Myth and Truth about China Design Market

When you stand in the middle of two design worlds (U.S. and China), you may feel a little lost right now. Designers in the U.S. are afraid of losing their jobs to China with a 8:1 pricing difference; whereas China corporations are also worried that the competitive quality of foreign imported products into China are going to wipe out its internal brands.

Are you worried as a designer in the U.S. that design jobs will migrate to China? Are you concerned about the increasingly competitive pricing on design jobs and its resultant outsourcing? Are you curious about the quality of design work over there? You have never been to China but heard about China's staggering GDP growth rate of 9.1%* and its emerging 1.3 billion people market (almost 5 times the size of the U.S. population). You have read in Business Week or design magazines about all the hype in China, but what's the real truth?

Being concerned is one thing, but being fear struck and cynical without learning about the facts is far worse. First lets clear out the common myth about design environment in China.

Myth 1: China's market is in Beijing & Shanghai.

Truth: China has 9 economic zones designated by the government which determines the rise of economic development in cities of these regions.

Myth 2: Localization means Chinese translation.

Truth: Products need to fit the needs of China users not only in terms of language but also their cultural thought model, usage behaviors and political context.

Myth 3: Business success in China is done via optimizing operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness and gaining market share.

Truth: Business success in China predominantly comes from building successful relationships and trust.

Survival kit for foreign Designers in China:

1. Learn PuTongHua Do not assume that English is the international business language in China. If you are lucky, you might work with Mainland Chinese people who speaks English. Even then, do not automatically assume that Mainland Chinese speaking English will mean that they understand you conceptually. Often times, miscommunication arises when you think the other party understands you but they really don't and are culturally resistant to ask clarifying questions.

If you are in the food chain where you need to travel to China to either oversee manufacturing in China or design for the China market, it is a good idea to learn the Chinese national language: PuTongHua. Your Chinese associates will be taken by surprise, and this will move you miles ahead in the game. For a good start, when meeting someone new, say: "Ni hao ma," meaning "How are you?"

2. See China for yourself If you have never been to China but your work is inseparable from China, take some advice from a traditional Chinese proverb: "Rather than read ten thousand pages of a book, its better to walk ten thousand miles." Fear is driven by "not knowing." Be there and see China for yourself. The media could very well tint your perception of China, and the China experience could be way beyond your expectations. (There are no "fortune cookies" in China, by the way.)

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