Rebundling or Retreat? How Professions Defend Their Turf in a Tech-Driven World

When professions feel pressure—from automation, outsourcing, or AI—they react. Not always out of fear, but out of a desire to protect what matters.

In this week's episode of the Engaged By Design podcast, we explored how faculty (and other professions) respond when the boundaries of their work are redrawn by disruptive forces. We outlined three strategies that show up again and again.

1. Scope of Practice Disputes 
This is the turf war. Think about when doctors push back against expanded roles for nurse practitioners, or when faculty resist content ownership by instructional designers or AI tools. These battles are often about professional identity as much as practical impact.

2. Credential Inflation 
Professions raise the bar—literally—by increasing the educational or licensing requirements needed to enter. In higher ed, that might mean new terminal degrees, AI literacy certificates, or expanded post-doc expectations, all to maintain legitimacy and distinction.

3. Quality Crusades 
When all else fails, the profession becomes the keeper of rigor. Claims that only “we” can ensure quality may be true—but they also risk stifling innovation if they become inflexible.

These defenses are not always bad. In fact, they’re often motivated by deep care for students, standards, and the long-term sustainability of the work. But they can become limiting if we fail to evolve while we defend.

So here’s the question: Are you rebundling with wisdom—or retreating into rigidity?

This is a conversation for deans and department chairs, yes—but also for designers, technologists, advisors, and faculty advocates. Everyone who touches the student experience is part of this reconfiguration.

Where is your profession under pressure right now? And what future are you designing in response?

Let’s defend what’s human—but also design what’s next.

🎧 Listen to the podcast episode and share the reflection questions with your department or union leaders. Lead the change before it leads you.