The value of graphic design: a strategic perspective

Introduction: Design in the Age of Automation

As a Product Strategist and Founder of Novanet Studio, I have witnessed the radical transformation of our industry. Graphic design has evolved from a manual, tedious craft into a discipline empowered by computers. However, this technical agility has brought with it a dangerous confusion: mistaking speed for value. In this analysis, we will explore why design, when understood as a strategic investment, is one of the most valuable assets of any company.

1. What is Value? (The Economic Perspective)

To talk about design, we must first talk about economics. Value, as defined by Carl Menger in his fundamental work Principles of Political Economy, is not something intrinsic to the object, but rather:

Carl Menger and the cover of Principles of Political Economy

“The significance that specific goods or partial quantities of goods acquire for us when we are conscious that we depend on them for the satisfaction of our needs.”

In other words, value is the meaning that specific goods have when we know they satisfy our needs.

The Law of Scarcity and Utility

The value of a good increases when we are aware of its utility and its quantities decrease. Let’s take the example of water:

• Potable Water: It is essential for our survival. Although 71% of the planet’s surface is covered by water, only 4.5% is fresh (and much of it is inaccessible in glaciers). Its relative scarcity, combined with its vital utility, makes its valuation very high.
• Salt Water: It represents 96.5% of the total. Although abundant, its direct utility for basic human needs is much more limited, so its individual valuation is lower.

In branding, “graphics” are abundant (salt water), but the strategy that solves business needs is the scarce resource (potable water). My role as an architect is to ensure that your investment is directed towards the latter.

2. Access to Design Today

The last 30 years have democratized the operational aspect of design. The immediacy of the digital age has made tools available to anyone that allow them to:

• Perform complex photo montages and general image editing with surgical precision.
• Create digital illustrations that emulate traditional techniques like watercolor, oil, or pastel.
• Design entire font families and layout complex printed pieces.

This democratization is positive, but it has created a gap between those who operate a software and those who design a solution.

3. The Elements of Design: The Science of Order

The ability to execute in Photoshop or Illustrator does not automatically make someone a designer. Real design is governed by the elements mentioned by Wucius Wong in his Foundations of Design:

• Conceptual Elements: The point, the line, and the plane. They are the pure intention before becoming visible.
• Visual Elements: Shape, size, color, and texture. The concrete manifestation of the idea.
• Relational Elements: Direction, position, space, and gravity. How shapes interact with each other.
• Practical Elements: Representation, meaning, and function. The final purpose that serves the business.

Wucius Wong and the cover of Foundations of Design

These elements are systematically linked: conceptual elements give way to visual ones, these to relational ones, and finally to practical ones. Approaching design from this systematic thinking allows us to work with maximum objectivity and minimum ambiguity.

4. To Operate or to Design? (De-risking the Strategy)

Although the operational aspect and the application of conceptual elements can complement each other, many enter the field without mastering these foundational principles. However, this is no barrier to entry for those focused solely on execution. What matters is knowing how to match the talent to the task:

• A Design Operator: Integrates into workflows where systems are already established. Their value is the flawless execution of what is already in place.
• A Graphic Designer (Architect): Is aware of the conceptual elements and complements them with technical knowledge. They are the one who builds the foundations of visual authority.

5. A Requirement for Each Stage

Each company places a different value on design according to its circumstances. In a market saturated with options via remote platforms and social networks, we must clarify our needs:

1. Maintenance: If your design and branding system have solid foundations, an operator can meet your requirements efficiently.
2. Construction: If you need to design a new visual identity, conduct a branding analysis of an existing logo, or prepare the brand for complex future applications, a graphic designer is the indicated architect.

Identifying the nature of your activities is the first step in assigning the right human talent and maximizing the value of your investment.