I'm a firm believer in the value of your time, so I want to give you the short version up front - you can then decide if you want to dive deeper into the ideas I've refined over years and read the full post. This isn't about being TL;DR, but about making deliberate choices on what's worth your time.

So, here's the short version to help you decide:

History shows us that we're in a transition period, not unlike the decentralisation of craftmanship in the Middle Ages. Embrace the change instead of fearing it.
Trading contributions for money, rather than time for money, can open up new possibilities for designers and other professions. This shift to a 'decentralised talent' model could revolutionise how we work.
The sooner you recognise and adapt to this shift, the better positioned you'll be to thrive in this new environment. There's room for everyone in this model, from in-house designers to freelancers using tech to maximise their efficiency.

Decentralised Craftsmanshift

When you invest enough time in reading history, you start seeing patterns that allow you to better interpret what's going on now.

So, I looked back to better understand the future of talent and craftsmanship, and specifically, to figure out how designers can stay relevant innovate in the way we contribute to the industry's progress.

The Guilds of the Middle Ages

Looking back at the Middle Ages in Europe, guilds controlled the production of goods within a certain town or region.

Picture the baker's guild. They regulated who could bake and sell bread, determined the standards for quality and pricing, and even provided training and certification for new craftsmen.

But over time, things started to change.

Bakers began producing bread for the market instead of baking to order, and the art of baking became decentralised.

Anyone could bake bread, even the colonial housewife.

My point? Baking became a skill that could be exercised based on individual needs and circumstances.

The Transition from Centralisation to Decentralisation

And it wasn't just baking. The same thing happened with hat-making, textiles, leatherwork, construction... you name it.

Over time, each of these crafts transitioned from a centralised to a decentralised model.

Now, apply this pattern to what we see today. It's easy to understand that we're not facing something entirely new.

The transition from centralisation to decentralisation has happened before in history, and it's happening again in our time.

I can picture the bakers of yore, panicking as their craft became common knowledge. Similarly, many in the design, product, and content production industry today worry about their craft being taken away.

Learning from History

So far, four key insights emerge:

There's no need to panic.
These trends aren’t new.
We're clearly in another transition period, and the sooner we adapt, the better positioned we'll be.
History serves as a guide.

The Path Forward for Designers

Remember the bakers who decided to produce for the market?

They were onto something. They innovated, they adapted, and they thrived. The same can happen for designers.

Some will continue to design "to order", just as some bakers stuck to their old ways. Others might follow the path of those bakers who decided to produce for the market, taking advantage of technological advances to productise their outputs. And yet others might embrace the trend and come up with innovative solutions.

So don't worry, there will always be a place for in-house design work. But consider this:
What if you could deliver the same contributions to your employer in half the time? 🔥
Or what if you could sell your contributions to as many people or organisations as you wanted? 🔥 🔥 🔥

My thesis is that our economy will evolve from a model where we trade time for money, to one where we trade contributions for money—I’ll elaborate more in a future post.

The Decentralised Talent Model

As designers, we have the tools and skills to be efficient.

Contrary to what your contract might state, your employer is not actually paying for your time, but rather for your contributions. With the current tech (AI), we are so efficient that we can make significant contributions without having to dedicate eight hours a day.

When organisations begin to exchange money for contributions, not time, we'll know we've started the transition to a decentralised talent model.

In this new world, a high "head count" will be less impressive, and our time will be better spent bringing our meaningful contributions to organisations and focusing on creating value ♥︎.

And I daresay, this transition will lead to designers innovating in the way we contribute to the industry's progress.
After all, history shows us that those who adapt and innovate are the ones who thrive.

Need guidance navigating this transition? Happy to help, let's chat.

Decentralised Talent: A Historical Perspective