Andy Budd
Design Leader / Investor / Advisor / Coach
Andy Budd
Design Leader / Investor / Advisor / Coach
Design's Mid-life crisis
On most objective measures, the design industry is thriving. Our skills are in high demand, our salaries are rising, and companies can't fill roles fast enough. Design leadership has come of age, we're seeing companies invest in team development, and more and more designers are earning that hallowed "seat at the table". So why, when I talk to designers, do so many of them feel burnt out and despondent; like all their hard work and effort has been for nothing. It's as though the design industry is going through some sort of mid-life crisis.
In this session design leader, start-up advisor, speaker and coach, Andy Budd, takes us through some of the reasons why we're experiencing this sense of collective Ennui, and what we can do about it. This talk may make for awkward listening at times. However unless we can have an open and honest conversation about the behaviours that are holding us back, we'll never unlock the full potential of what design has to offer.
About
Andy is a well known design founder, start-up advisor and coach (so feel free to drop him a line if you need some advice). He’s also a prolific speaker, and loves sharing his experience at events like SXSW, Awwwards and The Next Web. Andy is probably best known for his early work in Web Standards (CSS Mastery briefly outsold Harry Potter) and for pioneering the field of User Experience Design in Europe. As the Managing Director and co-founder of Clearleft, Andy curated the dConstruct, UX London and Leading Design conferences, as well as launching Silverback and Fontdeck. A lifelong community advocate, Andy founded an online network of over 2,000 heads, directors and VPs of Design. Closer to home he also launched the Brighton Digital Festival, a city-wide celebration of digital art and culture. A huge believer in the transformational power of design, Andy is a founding member of the Adobe Design Circle, hosted events across Europe for the Design Leadership Forum, and recently joined Seedcamp as their latest Venture Partner. Thanks to the impact Andy has had on our industry, he’s appeared on both the Wired 100 and BIMA 100 lists, as well as winning agency of the year on several occasions. Never happier than when he's diving some remote tropical atoll, Andy is a PADI dive instructor and retired shark wrangler, and is currently learning to fly.