I’m a firm believer that if you are designing for the web it is essential to have a solid grasp of what it takes to build your own website. I’m not saying that every web designer needs to be a web developer (yes, there is a difference), but that without understanding current web standards, knowing web conventions and what technology solutions are available you’re really missing a huge chunk of your web design foundation. These things aren’t there to hold you back from coming up with new solutions. They are there to help you decide what is a good idea and what isn’t. Creativity is not at odds with convention.

We buy books from Amazon, music from iTunes and everything else on eBay – all without once speaking to another human being. We entrust our identities and finances to brands; PayPal has our credit cards, Google our email and Facebook our personal information. No eye contact, no handshake – it’s a bit flaky sometimes but we still trust. So what does this have to do with design? Actually, as it turns out, quite a bit.

The entrepreneur who picks a logo off the shelf to use, solely because it appeals to himself or herself, is more likely to fail in business than the entrepreneur that engages in a full design process. This isn't just because self-reflection can sometimes be a smokey mirror. A full design process can be defined many ways, but for this post, lets say it is is one with research, symmetrical communication between the organization and its stakeholders, and sound design thinking with evaluation. Designers know the value of the design - but how can this value be articulated and understood by those outside of the industry? How do you define the value of design?