You’re not a genius designer. No one is, because they don’t exist.
If you’ve ever designed a solution to a thorny problem in your first pass, then, I’m sorry to say, it was down to either luck or experience.
Early in your design career you’re like an insatiable monster. Consuming all content like Godzilla let loose on the streets of Tokyo. You try to learn everything. You adopt as many methods and best practices as you can. You read every book possible, you attend every conference. You’re unstoppable.
Working for yourself should be a rite-of-passage for any designer, regardless of age or experience. I don’t care if it’s freelancing, contracting, consulting, moonlighting or whatever you want to call it. If you have the chance early in your career, do it.
Don’t think you know it all. You don’t. You might be an excellent designer, but that doesn’t mean you can solve a design problem in isolation.
Be humble, open and stay objective. Listen to all colleague and stakeholder input, even if it feels wrong. There’s always a nugget of…
You’ve got your HiPPOs, your senior execs, your CMOs, CEOs, CTOs and your directors. You’ve got Linda from Marketing and Doug from HR. And just like you and me, they’re winging it. Sure, they’re good at what they do, but they’re not good at…
Design is meant to be collaborative and open. Some of the best design (I feel) I’ve done has been down to consistent design reviews and critique.
Design isn’t just how something looks. It goes deeper than the palette you use, your choice of typography or how your nav menu animates on small screens.
Designing something means you’re solving a problem… for real people. If someone can accomplish their…