Becoming a Graphic and Digital Designer: A Guide to Careers in Design, 5th Edition

Glossary

Job Opportunities

The field is changing quickly, and with this comes an entire glossary of new job titles. This is a selection of some of them, but don't be surprised if you come across others in your job hunt.

Job Divisions

Graphic designers are employed in virtually all kinds of businesses, industries, and institutions. Here are some of the typical terms used interchangeably for “in-house design department.” (The words group and team are also commonly used).

Different companies are organized differently, depending on their focus and goals. A large corporation may distinguish package design from promotion design, or editorial design from advertising design; a smaller business may keep all design activities under one umbrella, such as Design Department.

Likewise, proprietary or independent design firms, studios, or offices—design businesses that service large corporations and small businesses—may or may not distinguish among design functions, such as having a print design department separate from a multimedia design department, or promotion and collateral separate from editorial departments.

1. Art Department
2. Art and Design Department
3. Art Services Department
4. Design Department
5. Design Services Department
6. Creative Services Department
7. Creative Group
8. Graphics Group
9. Interaction Group
10. Research and Development Department
11. User Experience Group

Job Titles

The titles given to specific jobs and tasks throughout the design field vary according to the hierarchy of the specific ...