Talent Is Not Enough: Business Secrets For Designers, Second Edition

Introduction

The work that we produce as designers has always been well documented. Every museum shop is stocked with glossy magazines and coffee table books that showcase innovative design. All of these show just one side of the profession. They focus on external, client-facing issues — the creative challenges that we take on and the solutions we deliver. In contrast, little information is available about the internal, operational issues sometimes referred to as “professional practices.”

The design community needs more information on internal business issues, particularly for people who are just starting their careers. The majority of young designers now enter the profession as graduates of design degree programs. Most colleges do a good job ...