Celebrating our 30th anniversary as a chapter
Hear from past presidents

Kyle Larkin

What do you think was your most important contribution to the chapter or in the Arizona design community during the time you were president?

I think the board took two critical steps forward during my time as president. First, every year, Phoenix Design Week gets even better. We made big leaps with the conference in 2018 that helped to elevate everything we’re doing as a community in Arizona. The second is slightly less glamorous, but we improved our internal processes to streamline internal communication, on-boarding, and program planning.  

What message would you like to leave to the future about where we’ve been as a design community, and where we’re going?

The greatest thing about the Arizona design community is that it’s always changing, and you can still be a part of it. The future of the design community is you. It’s the people that get out and get involved. It can be anything we want it to be if we put in the effort.

Name one thing that is different about design now compared to when you were president. This refers more to the overall world of design.

I was president fairly recently, but even in those few years, I’m glad to see that the profession is having more conversations around diversity, ethics, and mental health. These were topics that weren’t discussed often a few years ago. It’s great to see the profession moving forward. Understanding our responsibilities as designers is critical as we expand our scope and work on projects that reach millions of people daily.

Name the single most significant shift in design that you’ve experienced. Is the world more or less design-savvy these days?  For example, how the shift from analog to digital design, social media or the web affect designers? 

During the past few years, it’s been great to see a rise in design systems. As we move into digital product design, understanding that it’s not how it looks but how it works across a multitude of devices, platforms, and touch points are essential. Improvements in our design tools like collaborative editing and prototyping in Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD are also incredible. Being able to collaborate with other designers and prototype our ideas in real-time is going to change the way we work for years to come.

Is there anything you still wish you could have accomplished as president? 

Absolutely. No matter how long you work at something, you always wish you had more time. I’m proud of everything the board accomplished during my time as president. If I could check one more thing off the list, it would be to get a scholarship in place. Our students need to know we’re here to support them: not just AIGA Arizona but the entire community.

What would you like to see the AIGA Arizona chapter tackle next?

The board is doing so many great things from the new community meet ups to a business of design initiative. I’d love to see the chapter bring back more professional training opportunities and perhaps a visiting keynote lecture during the year. With so many amazing folks on the board, I’m sure there will plenty for everyone to be excited about in the years to come.