Why Australia’s designers need to make themselves count

Design shapes the way Australia lives, from its homes and public spaces to the objects, systems and technology used every day. Yet the scale of the profession has never been captured with equal clarity.

The 2026 Census presents an opportunity to change that. ArchiPro is supporting the Design Institute of Australia’s Write DESIGNER campaign, which asks designers to describe their profession accurately on Census Night, Tuesday 11 August.

The campaign closely reflects ArchiPro’s own purpose. To make the people, practices and expertise behind good design more visible.

Among those contributing to it are members of the ArchiPro community, including Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects and design-led materials brand Fibonacci, which is helping amplify the initiative across the industry.

This will be the first Census coded under the new Occupation Standard Classification for Australia. Within it, Design Professionals have a dedicated category recognising 11 occupations across interior, industrial, product, graphic, digital, fashion, textile, jewellery and multimedia design.

It is a technical change with wider implications. Accurate occupational data creates a stronger foundation for decisions around education, skills, policy and industry investment. When designers record themselves simply as a “director”, “consultant” or “creative”, their design expertise can disappear from the national picture.

The Write DESIGNER film gives this broad profession a visual form, bringing together work across architecture, interiors, products, transport, technology, healthcare and public space. Alongside TZG, contributors include Carr, Woods Bagot, Büro North, HemPanel, RØDE Microphones and Blackmagic Design.

Rather than presenting design as a single discipline or aesthetic, it reveals its role as a practical and cultural force: one that shapes how people live, move, communicate and experience the world.

On Census Night, designers should use the specific professional title that most accurately reflects their work, retaining the word “designer” where appropriate. This might be interior designer, product designer, UX designer or visual communication designer.

When asked about their main tasks, they should clearly state what they design, beginning with “Designing…” wherever possible.

Architects, landscape architects, urban designers and building designers sit within other occupational categories and should also use their precise professional titles. The aim is not for everyone to write “designer”, but for every design professional to be seen accurately.

The campaign launched on 14 July and continues until Census Night on Tuesday 11 August 2026. Designers can review the guidance through Write DESIGNER and check the recognised occupations within the ABS Design Professionals classification.

Discover more of the people and ideas shaping Australia’s built environment through ArchiPro’s architecture and design professionals, explore the latest Australian design stories, or find the products and materials bringing their work into being.