How Can You Help Change the Industry

The design industry moves fast. New tools, new trends, new templates—every day, something shifts. But speed doesn’t always mean progress. And if we’re honest, parts of the industry are stuck: in sameness, superficiality, cycles that reward quantity over clarity.

But here’s the good news: the industry doesn’t change from the top down. It changes when more of us decide to do things differently. Thoughtfully. Honestly. With a little less noise and a lot more intention.

So, how do we do that—together?

01 Start With Original Thought, Not Just Reference

It’s easy to start with what’s trending—scroll for inspiration, grab from the mood board, or play it safe. But if we want to move the industry forward, we have to move past replication.

That means asking more profound questions at the beginning: What is this brand about? What makes this project worth building? How do we want it to feel, not just look?

When we design from a place of clarity, not just aesthetic influence, the work becomes distinct by nature. The more we do that, the more we reset the standard for ourselves and for others watching.

02 Shift From Assets to Systems

Too often, design is treated like a quick fix—a new logo, a prettier deck, a “visual refresh.” But real change comes when we start building systems—design that’s not just made to impress but made to last.

It’s about designing identities that can scale, messaging that holds its tone, and visuals that flex without breaking. And it’s about teaching teams how to carry that forward, not making them dependent on us to keep it alive.

Helping people own their brand is more potent than delivering something they can’t use. That shift—toward long-term thinking—can reshape how creative work is valued.

03 Keep It Human

Design can be technical. It can be elite. But it doesn’t have to be cold.

If we want to change the industry, we need to lead with empathy, not ego. That means listening more, making the process more transparent, being generous with what we know, giving credit where it’s due, and remembering that behind every screen, brief, and deck is a person.

Great work doesn’t require gatekeeping. It requires trust, conversation, and care.

The truth is: changing the industry doesn’t have to be loud. It’s not always about calling out what’s broken. Sometimes, it’s just about doing things better, quieter, and more intentionally—one decision at a time, one project at a time.

You don’t need permission to design with integrity. You need to keep going.