A career in design management combines technology, design, and business management. A design manager must have a thorough understanding of the creative process and design principles, as well as the ability to guide and manage creative thinkers in accordance with corporate design goals. The education required to become a design manager can be obtained in a variety of ways, but typically a master’s degree is required. A master’s in business administration (MBA) with a concentration in design or a master’s in a design field with a concentration in business is usually required to become a design manager. A design manager, with few exceptions, must have several years of work experience in the field of interest.
Design management is a relatively new field that encompasses many types of design in a variety of industries, and design management educators have differing views on how the subject should be taught. Nonetheless, any design management education should include both business and arts and design. The most important prerequisite for anyone aspiring to be a design manager is to be an excellent designer with a thorough understanding of the creative process and design technology. Design managers frequently have a master’s degree in fine arts or majored in art as an undergraduate.
Business schools are responding adding design management concentrations to their business degrees that teach creative thinking, as more management professionals seek to become design managers. These concentrations also cover how to create a guiding structure for the design process and how to use resources to boost creative output. To effectively manage this process, students learn various business management principles, such as marketing skills, financial management elements, and project management. The navigational link between the creative process at its most basic level and the achievement of corporate goals is provided design managers.
A person who aspires to be a design manager must possess a wide range of personal qualities. There are various types of personal qualities that add value to the various foci of design management, as the field encompasses not only the management of design projects but also the integration of design principles into management philosophies. Almost all design managers must be able to lead creative teams and have excellent interpersonal skills. This entails utilizing available resources to aid in the most efficient operation of the creative process while staying on track with the company’s overall objectives. Designers must also be able to apply business principles, think critically, and pay attention to the smallest of details.