The survey created on The Practice of Design was conducted using primary and secondary forms of research as part of MFA design thesis. This included books, magazines, podcasts, articles online and in print as well as one-on-one interviews with respected designers with diverse careers. The survey had 297 respondents. The survey went to students and faculty of design as well as shared on social media, most notably LinkedIn, where the survey was posted in professional design groups and asked the following questions:

How long have you been practicing design? 
Do you have a formal education in design?
On a scale of 1-10, do you like to collaborate? 10 being you love to collaborate.
On a scale of 1-10 do you like to work alone? 10 being you love to work alone.
What keeps you motivated in your design work?
Do you give yourself time to do personal design/experimental work?
How long have you been doing personal design/experimental work?
What other creative work do you do?
Do you give yourself time to do personal design/experimental work?
How long have you been doing personal design/experimental work?
What other creative work do you do?
Where do your best ideas come from?
When are you most productive?
What areas of design do you practice?
How do you prevent boredom in your work?
If you couldn’t be a designer, what would you be?

Interviews with five individuals at different points in their careers asked about what they were doing, what led them to their current roles, and where they saw themselves going. The creatives interviewed were able to look at the work they did, and were doing, with a sense of accomplishment and interest in taking on new roles and projects that interested them. A common connection was once they did something, they were not interested in doing it again in the same way. In cases where they were asked to recreate a work previously done, they did it on different terms. Financial implications, awards, and professional recognition were no longer an issue, nor the status of the assignment. The exception was a fine artist and educator who was interested in continuing her exploration of a topic where she felt she still had something to say, and an audience that was connecting to her work.

The survey showed how designers have a range of interests in other fields as well as a diverse range of professions that are part of the practice. These designers did not limit their work to a single medium. Design crossed not only mediums, but the type of clients they worked with. They worked with large corporations as well as smaller businesses and explored working with other creative businesses. They adapted to changes in technology, economy, and took time to explore what they were interested in.