An Economic Perspective on Interaction Design ( and New Media Art )

this document aims to present economic models for earning money as a designer ( or as an artist for that matter ). if you find anything missing or wrong, please file an issue or send a message to d.paul@hfk-bremen.de

although the focus is intentionally put on interaction design a lot of these points below also apply of course to other design disciplines as well as new media art and other art forms.

this document aims to present economic models for earning money as a designer. some models assume that design is practiced as intended by the discipline ( e.g working for clients, selling works ), while others rather aim to apply design skills in other areas ( e.g becoming a star on youtube ). although most models are applicable to all fields of design ( e.g fashion, product, graphic design ) and some even to art practice, the main focus is on interaction design ( especially the research section ).

PS one of the reasons for compiling this document is to question the dominant designer-client relationship model and if it should be taken for granted as such.

as service ( dienstleistung )

working for clients ( the classic model ) ( e.g communicating client interests, product developement, performing )
working for studios ( a good way to get started, learn the trade and grow the network )
research financed by organisations ( see research )

in entrepreneurship

developing and selling self-initiated designs / projects ( e.g apps, products, services, websites, books )
make and selling one-offs or editions on platforms ( e.g etsy or Digital Media Studio Industries )
product and project developement via crowd funding ( e.g kickstarter, indiegogo )
selling ideas as a thinktank ( e.g design fictions like Julian Bleeker )
alternative models ( very rare e.g youtube-star )

as cultural production

public cultural funding
private cultural funding ( e.g holweg stiftung )
cultural funding via companies and corporations ( e.g volkswagen-stiftung )
grants for individual projects ( e.g eyebeam residency, edith-russ-haus, schloss solitude )
selling works ( to individuals, institutions or collectors ( mäzene ) )
paid exhibitions
curator for exhibitions ( e.g in institutions, at festivals )
running a gallery
joining unions ( or similar ) to get access to cultural funding ( e.g becoming a composer to get access to music funding )

as research

research projects subjects (?)
as part of a research consortium ( e.g EU project )
applied and industry-related research ( see service e.g commissioned research, product developement )
grants for individual research ( e.g study, disseration, or post doc grants )
selling design journalism + design knowledge ( e.g publishing in magazins )

in education

teaching at public or private institutions ( e.g workshop leader, lecturer, professor )
workshops at public and private institutions
further education ( weiterbildung ) for designers and non-designers
paid lectures