Why it Matters

At the macro level, design matters because it is "paramount to U.S. economic competitiveness, through design promotion and design innovation policy; and democratic governance, through design standards and – the role of design in the formation, understanding, and implementation of policy," according to the January 19, 2009 Report of the U.S. National Design Policy Summit. The report also notes that the design industries nationwide:

• Generate $251 billion in estimated revenue
• Represent 15% of all professional, scientific, and technical services small business firms

Here in Massachusetts, the design sector is a powerful economic engine, employing approximately 44,500 people in design firms, as in-house designers in other industries, and as independent freelance designers. While local employment in the design field is significant, the importance of design extends far beyond its own sector. Along with the state's acknowledged strengths in technology, engineering, and entrepreneurship, design represents one of Massachusetts' greatest competitive assets.

Though the Massachusetts design industry currently has a lower profile than other sectors such as healthcare, life sciences, education, and finance, these industries and others depend on a wide range of design services in order to do their work and tell their story. Design is closely tied to the state's strengths as an innovation center and has the potential to attract large numbers of talented students, skilled workers, and promising businesses to Massachusetts. In fact, with clients and students drawn here from around the world, design in Massachusetts is a significant export industry.

Design is also a powerful enabler of democracy and governance, from the accommodation requirements of the American Disabilities Act of 1990 to the fact that better-designed ballots would have prevented many errors in the 2000 presidential election in Florida. Within Massachusetts, the local design cluster can help better connect the government to the citizenry and increase civic participation.

Finally, design plays a major role in establishing a high quality of life in Massachusetts, both by enhancing the built environment through quality architecture, landscaping, and public design, and by creating a vibrant, creative community that makes people want to study, visit, live, and work here. Massachusetts has a wealth of design talent, assets, and activities – DIGMA's job is to promote and further develop our common wealth of design.