Where does one begin when attempting to put into words “Where would we be today without the vision of Steve Jobs?” And by “we” I mean more than graphic and communication designers, I mean everyone: designers, clients, students, teachers, grandparents, children...

This is a slightly edited version of what I had written in response to a post titled Thinking Out Loud About Pro Bono, posted by Marie-Aline Oliver on the GDC listserv, on November 11, 2010. To my surprise, and judging by the on and off-line responses it generated, it appears this is a very important issue for designers everywhere, especially younger designers.

Calgary's Foundry Creative is working on a sustainability-themed annual report for the GDC and we want to include words from our members on how they view the topic.

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..

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?