A Designer’s True Value at Hevo
Working as a designer in a B2B company can be a very different, and often misunderstood experience than working in a B2C company. While I had my apprehensions while joining over eight months ago, I have since been able to experience the unique culture of design at Hevo and appreciate it for what it is. Let us explore some of the aspects that I have discovered on my journey as a designer in a B2B SaaS company like Hevo.
Having a Large Impact
In a B2B company, there would be one specific product that you have intimate knowledge of, and the designer’s input on how it can be presented in a visual manner, whether through marketing materials or UI designs, to create the maximum impact, can be very valuable. Though the customer base may not be as large, the interaction that each customer has with the product is much closer and hence, every input and every design feels like it is making a critical difference in the company.
Besides this, due to the direct link with the customer base, there can also be more immediate feedback and the designer can keep working and growing with regard to their ideas. This is in contrast to a consumer company where designs go out to a larger audience, making it quite difficult at times to get accurate feedback on the same.
Enjoying Seamless Communication
A smaller team of designers means that each individual voice is louder and more important.
Additionally, the open communication and respect for each designer at Hevo mean that every input is valued and considered. Such an environment of communication is encouraged not only through work but also through fun bonding activities like game nights. By becoming friends, we reach a level of understanding that means we are able to give each other feedback without any hurt feelings or misunderstandings and work collaboratively in a seamless way.
Every design that we come up with, although our brainchild from ideation to creation, goes through a thorough review process within the Design team and then by the stakeholders involved in it. This gives the security that we can explore and experiment and that in case any project doesn’t meet our standards, there will always be others to guide us.
Constantly Developing New Skills
In Design at Hevo, we do not spend time making mass designs or repetitive ones. Rather, we spend our time and energy truly taking the time to advance ourselves and pick up new skills.
An excellent example of this was my exploration of Adobe After Effects. Previously, I had a basic knowledge of After Effects, but never had the time to explore it well enough to master it, even though I had a keen interest. After mentioning this to my team, I very shortly got the chance to work on a project with After Effects. There was no pressure to learn it within a short timeframe or deliver a specific output; I was given the freedom to explore the software and come up with my own thought process on how best it could be utilized. It was truly a gratifying feeling to be understood, listened to, and given this opportunity to grow in the way I wanted. Many of my teammates have enrolled in online classes or explored other areas of their own interest. Such an environment where everyone pushes themselves is always inspiring to work in.
Showcasing my Individual Value
The main thing that I have felt as a designer in a product company, especially at Hevo, is that I am valued as a designer and not just as a design tool. It is not the case that I am merely an individual who has knowledge of design tools and is someone who fulfills someone else’s vision through the use of these tools. My creativity, knowledge, insight, and skills are all treated as very valuable to the company and something that we are jointly invested in developing and using. This environment is what I value most about being at Hevo. The designer’s value at Hevo is very high, and something I cherish every day during my work here.
