The Importance of Self-Expression as a Designer
Today I went to a paint and sip. For those who don’t know, a paint and sip is a group painting lesson where the entire group learns one specific painting while drinking. The paint and sip I went to, however, gave each person in the room more freedom to create whatever they wanted. The only restriction was the size of the canvas. You may be wondering why this is relevant to UX design, so I’ll tell you why.
Given that I recently started UX, I’ve been seeking advice and speaking to others in the industry to get different perspectives and hear about other’s experiences working as a designer. Something that has come up multiple times in my conversations with others is the restrictions that UX can have on personal design choices. Many people brought up how what they do at work every day doesn’t reflect their own aesthetic, or that they have separate passions or projects outside of work that really allow them to express themselves the way they choose. They suggested exploring outside personal projects and designing things that reflect my style.
Of course, as a part of the UX process, we are concepting and ideating and bringing our designs to the table. However, we are always designing for the user and what they need, in addition to meeting the business requirements. We also need to avoid our biases and tendencies so that the design that is ultimately used doesn’t reflect our personal preferences. I can see how for some seasoned designers the day to day tasks can feel limiting to their own creativity.
It was at today’s paint and sip where I began to understand how important self expression is outside of whatever kind of work you are doing. Painting without any restrictions felt freeing and allowed me to really use my imagination. As a UX designer, you are at times posed with different restraints along with the obligation of designing for the user. Being able to let your creativity run free outside of work will not only allow you to express yourself but could possibly spark some ideas that you could bring to the table during your next project.
