Apparently the role of designers is in a state of flux and on the verge of extinction—or at least is about to become much less relevant. That’s because nowadays, social media is a forum where the masses can express themselves clearly and quickly—on pretty much any subject and without bounds. At least that’s what is being said in most of the articles I’ve read about the major changes happening in our field.

The long and short of it is: tomorrow’s designers will be hybrid specimens with more than one string to their bow (photography, editing, music, writing, etc.). What’s more, they’ll spend most of their time surfing social networks and become a sort of antenna for their agencies, picking up on all the trends of the hour (or the next) and knowing which angles to pursue, i.e., the ones that will appeal to their clients—and their boss!

You’d have to be thick in the head to think that tomorrow’s designers will still hold the keys to consumers’ desires—for everyone on Planet Internet has ideas and they spread as fast as a nasty virus. Those who do make it will be first and foremost those with their ear to the ground, but will also—and forevermore—be proving their ability to be chameleon-like, to outdo themselves, and to boldly go where no designer has gone before.

But they won’t be the only ones who will have to do a little reinventing and redefining; everyone in the advertising and communications industry is going to have to do an about-face—a 180 degree turn that’ll wreak a little havoc but be very refreshing!