Should Designers have a “Voice”?

I’m fortunate to work alongside incredibly talented people at Button. One of our designers recently approached me to ask the importance of having a “voice.” She is currently in her last semester of Design School and received criticism from professors for lacking a distinctive voice in her thesis project.

As product designers, our voice comes from one place: the users. While creativity is important and originality essential, it is framed by the thoughts and behaviors of the product’s users. When this doesn’t happen, there’s a disconnect that often results in a failed product or, if you’re able to gain users, they find the product hard to use.

As an artist, the term “voice” lends itself to a underlying message within the piece of work. It’s what you’re trying to express or convey. In design, our responsibility is to listen to the voices of our users and, through our own skills, solve the problem.