Designers are problem solvers. 

Regardless of the project, creative designers must apply their skills, talents, and artistry while using research, interviews, observations, surveys, samples, prototypes, and several revisions to get the end result just right. 

Whether it’s a sign giving directions, a consumer product, or a popular video app, the things we see and use every day
were created for a specific purpose using designers’ skills and resources.

For example, a print designer has to figure out the best way to layout a magazine or book, which includes deleting or adding pages and rearranging entire sections to fit properly. A UX designer working to create a website for a nonprofit will ask questions and conduct research to understand the history and audience. A designer working on a video may take direction from an ad agency or work as a freelance artist who is self-employed. But if the design team working on a project isn’t diverse, how can they create a message that will resonate with their clients, and more importantly, with the public?

In 2019, only 3 percent of active designers were Black people, while white designers represented the overwhelming majority at 71 percent. This is a clear imbalance that doesn’t reflect the diversity of our current population in the United States. While those diversity levels need improvement, there are Black people currently active in the design industry who create works and projects that may be familiar to you.

This chapter provides a glimpse to the many possibilities in design.