The *designer* is in the details
I look for certain things in the people I like to work with.
Isn’t that precisely why you choose to work with them?
Fine. There’s one quality, in particular, that’s shared by the people I like to work with and have around me: attention to detail.
What makes attention to detail so special?
It demonstrates you care about every aspect of the design, not just the obvious stuff.
If you’re thinking about the detail, you have an awareness and understanding of the world around you.
That shows me that you’re a person that’s naturally inquisitive and interested in learning more.
If you’re thinking about the detail, it means that you have an awareness and understanding of the world around you.
Who better to to surround yourself with?
Who better to be inspired by?
But these are your colleagues; you don’t think intelligence, initiative, or having a positive attitude are important?
Not as important as being precise with the detail, no.
There’s other benefits too: having that understanding means you’re also a source of knowledge within the team. That means you are valuable, and you can be relied-upon.
These are good things in design; really good things.
Let me explain further: do you know the difference between accuracy and precision?
What are you talking about?
Bear with me: think of the numbers 1–10 drawn on a line. Now put a cross on that line.
Accuracy is a measure of right and wrong: if the cross is drawn at 8, but you say it’s drawn at 2, you’re not being accurate.
Precision however, is about the detail. i.e. “do you mean 2.34 or 2.35?”
Here’s the thing: in science and mathematics, you’re taught that precision is needless without accuracy; why say 2 + 3 = 5.233249238134 when it’s not? That is a very a precise answer, but it’s not accurate.
Accuracy is a measure of right and wrong, precision is about the level of information.
However, you’re also taught that you can use precision to make things more accurate: 2.32342038 + 3.920172 = 6.24359238.
That’s an answer that’s more accurate and precise than saying simply, “6ish” and that, my friend…is clarity.
What’s this got to do with design?
In design world, we’re constantly assessing how well something meets users’ expectations: do people want to do certain things they currently can’t do in the app? Can they successfully complete tasks?
The accuracy of the design is the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers to those questions.
But the precision — the ‘attention to detail’ — is the additional extras that will improve the accuracy and make people love the design.
Presumably, you want the designers reading this to do something?
Think about the detail next time you’re designing something.
Use the details to help improve the accuracy and make the design better.
I don’t think you’ve thought about this fully. What about creativity?
100 shapes are a design agency — people are buying your creative services.
There’s plenty of room to be creative with the details, and you’d be surprised at how many clients engage 100 Shapes due to our design process rather than our off-the-wall ideas from a pitch.
So attention to detail is important.
It certainly is. It leads to a better design and makes the designer a better creator.
Why wouldn’t you want to be better at creating things?
Why wouldn’t you want to be around creators?
