I Got Called a Mediocre Designer
It hurts, but I should question why
I was asked to interview for a FinTech startup. I thought the first meeting went well, but the person meeting with me was looking for something in my portfolio that would wow them. Some sort of UI/UX magic that would solve their on-boarding process. That would make them believe in my abilities.
The problem, they needed to get a user through 38 questions
It seems like a simple sort of issue initially. The problem is in execution. I came up with a choose your own adventure storytelling flow that would build the user’s story as they entered in more information. It focused solely on the experience and I didn’t put much effort in the actual design. In fact, I didn’t put any effort in the design. That’s the problem right there. Or is it? Maybe, I’m just a talentless hack.
Never work for free… ever.
Sure, I admit that a great designer can right someone’s world view. But when you’re not getting paid to make a mockup, what can a prospect expect. Clearly my ability to pitch designs is strongly correlated to how well I can pay my mortgage right after the pitch. I strongly agree you should never work for free… ever. It goes to show that no matter how many times I forgo that rule, I always ends up with a gaping pus-riddled dog bite in my backside.
The premise of the rule is simple. If your portfolio doesn’t have the magic your prospect is looking for, it’s not a good fit. Walk. There won’t be a tail between your legs. You need to know when to hold ’em, and more importantly, know when to fold ’em.
Why do so many designers feel the need to do additional work and give valuable ideas away for free?
It wouldn’t surprise me if a year from now, the company I was interviewing with were to use the concept I pitched them. It would hurt. I probably won’t have the resources to pursue any legal action. I’ll try to turn the situation around and deceive myself. Maybe I am a decent designer!
It was over the phone that the prospect told me the design was missing something. They went on to specify how much they didn’t like the typography, colour scheme, layout, and so on. It wasn’t inline with their brand standards. I was referred to a sample site that had the usual stark white background and sans-serif font. Simple, boring, and safe. Sigh.
Startups don’t have time for mediocre designers
The fugly mockup (and it was pretty ugly) was getting in the way of the experience I was trying to design. I explained my mockup was a concept and I wasn’t trying to convey their UI at all. But, it appears I didn’t understand their target market at all. The funny thing is, I was actually a part of their target market according to the brief. The issue wasn’t my understanding of myself, it was my mediocre design abilities. It was my inability to commit fully and spend the entire day designing the mockup I should never have created in the first place. It was the hour I spent slapping together a representation of my masterpiece that will never get built.
Fuck Rome. I haven’t got days to build an empire of a mockup. I’ve only got an hour to make a mockup as an intermission to my real paid work.
No, I won’t be sharing the mockup. I also won’t be showing off any sloppy work. Neither should you. It’s always best to share work before its release with a trusted subset of honest companions to gain some insight.
