As a design student in the mid-90s, I was fortunate enough to see Paul Rand speak at the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Rand was a design legend who had worked with some of the world's most recognizable brands, including IBM, ABC, and UPS. His approach to design was unique, blending elements of art, communication, and surprise to create beautiful and effective brand expressions. This blog reflects on his perspective on design at its best and the competitive advantage of design for organizations and businesses everywhere.

As designers we have the power to shape the world around us through the work that we do. And with that power comes a responsibility to use it for good. Instead of putting additional billions of dollars into the coffers of our clients, we can choose to create work that benefits the billions of people in the world who need it most.

In witnessing and playing a role in the rise in the field of UX design over the past few years, I’m noticing some dysfunction. While I appreciate the importance of creating seamless user experiences, I've noticed that too many companies are confusing brand design and UX design. This confusion is negatively impacting organizations, as they are not focusing on making their brand desirable and relevant in the first place.