"This article won't start out well, because I'm sort of at rock bottom in my career and it seems that I'm projecting my frustrations of the industry out in the open. But I promise you, my rants are merely neutral observations and opinions. I love talking to people, and over the last 2 months of unemployment (I am now employed), I called upon designer friends all in Asia and Europe to get their opinion on"
"We seem to have found ourselves in an era where clout matters more than productivity, and when Design's productivity and impact is questioned, we somehow re-direct that discomfort and blame our Engineering and Product counterparts (or other happenings in the industry) for not enabling us to be more productive. "We're not the ones touching the code or deciding the business, so it's not our fault." or "AI is replacing designers!" or [Insert office politics statement here]."
Career reached a low point, prompting candid outreach to designer peers across Asia and Europe during a period of unemployment. Conversations revealed concerns about design leadership and career impact. The current era privileges clout over measurable productivity. When design productivity and impact face scrutiny, designers often redirect responsibility toward Engineering, Product, or external forces rather than accept systemic or leadership accountability. Common reframes include asserting lack of control over code or business decisions, invoking AI as a threat to jobs, or appealing to office politics. The tone mixes frustration, observation, and calls for confronting internal practices.
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