Design is a dynamic profession. Today, design skills are needed not only in traditional design domains, but also across a variety of non-design domains and sectors, to help put creativity into action and address social and environmental challenges.
In the UK alone, over 1.6 million people—about 1 in every 20 workers—are employed in design roles, with more than 77% applying their skills in new and sometimes unexpected areas such as healthcare, digital services, finance, business innovation, and public services.
Design is in demand, because it is about shaping and bringing ideas to life – ideas that can make a real difference to people, places, and the planet. Whether the challenge is about improving digital and physical connectivity, reducing social isolation in an ageing society, enabling innovation, or helping make our cities greener, design is central to developing innovative and meaningful responses. This is why design must remain open to possibilities, ideas and methods.
Design is Open is a series of videos with UK-based design leaders, sharing their journey as designers and their reflections on how the design world and the roles designers play is changing.
Design is Open #1 Features Daisy Carter (RSA), Joanna Choukeir (RSA) and Rachel Bronstein (Design Council) talking about new designer roles and responsibilities and how their organisations have been supporting the development of designer skills and capabilities.
Design is Open #2-4 are in-depth interviews with the designers, sharing their personal journeys and discussing different design projects.
Learn more:
Study design at the Open University: https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/choose/design/
Bachelor of Design at the Open University: https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/design/degrees/bachelor-of-design-r63/
RSA website: https://www.thersa.org/
RSA Capabilities for Life Framework: https://www.thersa.org/design-for-life/capabilities-for-life/capabilities-for-life-framework/
Design Council website: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/
Design Council Skills for Planet: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-work/skills-for-planet/
References:
Design Council. (2022). Design Economy: People, Places and Economic Value (Report). Design Council, UK. Available at: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-work/design-economy (Accessed:11 Feb 2026).