10 Qualities of a Great UX Designer

As a UX/UI Designer, I’ve been constantly asked, by colleagues, headhunters and managers a simple question: “What makes a good designer?”.

Is there one answer to this?

These are the top 10 qualities that from my observation, are a must have in a person, in order to be, not only “Good”, but actually a “Great” designer.

1) Empathy

To be able to have empathy with the users and people you work with, you need to have the empathy with your own self first.

The empathy goes hand in hand with the deeper understanding of the world; feeling basic needs which drives everyone.

Applying empathy brings you the insight that everyone is basically a user in a creative and business process, even yourself from one angle or the other.

Having this ability create a collaborative quality environment and a mindset from which you start every action.

It is the core ability.

Empathy does not involve judgement, but rather understanding of the root need behind each action and the feeling attached to it.

2) Ego Death

Someone said that “Ego is the enemy of all good work”.

It in essence is the obstacle, a blinder which prevents one to see clearly, or emphasise with others and even with own self.

Ego originates from the Thought and not from the Heart.

It is a thought construct, created from fear of the unknown, in order to get security in predictability of the upcoming challenges one faces in everyday life.

A designer or any other person who is guided by ego can’t receive feedback, as the ego drives on pure emotion created by thought and the story behind it.

With ego in focus, one can’t detach and see the pure needs behind the actions one is taking.

It can drive the image of a product, in order to appeal to the user, it can also drive a designer to produce and create, but one should be aware that ultimately Ego alone can’t drive itself on its own, and that story which Ego creates is not what one ultimately is.

Designer who knows that Ego is just an “illusion”, knows that every feedback is never personal.

Even your or mine own Ego (though sometimes helpful) ultimately is not what we are.

It is always about the needs.

Knowing that, by itself, creates a good energy which drives creative work from the heart and create better solutions which can benefit most if not all involved in the process.

Heart beats of itself for the pure joy of living and so does the creation which come out of that flow.

3) Playfulness & Creativity

Playfulness & Creativity, speak for themselves.

A “Good Designer” knows that creativity is a “Must Have” for any designer or any creative role, but only a “Great Designer” knows that no one is really creative “out of the blue” by themselves alone.

As knowing Ego Death principle, a “Great Designers” know that they are not “Special”, but what makes them and everyone else special, is to get exposed to different things.

More one is exposed and curious to get exposed, more and more one can evolve complicated associations with the experienced.

“Creativity is taking known elements and putting them together in unique ways.” — Jacque Fresco

Playfulness is a fundamental part of creativity, as most of the discoveries were made by “lucky accidents”.

Creativity & Playfulness goes hand in hand with passion for life and the exploration of the unknown.

If one tries to skip having qualities 1) & 2) (Empathy & Ego Death) the “Play” can’t happened, as the pure play does not involve any rules, but only the willingness for endless exploration, as life in itself is unlimited.

The one who plays never gets bored.

4) Behavioural Psychology (Human Conditioning)

After exploring, understanding and living within the first 3 “principles”, one understands how behind any experience there are set of natural laws that limit and shape perception.

With learning the limits of perception and human condition, one knows how to arrange colors, how to observe the user test without obstructions, analyse data, how to create a unique branding image and a “product feel”, “how to” & “how not to” create effective experience for others.

5) Design Principles

The design rules can be learned even by memory alone, but without the above understanding and experienced learning, one will drawn in any of the above mentioned 1) 2) 3) and 4) without even knowing that has been the case.

Basic design principles can be looked as tested rules and they are a “must have” for a design profession and there are no arguments against it, as some may say “it’s no brainer” not to know something strictly technical within your professional domain.

Research driven decisions, layout, typography and color principles, as well as creating an unified experience, prototyping & wireframing or ideating and grouping collected information, presenting, leading workshops, discussing with development and with the business the future and current solutions, are all a part of a “Good” as well as of a “Great” designer character and skillset.

This ability on its own will not be enough in order to be a “Great Designer”, but it could be more than enough for a “Good Designer”.

6) Agile

The agile meaning is directly in the word “agile”.

As a wild animal in the jungle or ocean a “Great Designer” is able to live and act within the agile principle.

It is a flexibility and potential to adapt and change in and to each moment in present time.

As the environment changes from moment, to moment, this designer embraces change as a part of life.

“An ability to move with quick easy grace”.

In this respect and in humorists terms, in an animal world a “Good Designer” would be a feline and a “Great Designer” would be an octopus.

7) Bigger Picture & Multipurpose

In order to work on a “Small Scale” it is important to understand the “Big Picture”.

No matter how tiny the project or a task may be, this designer will see beyond that which appears on the surface and that which will be done and delivered for the moment.

Seeing a step beyond is important and needed due to the fast feedback, constant delivery and future improvements.

A Big Picture & Multipurpose are directly correlated with Passion and with a sense of Purpose & Meaning in life of the designer.

As the “Great Designer” is that octopus, that designer is capable to manage multiple tasks within same enthusiasm, focus and grace coming from the self driven force as well as having all the skills within different areas equally spread on the same high quality level scale.

8) Feedback & Connection

In any and all situations, and just because of the deeper understanding of empathy alone, our “Great Designer” will always see human needs behind all actions and will give full attention to all details and people equally and learn from each interaction.

Feedback will be shared, welcomed and received without emotional attachments and empathy will follow, if needed for others, or own self.

9) No Fear

To make all these qualities possible, the designer will not have fear of virtually anything, as all the challenging situations will just be seen as an opportunity to make things better and ultimately learn and expand.

“The Great Designer” knows that when you give 100% of yourself in every interaction you can’t do more than that, so there are no regrets or leftovers to worry about, so what is left are only next new opportunities to explore.

This person will reach out to a “Cleaning Guy” or a “CEO” within the same, “flat” human base level attitude and empathise in the same way.

Fear is the enemy of honesty, direct communication and all the great work, driven together side by side with Ego, it simply prevents growth.

Taking ownership of own actions and being self aware lefts this designer with no time for fear, as there are much more inspiring things to explore than being afraid of failure.

10) Not Perfect & Not Alone

Even though a “Great Designer” seams to be a “Superhero Alike” entity to some (but not to own self), that designer knows and does not hide own imperfections and possibility to constantly growth together with others.

The “Great Designer” became “Great” only and due to the interaction, feedback, help and embrace of the other people.

Never alone.

Without other people, there are no “Great Designers” or anything “Great” to write or talk about.

“Good Designer” is perfect, but “Great Designer” can always be better.

And finally a “Great Designer” does not look down or up to those who want to be “Good” or “Great” in a different way, because that designer knows that each person is equal in choice and responsibility of own experience for living and acting in the world and that is the beauty of life to be embraced in all.

“Great Designer” will not know of own “Greatness”, but same as others, will be able to recognise the one who is of that same quality.

Conclusion

All in all, in any environment that happens to be, “Great Designers” will not pass unnoticed, especially once when they are gone.

So what question do you ask yourself?

“How great I want to be?” or “How much I can Do for Someone Today?”.

Which one are you?

Original drawings by mihailo