An Evening of Design Thinking and Radical Collaboration with AIGA Baltimore

Written By: Joseph Carter-Brown and Valerie Anderson | Photo Credit: Frances Miller and Leo Brady

AIGA Baltimore’s Community Meeting started in late 2016 with the intention to provide a platform for members within our creative community to share ideas, concerns, and hopes for the betterment of Baltimore. In meetings past, we’ve heard from representatives from AIGA National on the work the organization is doing as a whole, as well as how the work that goes on in headquarters aligns to the work each chapter is doing locally. Other meetings focused on presentations from a variety of community-based initiatives spearheaded by our board within AIGA Baltimore or other organizations. While we enjoyed opportunities to share the things we love most about the local design community, we found we weren’t spending enough time talking to you about what you wanted.

So, at our most recent community meeting on January 16th, graciously hosted by our friends at SlimTech, in an effort to talk less and do more, we made your interests the focus of the meeting. We started with a Facebook poll to gauge where the discussion interests lie. To those of you who participated, thank you for helping to guide the conversation. After choosing the top four topics from the poll, we used design thinking tools to begin to brainstorm ways in which we could impact designers’ pain points in each area of focus.

Facebook Poll Results

Following a brief kickoff, we asked attendees to jump into action, connecting with their fellow designer and discussing their personal and design-focused hopes and fears for the new year.

AIGA Baltimore President, Joseph Carter-Brown, addresses and prep attendees for the evening's proceedings
AIGA Baltimore President, Joseph Carter-Brown, addresses and preps attendees for the evening’s proceedings.

In this exercise, we discovered some of the common themes on designers’ minds—from hopes for professional growth and making connections within the community to fears regarding world events and maintaining healthy lifestyles. While these hopes and fears were not the intention of the discussion, this broad range of concerns helps us put a finger on the pulse of of our community. Discussing our hopes and fears is also a great way to find allies in the room; because what starts as individuals writing their personal hopes and fears, turns into a group of collaborators, realizing that they’re not alone in their goals or concerns.

Attendees share their hopes and fears for the new year
Attendees found shared themes among their individual hopes and fears for the new year.

Once the attendees completed the hopes and fears activity, we broke into four distinct groups. Each group focused on a different discussion prompt as dictated by our Facebook poll. This is when we began to get a true collaborative feeling for how designers in our community could benefit from involvement with AIGA. We did this by building a prioritization grid to identify some ideas that would be impactful, while also being mindful of the feasibility of any given idea. After lots of collaboration, silent ideation, and group sharing, we settled on a handful of big ideas in our four key discussion areas, with a goal to create more user-driven outcomes for all of our community members.

Collaborating on Big Ideas
Attendees collaborate on some big, impactful ideas.

Below is a list of the big ideas, along with pictures of the final prioritization grids:

Design for Good Big Ideas

  • Empathy/Human-Centered Design Workshops
  • Murals for Community Beautification
  • Career Day Awareness
  • Design for Good Video Series:
    Videos educating designers on pro-bono/community-focused work
  • Designathon for Baltimore Businesses in Need (with appropriate vetting)
After brainstorming Design For Good ideas, attendees grouped common themes, and came up with big impactful ideas

Design + Business Big Ideas

  • “Dear Ellen”(name tbd) Blog/Column (like Dear Abby):
    Q&A advice column (topics could include differences between working in-house vs agency vs freelance, branding a new business, other peoples’ design business experiences)
  • Creative Round Table:
    Event for bringing business leaders and creatives together to discuss topics related to running and working in/for a design business (educate businesses on how to work with designers, collaboration opportunities, workshop on getting start-up funding, bring big names to design community, connections with local businesses, comparing notes with similar businesses/getting advice on processes)

    Design & Business Ideas
    Big Ideas for Design & Business Content

Design + Leadership Big Ideas

  • Workshop with Local Design Leaders:
    How to lead a design team, advocating for design, how to navigate career path in different contexts, how to progress in your career and still design
  • Improv Workshop to Role-Play Design Leadership Situations
    Design Leadership Big Ideas
    Design Leadership Big Ideas

Mentorship Big Ideas:

  • Daily Internships/Adopt a Designer
  • Coffee/Lunch Date or “Speed Dating” to Find a Mentor
  • Designer Exchange Program
  • Portfolio Reviews Targeted at Designers with More Than 5 Years Experience
    Mentorship Big Ideas
    Mentorship Big Ideas

Sharing our creative ideas in a community setting is the first step to taking action, but we want to take that a step further. We want to see your ideas come to life, however AIGA Baltimore is a board of only a few people, and all volunteers at that; so we’re asking the community to work with us. While we want to do everything on this list, we simply cannot do it alone. What we can do is support and empower you, our design community! Let’s work together and make it happen. Shall we? If you see an idea that you can’t wait to help bring to life or want to explore more (or if you know someone who may be able to help push the needle forward), we want to hear from you.

Email info@baltimore.aiga.org and let’s talk about how we can all take ownership in our design community.

Letter of Introduction from Vanessa Ulrich, Incoming President

I am incredibly excited to officially begin my first term as President of AIGA Baltimore this summer, replacing the leadership of our amazing outgoing Co-Presidents, Jennifer Marin and Stacey Fatica.

I’ve worked with Jen and Stacey for two and a half years since I joined the board in February 2013 as Visibility Director. In that role, I connected with other organizations in the Baltimore community to build relationships, collaborate on events and create awareness and understanding for AIGA Baltimore’s goals. I’m so inspired every day by all the people who make Baltimore a creative, innovative, and fabulously quirky city.

As incoming President, my goal is to promote the value of design and design professions while continuing to strengthen the chapter’s programming and community involvement. Under Jennifer and Stacey’s leadership over the past two years, AIGA Baltimore produced more than 60 amazing events to bring education and inspiration to the Baltimore design community. In 2013, Design Week was also recognized officially by the state. I seek to continue to strengthen this legacy.

Assisting me in achieving this goal is a board powered 100% by volunteer AIGA members. Each one has a specific area of focus, and each brings a diversity of thought, talent and passion to the board.

Education
Gary Rozanc, Education Director
Vivianna Bermudez, Education Chair

Gary and Vivianna led a highly successful Ink & Pixels student portfolio review conference this past April. They are currently planning next year’s annual conference, and are working to develop new ways to engage with AIGA Baltimore’s student groups.

Programming
Joseph Anthony Brown, Programming Director
Jermaine Bell, Programming Chair
Kerry Korrer, Social Design Chair

Joe and Jermaine are leading the planning for Design Week 2015, all while working to execute several special events as well as our regular monthly Blend and Converse events. Kerry leads social design programming, and she’s got a few key initiatives she’s gearing up for.

Communications
Kate Lawless, Communications Director
Meredith Burke, Web Chair

Spearheading our outreach online via email and our website are Kate and Meredith. They also manage a committee of dedicated communication volunteers who assist with our blog, social media, and other communications needs.

Membership
Chad Miller, Membership Chair

The newest member of our board, Chad, will cultivate AIGA Baltimore’s relationship with you, our members, encouraging you throughout the year to engage with us, give feedback, and add your voice to our initiatives.

I am honored to lead and work with such an amazing team. But nothing we do would be possible without a strong community of people passionate enough to volunteer their time to this effort—people who volunteer to speak at events, offer up their spaces for us to use, review portfolios and serve on committees. There are so many people who have helped make AIGA Baltimore what it is today. A two-year term is not a long time, and I hope we can continue to carry that torch and serve the evolving needs of our chapter’s membership and the Baltimore design community as a whole.

I look forward to a great two years serving as your new chapter president.
Thank you,
Vanessa Ulrich

25 Days of AIGA

In honor of the holiday season and AIGA Baltimore’s 25th anniversary, we’ve put together 25 Days of AIGA: a list of 25 awesome things about AIGA Baltimore and the magical holiday season.

December 1: Get up close and personal with the best of the best! Couldn’t attend Design Week 2013? Check out what we learned from Khoi Vinh, Matteo Bologna, and other amazing designers: http://ow.ly/rjWVB

December 2: Did you miss the members-only BPS workshop? Say HI to Kim and Kyle this month at their Pop-Up Shop, Holiday Card workshop, and 2 craft fairs! http://baltimoreprintstudios.com/workshops/

December 3: Say HI to Design Week 2012 lecturers, Post Typography! They’re having an epic poster sale on 12/7 at their studio http://ow.ly/rjZr9

December 4: Did you know your AIGA membership is good around the world?! If you find yourself traveling, check out the local chapter’s events and tell ‘em B’More says “Hi!”

December 5: Be in the know about all local art events. CBS Baltimore selected us as one of the top 5 to follow in the arts: http://ow.ly/rjZCZ

December 6: Wallet feeling the holiday pinch? Save with AIGA membership discounts on things like Adobe, Shutterstock, Apple, and Lynda.com.

December 7: Exclusive AIGA benefits are now more accessible than ever! Give your favorite designer a membership gift for $50:http://www.aiga.org/join/

December 8: You can look to AIGA for standard practices and legal requirements. Supporter-level members and above get a complimentary print copy of the AIGA ethics guide!http://ow.ly/rjZUg

December 9: Be counted. Join the largest community of design advocates, practitioners, enthusiasts and patrons! http://www.aiga.org/belong/

December 10: As a Baltimore chapter member, you have access to special members-only events! Check our events calendar for upcoming opportunities: http://baltimore.aiga.org/events/

December 11: Get to know us and other creative professionals! Who else is going to Baltimore Jingle Mingle tomorrow?! http://ow.ly/rjZRV

December 12: Be counted. Join the largest community of design advocates, practitioners, enthusiasts and patrons!http://www.aiga.org/belong/

December 13: Today, we’re simply enjoying time together with friends at our Board Member Holiday Potluck Dinner…YUM!

December 14: Support local designers and quality craftsmanship. We’ll be shopping at the Holiday Heap today. Come say HI!http://www.charmcitycraftmafia.com/holiday-heap-2013-2/

December 15: Designers caught in the act of giving back at MDFB:http://ow.ly/rk00E. How else can we team up to support the Baltimore community?

December 16: Do you know about Harris Creek Connected? Learn more about them and get involved in social design initiatives through AIGA!http://www.aiga.org/harris-creek-connected/

December 17: Reconnect with analog! Dr. Sketchy’s & Creative Alliance have life drawing events, & boardie Greg shares his thoughts: http://baltimore.aiga.org/for-the-love-of-analog-design/

December 18: Does your New Year’s Resolutions List include “Find a new job?” Members are in luck. We’ve got exclusive opportunities for you on AIGA Design Jobs (http://designjobs.aiga.org/)

December 19: Be found! AIGA members are invited to join our exclusive Behance network: http://www.aiga.org/aiga-member-gallery/

December 20: Get recognized with discounts on competitions! AIGA’s design competitions celebrate exemplary design and demonstrate the power of effective design. http://www.aiga.org/competitions/

December 21: Never stop learning! Whether you’re just getting started or well into your career, AIGA has authoritative advice, articles, compensation data, publications and more: http://www.aiga.org/Resources/

December 22: How do national design trends translate to the Baltimore community? Come find out at our monthly BLEND! and Converse events!

December 23: Let AIGA help keep you healthy in 2014 with health insurance discounts: http://www.aiga.org/health-insurance-discounts/

December 24: AIGA is turning 100 in 2014, so look for amazing celebratory things in multiples of 10! Cheers to the future of AIGA!

December 25: AIGA Baltimore doesn’t plan on slowing down our 25th Anniversary celebrations, either! Just wait ’til you see what we have in store…!

Letter from the Incoming Co-Presidents

This spring Jennifer Marin and Stacey Fatica begin their first term as Co-Presidents of AIGA Baltimore, replacing the outgoing leadership of Alissa Jones and Brian Ghiloni.

Both Stacey and Jennifer joined the chapter last Spring. As Education Director Jennifer is inspired by Baltimore’s community of artists, designers, and web developers. Stacey, as Social Design Director is motivated by her connections with the local design community. Both believe that individuals are drawn to AIGA because of a need to belong to something bigger than themselves, to learn from both freelancers and business owners while sharing their own unique knowledge with an unusual city of diverse backgrounds, interests, and talent.

As the incoming Co-Presidents prepare to invest themselves into their challenging roles, they are aware that they are expected to build upon the legacy started 25 years ago with AIGA Baltimore’s first president, Bob Shelly. Under Alissa and Brian’s leadership, the board launched Baltimore’s very first Design Week, executed a large-scale student design conference, Ink & Pixels, and in 2012 alone, held 45 other events geared towards professional development.

The goal of the new presidency is, put simply, to continue and strengthen the legacy of the chapter as set by its predecessors. Providing relevant, memorable events to foster actionable conversation appropriate to the impact that design has on society and the lives of individuals, both personally and professionally.

Assisting Jennifer and Stacey in achieving their goal is a board powered entirely by volunteers, each of whom have a specific focus that is added to their respective teams. The Programming Team, led by Courtney Glancy, pioneered AIGA Baltimore’s first Design Week in 2012 and is currently working on the next, this October 2013. Converse, the well-attended monthly design conversation event, continues to be executed by Lauren Zuber. And our communications team Greg Jericho, Kate Lawless, and Vanessa Vichayakul have combined their efforts to create a powerful social media following and are developing an increased online presence.

Maintaining the foundation of volunteers as set by the outgoing presidency of Alissa and Brian is, itself, a primary focus for the incoming leadership. The Co-President’s message is clear:

“We are here for you. This is your AIGA. This year AIGA Baltimore celebrates our 25th anniversary and it is impossible to name the many individuals who have shaped our chapter throughout the years. Stepping into our roles, we know that our time on the board will be short and that we cannot succeed in this alone.”

“Whether you’ve offered your space for an event, volunteered to speak, reviewed a portfolio, or simply attended one of our events, you are the reason we continue to thrive. So thank you, Baltimore: we couldn’t do it without your support. We look forward to the next two years and hope that we provide the leadership that AIGA Baltimore deserves.”

See Paula Scher for FREE!

Paula Scher photo

Society of Design (SOD) has offered AIGA Baltimore Members a great opportunity to listen to Paula Scher for free on March 29, 2012. This offer is only available for the first 20 members that register.

Visit SOD’s site for more information on the event and to register.

IMPORTANT: To register for free, choose the “Member” option on the registration page for the event and include a note in the Comments field that you are an AIGA Baltimore member.

Complimentary registrations should be completed by March 22.

Event Details
Society of Design presents Paula Scher
Thursday, March 29, 2012
6:00 p.m. Registration; 7:00 p.m. Presentation
Whitaker Center, 222 Market St, Harrisburg, PA

Student Membership Sale is back!

Student Membership Sale

All students can join AIGA or renew for only $50 between February 1-20.

AIGA continues its commitment to increasing student involvement in the design community by giving students the opportunity to join and renew online during February for only $50! The drive will occur between February 1-20th. Don’t miss out on this great chance to save some cash. Even recent graduates can get in on the savings!

Details and Requirements

  • The drive will occur between February 1-20th.
  • Online only! Paper applications will not be accepted during this drive.
  • Students can join and renew online at my.aiga.org for just $50.
  • Faculty advisers should add the students that join online to the student group roster.

JOIN NOW for access and incredible discounts!

Open-Call for Board Applications

As we have mentioned in recent months, the AIGA Baltimore Board has been in a period of transition. We have revised the structure of the board, which has created several new positions. If you have ever wanted to play a greater role in the design community, now is your chance.

Being on the board is more than just a resume builder, it is your opportunity to have an impact in the Baltimore design community. By being on the board for the AIGA Baltimore Chapter, you are joining a group of dedicated professionals who are supportive of each board members’ initiatives. These positions are new, so the descriptions are just a starting point. Should you accept a position, we would want to work with you to help define the role further. If any of these positions interest you, please click the button below to download the application packet.

Open Positions

  • Education & Professional Development Director
  • Social Design Director
  • Print Publications Chair
  • Digital Publications Chair
  • Web Chair
  • Membership Chair
  • Sponsorship Chair
  • Networking Chair
  • Converse Chair

We are looking forward to this new exciting year. Please contact us if you have any questions about the open positions.

Best Regards,
Alissa Jones
, President
Brian Ghiloni
, Vice President

Download the Application Packet

AIGA Student Membership Sale

Student Membership Sale

AIGA is committed to increasing student involvement in the design community. For the month of September 2011, students may join or renew online for just $50! And to make membership even more accessible, part-time students registered for just six or more credit hours are now eligible for membership in AIGA, the professional association for design. To take advantage of this offer, simply join or renew online between September 1–30, 2011. Spread the word and don’t miss out!

JOIN NOW for access and incredible discounts!

Current student members whose memberships are up for renewal August 31 through December 31 are eligible for this discount if they renew before September 30.