Chartered Society of Designers

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Chartered Society of Designers

The Society that helps designers. CSD is the world's largest chartered body of professional designers and is unique in representing all design disciplines.

Governed by Royal Charter and also a Registered Charity

16/06/2026

Before streaming platforms, before skip intro buttons and before personalised homepages, television relied on idents, title sequences and broadcast graphics to create a sense of identity.

Some became so familiar that they are still remembered decades later.
In the latest edition of TheDesigner, former BBC motion graphic designer and researcher Dr Iain Macdonald MCSD explores how motion graphics shaped Britain's viewing culture and why certain visual moments continue to resonate long after the programmes themselves.

The article draws on research from his book ‘Designing the BBC’ and reflects on the designers, experiments and creative culture behind some of the BBC's most recognisable work.

We're curious...
What is the most memorable TV ident, title sequence or piece of broadcast design you can remember?

11/06/2026

Recently completed your Chartership or reached a CPD milestone? We’d love to see it

Share a photo of your certificate or tell us what you’ve been working towards.

Whether it’s a formal milestone or a personal one, it all contributes to your development as a designer.

We’ll feature a selection of responses in future posts.

09/06/2026

To mark 50 years since the Chartered Society of Designers received its Royal Charter, we’re revisiting an article from the archive originally published in Minerva at Fifty (1980).

Written just a few years after the Charter was granted, the piece reflects on what the moment meant for the Society and for the recognition of design as a profession.

It is a fascinating snapshot of how the Charter was understood at the time, not simply as a ceremonial milestone, but as a shift in how professional design practice was represented and recognised.

The article also includes this photograph from the archive:
"HRH the Duke of Gloucester and President, Robert Wetmore FSIAD, contemplate the Royal Charter."

Read the full archive piece in TheDesigner.

https://open.substack.com/pub/charteredsocietyofdesigners/p/from-the-archive-minerva-at-fifty?r=4duxw7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

04/06/2026

In the May/June issue of TheDesigner, Dan Lewis reflects on emotional attachment, furniture and the ways objects become part of people’s lives over time.

His research explores how memory, identity and experience shape our relationships with products, and how designers might think differently about longevity, repair and meaning in the design process.

The article also looks at the development of Dan’s Emotional Design Deck, created to help students and designers explore these ideas in practice.

The full article is available to read for CSD members via our private Substack edition of TheDesigner.

https://charteredsocietyofdesigners.substack.com/p/objects-that-stay?r=4duxw7

27/05/2026

The May/June issue of TheDesigner features a conversation with Dan Lewis exploring emotional design, furniture and the relationships people build with objects over time.

Drawing on his research into emotional attachment and product longevity, Dan reflects on why certain objects become part of our homes, memories and identities, and what designers can learn from that relationship.

From family connections and personal milestones to the quiet role furniture plays in everyday routines, the article considers how objects gather meaning through use, time and experience.

The full article is available to read for CSD members via our private Substack edition of TheDesigner.

https://open.substack.com/pub/charteredsocietyofdesigners/p/objects-that-stay?r=4duxw7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

20/05/2026

Congratulations to the latest recipients of the CSD CEP Student Awards at Bahrain Polytechnic’s School of Creative Media. The awards recognise students from CSD-accredited programmes who have demonstrated exceptional creative and professional potential throughout their studies.

🏆 Mithaq Mohamed Jaafar
🏆 Hesa Ghazi Mohamed
🏆 Dhuha M. Mulla Jaafar
🏆 Fatema Alsawad

Pictured left to right:
Ms. Ruqaya Ahmed, Ms. Marwa Isa, Ms. Ola Fahs, Dr. Owen Gallagher, Mr. Anand Omanakuttan, award recipients, and members of the School of Creative Media team at Bahrain Polytechnic.

Dr. Owen Gallagher, Head of School, commented:
“We’re proud to see our graduates recognised through the CSD CEP Student Awards and look forward to following their future creative careers.”

It’s always encouraging to see the next generation of designers recognised as they begin their professional journeys.
Find out more about the CSD Course Endorsement Programme (CEP): https://www.csd.org.uk/education/course-endorsement-programme/accreditation/

19/05/2026

Today marks 50 years since the Chartered Society of Designers was granted its Royal Charter by HM Queen Elizabeth II on 19 May 1976.

The Charter formally recognised the importance of design as a profession and established CSD as the internationally recognised professional body for designers working across all disciplines.

It also laid the foundation for the Society’s later authority to establish and maintain the Register of Chartered Designers and award the title of Chartered Designer, which was formally introduced through the Supplemental Charter in 2011.

Fifty years on, that responsibility continues to shape our work: supporting professional standards, advancing design education, recognising excellence, and championing the value of design and designers.

Thank you to every member, Chartered Designer and contributor who has helped shape the Society over the past five decades.

14/05/2026

As the design profession continues to evolve through AI, sustainability and changing ways of working, the question of what designers need from professional practice is becoming increasingly important.

In the next issue of TheDesigner, David Hopwood MCSD reflects on supporting emerging talent, strengthening professional standards and helping designers prepare for an industry in constant transition.

The article explores the relationship between education, employability and professional confidence, alongside the continuing role of organisations like the Chartered Society of Designers in supporting the future of the profession.

The Society’s 50th Annual General Meeting will take place online on Thursday 21 May 2026.

Members in good standing are invited to register in advance via their CSD membership page before close of business on Wednesday 20 May 2026.

https://www.csd.org.uk/members-area/login/

11/05/2026

As the Chartered Society of Designers marks 50 years since the granting of our Royal Charter, outgoing President Jake Leith PCSD has been reflecting on a professional journey spanning more than four decades.

In the next issue of TheDesigner, Jake explores the changing realities of design practice, education and professional standards; from traditional manufacturing and textile design through to AI, sustainability and the future of creative education.

It is both a personal reflection and a reminder of why professional design bodies continue to matter in periods of rapid change.

The Society’s 50th Annual General Meeting will take place online on Thursday 21 May 2026.

Members in good standing are invited to register in advance via their CSD membership page before close of business on Wednesday 20 May 2026.

http://ww.csd.org.uk/

07/05/2026

Alec Issigonis approached the car through structure and use.

Across projects including the Morris Minor and the Mini, his work explored how space and engineering could be organised more effectively.

His influence continues to shape automotive design.

✨ Designers You Should Know

Address

1 Cedar Court, Royal Oak Yard, Bermondsey Street
London
SE13GA

Telephone

+442073578088

Website

http://www.csd.org.uk/

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