News
22 May 2012
New GDC president Adrian Jean talks goals and challenges
OTTAWA—The newly elected president of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC), Adrian Jean of boutique design consultancy Adrian Jean Creative in Ottawa, recently spoke to Design Edge about himself, the GDC and the challenges facing graphic designers in Canada.
Design Edge: So who is Adrian Jean? Tell us about yourself.
Adrian Jean: Well, I've been in the business for 14 years. I studied graphic design in Algonquin College in Ottawa, spent a little time freelancing and then a number of years as an inhouse designer with [public opinion/market research company] Harris-Decima in Ottawa. About two years ago, I left to start my own studio. I think I bring an interesting perspective to the GDC and design having been [at Harris-Decima] on the inside of the corporate world.
Design Edge: When and why did you join the GDC?
Adrian Jean: I joined the GDC about four years ago and served as a rep for the Members-at-large [GDC members who do not belong to a local chapter] for about three years. I wanted to participate in a national conversation about my profession and wanted to differientiate myself [through GDC certification] in the marketplace. I also wanted to give back to the community.
Design Edge: What are your goals as president of the GDC?
Adrian Jean: They are ongoing goals. We want to build awareness of the GDC in Canada among designers and among business leaders. It's a communications challenge. We're reaching out specifically to the media serving the industry [like Design Edge], as well as all levels of government.
We're developing some communications pieces targeted at changing the governments' procurement processes. We want governments when seeking design services to require the designers to be certified [GDC certified, accreditated by RGD Ontario or SDGQ in Quebec or equivalent]. We want business leaders and government agencies to know that when a designer is GDC certified, it means that the designer adheres to a certain standard of work and ethical practice.
Design Edge: What do you see are the biggest challenges for graphic designers in Canada?
Adrian Jean: Number one is to get noticed — new designers are flooding the market all the time. Number two, the environment in which designers operate is constantly changing — the technology is constantly changing. Tech changes have created new forms of graphic design — web, UX, mobile, interactive. Designer struggle to make the jump to these new forms. And number three, spec work and crowdsourcing. Admittedly, such practices are aimed at a certain type of client and service provider, but if this activity is left unchecked it will erode our craft.
Design Edge: So GDC certification will help designers with the first challenge of getting noticed, but how will GDC membership help with other two challenges?
Adrian Jean: GDC membership is one of the best ways for designers to participate in the design community. And there's a great appetite out there to be a part of a broad national organization tackling these issues and helping to improve the design profession.
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GDC's new president Adrian Jean
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Design Edge: So who is Adrian Jean? Tell us about yourself.
Adrian Jean: Well, I've been in the business for 14 years. I studied graphic design in Algonquin College in Ottawa, spent a little time freelancing and then a number of years as an inhouse designer with [public opinion/market research company] Harris-Decima in Ottawa. About two years ago, I left to start my own studio. I think I bring an interesting perspective to the GDC and design having been [at Harris-Decima] on the inside of the corporate world.
Design Edge: When and why did you join the GDC?
Adrian Jean: I joined the GDC about four years ago and served as a rep for the Members-at-large [GDC members who do not belong to a local chapter] for about three years. I wanted to participate in a national conversation about my profession and wanted to differientiate myself [through GDC certification] in the marketplace. I also wanted to give back to the community.
Design Edge: What are your goals as president of the GDC?
Adrian Jean: They are ongoing goals. We want to build awareness of the GDC in Canada among designers and among business leaders. It's a communications challenge. We're reaching out specifically to the media serving the industry [like Design Edge], as well as all levels of government.
We're developing some communications pieces targeted at changing the governments' procurement processes. We want governments when seeking design services to require the designers to be certified [GDC certified, accreditated by RGD Ontario or SDGQ in Quebec or equivalent]. We want business leaders and government agencies to know that when a designer is GDC certified, it means that the designer adheres to a certain standard of work and ethical practice.
Design Edge: What do you see are the biggest challenges for graphic designers in Canada?
Adrian Jean: Number one is to get noticed — new designers are flooding the market all the time. Number two, the environment in which designers operate is constantly changing — the technology is constantly changing. Tech changes have created new forms of graphic design — web, UX, mobile, interactive. Designer struggle to make the jump to these new forms. And number three, spec work and crowdsourcing. Admittedly, such practices are aimed at a certain type of client and service provider, but if this activity is left unchecked it will erode our craft.
Design Edge: So GDC certification will help designers with the first challenge of getting noticed, but how will GDC membership help with other two challenges?
Adrian Jean: GDC membership is one of the best ways for designers to participate in the design community. And there's a great appetite out there to be a part of a broad national organization tackling these issues and helping to improve the design profession.
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Anyone can register for something, but to be certified, means you have been verified. Think about it.
The GDC has trumped the RGD by using a better word and offering a national certification. That's the way clients and the general public will view it. Nobody (but other designers) will care that you had to write some exam.
RGDs should consider becoming CGDs — it's also less expensive!
I have been in the industry for over 15 years and I have not felt the need to join RGD. I have thought about it and discussed it with other RGD members, but I have never ever heard anyone talk about it as you have.
I'm glad that you have found success with RGD, and that your clients are so impressed with your designation. I find your implication that without it one is a lesser designer insulting.
Promote RGD, but don't put down those who choose not to join.
The funny thing is that never once have I been turned down for a job because of my "lack of qualifications". Having never had a client ask about RGD designations either, I don't think it is the be all and end all as far as design designation.
Having said that, I don't bemoan either organization for what they are or what they do. I have attended Designthinkers many times (as well as other RGD run events). Membership in these organizations is a great tool for those who are interested.
If you could dismount for a sec...
You do not need to hire an RGD to get quality design.
There are many if not more talented designers who opt not to be members.
It is wholly incorrect to suggest that the R.G.D. Qualification Exam is impossible to fail. As an ad hoc advisor to the Examination Board, I've seen the numbers and yes, people do fail.
Is the exam perfect? No, but it's important to note that it's a continuing work in progress. We are constantly striving to ensure that the content of the written exam remains relevant to our profession and that our standards accurately establish a median level of qualification.
RGD isn't an elite private member club. If all we cared about is membership dues, we would drop the written exam all together. Membership would surely increase, and we'd save hefty administrative costs. But what we care about is developing consistent standards that make sense for everyone across the province.
I'm sorry if you had a negative experience with the exam in the past, but rest assured that it continues to grow as a relevant measure of professional knowledge.
Mark McAllister, R.G.D.
Vice President, RGD Ontario
And personally all of that stuff means more to me than the designation title. I'm also confident if I hadn't acquired the knowledge and experience I did through RGD that I wouldn't have earned a position in a job that I love and will be great for my long term career.
Either way I tend to hear about and see a lot more RGD events in Ontario than GDC events that I get a lot out of so I will stick with them for now. Maybe when I can afford both I can invest in GDC. Plus we'll see how Adrian takes the GDC ... I was not a fan of Jim Hudson's direction at all and it COMPLETELY turned me off of the whole organization trying to talk to him about designations when they were changing it up over there.... I do appreciate all of the helpful information Adrian has given though.
Do not make the RGD seem more prestigious than the GDC when the RGD grew out of the GDC's Ontario chapter.
Go for the CGD. A client (or anyone else) would not know the difference being certified or registered. In fact, being certified by a national organization looks better on your resume (than a provincial one).
Regarding an exam — the GDC's peer review process focuses mostly on assessing the real-world work designers actually do, rather than augmenting that by testing a snapshot of a designer's current technical knowledge, in the form of a written exam.
It's a different process, but we have found that by looking at one's portfolio and written case studies we're able to see applicants' ability to not only execute creative, but their ability to develop a narrative that communicates the creative processes they took to achieve those results. This, combined with an accurate outline of past experience and education, gives us an accurate representation of the skill set, experience, and competency of each applicant.
The GDC's certification process is also an evolving process. As our industry moves through change, and the creative marketplace evolves, we are constantly improving and further fortifying the metrics we use to assess the work submitted by designers.
When you achieve your "CGD" status, you can certainly rest assured that it is well deserved, and respected.
Great questions!
"CGD" or Certified Graphic Designer, is unique to the GDC, and is available in all provinces and territories in Canada. So living in Ontario, you can apply to become a CGD Member at Large.
Becoming a certified graphic designer requires at least seven years of combined education and real-world experience as a practicing designer. Then you must collect and submit a portfolio and resumé to your local chapter's review board, at which a country-wide rating scale is used to grade the work, and work experience on several levels of competency. Once accepted, you become a "CGD", or Certified Graphic Designer.
For more information on how the work is evaluated.
For more information on our membership levels.
You can become a "member" of the GDC by simply applying — but to become a Certified Graphic Designer "CGD", there is certainly a rigorous, but fair peer-review process.