Can Change Only Happen at the Point of No Return?

Over the holiday vacation I happened to see the movie “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” While I thought that the movie was mediocre, it did raise an interesting point; does change only really happen when there is no hope for return? One of my core beliefs as a designer is to challenge clients and help them evolve as an organization, however if the message of this movie is true it may be pointless. If you have been following this blog for any amount of time now you know that I feel strongly about encouraging change, however even I acknowledge there is only so much you can do to help a client.

Design and the Point of No Return

While changing a client’s approach towards design and marketing may not be the end of the world, it does seem like it when suggestions are made that are outside the typical realm of the client. For example try suggesting to a client that in order for their email campaign to be successful they are going to have to get rid of all the people on their list who were added without specifically asking to be. That suggest may sound crazy to your client, why should they stop sending emails to people they worked so hard to obtain in the first place? Suggesting radical change often receives an equally radical response. Often times it seems organizations are only fully willing to accept radical change when all other potential options have been exhausted.

Where the Truth Lies

As I was watching the movie I couldn’t help but think of all the things that design has a solution for yet they still go underutilized. Think about the slow adoption of electric and hybrid cars. Over 10 years ago designers created the Prius, however it was not until gas once again sky rocketed that interest was peaked. There are numerous other examples, maybe not specifically tied to design however just as relevant. Our current U.S. economy and the credit system also seem to be a great examples. It is in these drastic and demanding situations that designers have the power to develop work that is the most influential and worthwhile.

As designers we love finding solutions to these problems, however how do we expect these solutions to be adopted if our clients or customers don’t even see the problem?