Make Design Count
Be counted. Be recognised.
The Design Institute of Australia is leading a national survey to inform its submission to the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the 2027 update of the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) published in 2024. The outcome will shape how designers are recognised, supported and valued for years to come.
The survey takes approximately 15 minutes and is open to all practising designers across disciplines, industries and career stages.
This is your opportunity to contribute directly to the evidence underpinning the DIA’s national advocacy for the profession.
If design isn’t counted, designers don’t count.
Deadline: COB 10 March 2026.
Why Make Design Count?
Most designers don’t spend much time thinking about how their profession is officially classified, but it matters.
In Australia, every occupation is recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics within a national framework called the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA). This system is used by the government to understand what different professions do, how they contribute to the economy, and how they are recognised across education, migration pathways and workforce policy.
Design is currently included within this national framework under Group 242 Design Professionals. However, occupation descriptions and task lists can lag behind contemporary practice and fail to reflect how designers work today.
When classifications fall out of step with the profession, the consequences are subtle but far-reaching. Workforce data becomes inaccurate. Education pathways drift from real industry needs. Emerging roles may not be recognised within migration settings. Funding and policy decisions are shaped by incomplete or outdated understandings of design practice.
This is why advocacy matters.
The Design Institute of Australia works behind the scenes to ensure design is accurately represented in national systems like OSCA. It is not glamorous work. It is technical, detailed and policy-driven. But it is vital because the future of every Australian designer depends on it.
This is the quiet but essential work the DIA undertakes, and when we ask you to complete a survey like this, it is because your experience is the evidence that strengthens the case.
As Australia’s peak body for designers, this survey is part of the DIA’s national advocacy to ensure the design profession is accurately and fairly represented within Australia’s workforce framework.
This is not just about classification.
It is about visibility.
It is about recognition.
It is about the future of the design profession.
MAKE DESIGN COUNT
What the DIA Survey Will Do
The DIA survey will gather evidence from practising designers across the nation to inform its submission to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The survey invites respondents to consider:
How accurately OSCA currently represents your design occupation and the core tasks and competencies that define your practice
How design practice is evolving into new domains and becoming more cross-disciplinary
Where designers are working across sectors and industries
How artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping design professions
Who Should Participate
The survey is open to all practising designers, including:
Full-time, part-time and contract designers
Sole practitioners and studio leaders
In-house designers across private, public and not-for-profit sectors
Recent graduates currently working in design
Designers working in eduction
You do not need to be a DIA member to participate. Every designer’s voice is valued.
Participation is voluntary, with name and email details optional.
How the Process Works
DIA’s advocacy follows a structured four-stage process:
Stage 1: National Survey
Design professionals across Australia complete the survey by COB 9 March 2026
Stage 2: Aggregate the Findings
DIA collates and analyses the survey data to identify key themes, gaps and priorities across each design occupation.
Stage 3: Professional Review Panels
DIA convenes Professional Review Panels comprising expert volunteers from across Australia to review the aggregated findings and refine occupation specific recommendations.
Stage 4: Prepare and Submit the Submission
DIA prepares and submits the final recommendations to the Australian Bureau of Statistics as part of the 2027 OSCA public consultation round, open 11 March to 10 April 2026.
The stronger the participation, the stronger the submission.
Help Us Spread the Word
The more designers who respond, the stronger the evidence. Please share the survey with your design networks and colleagues, through to 10 March 2026.
Access the campaign materials and MAKE DESIGN COUNT here
Privacy & Your Data
The survey is voluntary
Providing your name and email is optional. If provided, these details will be used to keep you informed about related DIA advocacy initiatives
Your details will not be shared with third parties
Responses are handled in accordance with DIA’s privacy obligations
Questions?
Contact the DIA at community@design.org.au