If you're already feeling that your team's design work is becoming increasingly devalued, here’s a prediction from a recent roundtable that could make that feeling worse:

Instead of relying on in-house design teams for innovation, companies go back to outside agencies for “taste making”: reading trends, culture, and the competitive landscape.

In this scenario, the internal design team becomes the “taste bakers”, turning that external direction into on-brand deliverables using company data and institutional knowledge. 

Far fetched? Maybe not. As the pace of change accelerates and organizations seek cost savings, the idea of flexible rates vs. fixed overhead could well come into fashion. But is it the best choice for the business–and for design? Let's discuss.

In this session, we’ll explore ways to:

• Pressure-test whether the taste maker/taste baker split is already happening inside your organization

• Identify what in-house teams can do that no agency can match

• Decide whether to resist the shift, reshape it or lead it

Bring your thoughts, ideas and questions for an interactive, facilitated discussion with up to 12 senior design leaders from high profile brands.

Can't make this one? We've got lots of options! Check out other roundtables, and here's an overview of our community.