This is the final instalment of ourthree-part series for becoming a great designer. Part1 and Part2 have put you on the path towardbecoming a master of tactical design execution.
We’ll end this guide bydiscussing the more strategic side of design and ways you can extend yourdesign prowess outside of pixel-pushing.
This may seemcounterintuitive because, well, you’re a designer, right?
Junior designers tend todesign a lot. And I mean A LOT. If you look at their design files, you’ll seedozens upon dozens of artboards of what we’ll call “design experiments” — thatis, iterations on the same design pattern in an attempt to zero in on a finalversion.
This isn’t inherently bad;experimentation and iteration are fundamental to the design process. But as youbecome more senior, you’ll start making more of these decisions in your headbefore ever opening a design tool, because you’ll know which patterns work andwhich ones don’t. This will only come through repetition and practice, so studyyour designs and make note of their successes and failures. Sooner or lateryou’ll internalize these decisions without needing to actually see them inpixels, giving you the freedom to assess even more potential solutions.
As you progress in yourcareer, you may participate more in the ideation and solution-forming processthan in the execution phase. Your value to your organization will tip away frompixels and toward the ingenuity you bring to the table. At that point, it’ll beyour design intentions that matter most; pixels will simply be a means to anend.
· Why it made me better: By mastering thetactical side of design, I could spend more time on the front end of the problem,perfecting the solution.
· Further reading: Howto Know When to Stop Designing by
Christian Beck, Becomea Master at Design Planning by Christian Beck
Candidly, I felt like abit of an imposter the first time I wrote about design. Who was I to be waxingpoetic about topics my manager had just taught me days before? I didn’t feellike I deserved an audience because I didn’t have the “credentials” to back upmy philosophies.
What I’ve discovered aboutwriting is that when you first put pen to paper, you’re writing for yourself.It’s not about your audience, it’s not about claps, and it’s not about landinga book deal.
Writing about design isabout reflecting on your beliefs, your technique, and your process.
It’s a meditative exercise.It takes time. But in the time it takes to form your words and develop yourideas, you’ll grow more as a designer than you would polishing a login modal orillustrating an empty state.
If you’re not sure whereto start, here are some ideas:
· What’s something you’ve learned? Talkabout how you got there and how it’s made you better. (Hey, that’s thisarticle!)
· Teach someone how to do something. Breakit down into individual steps and provide rationale along the way.
· Reflect on a strongly held belief. Researchexamples that both support and challenge it.
The best designers areoutstanding communicators. The more in tune you are with your designmotivations and rationale, the more effective you’ll be at persuadingstakeholders and bringing your design to fruition.
· Why it made me better: I have a deepunderstanding of my personal design techniques, style, and methodology, sotalking about design and executing it is far more efficient.
· Further reading: Whywriting is the most important skill in design by Yazin Akkawi, Writingis a Designer’s ‘Unicorn Skill’ by
Leow Hou Teng, Writingabout design when you don’t know what to write by Craig Phillips, Becomea Successful Design Leader by Being More Persuadable by Christian Beck
This is a difficult skillto develop because it involves letting certain things go. As a junior designer,the urge to deliver the perfect design can be absolutely unshakeable. Yourdesign is your baby, and it has to look like this!
There’s a corner you’llturn in your design career where outcomes usurp design. At this stage in yourprofessional design journey, prioritization is key, and whether you like it ornot, “good enough” will creep into your vocabulary.
It’s not until you fullyappreciate business needs and user outcomes that you’ll start to hear this as astrategic phrase insteadof a white flag of defeat. Diminishing returns are the enemy of design, andit’s hard to know when you’ve hit that plateau.
As you frame a designproblem, work closely with product management and other stakeholders close tothe roadmap to stay laser-focused on the user, the problem, and the solutionnecessary to address it. If you find yourself detouring outside of therequirements defined in the product road map, then it’s a telltale sign thatyou’re chasing nonessentials.
If you’re unsure, referback to the outcome you’re seeking to achieve and weigh the consequence of yourdesign against it: Is this an embellishment or enhancement? Is the outcomestill achieved without this addition?
· Why it made me better: I’ve become a morestrategic designer, always prioritizing results over decoration. But thisdoesn’t mean my designs aren’t visually appealing. I’m performant and effectiveexecuting design tasks, and stakeholders trust my recommendations because theyknow I’m always focusing on outcomes.
· Further reading: Becomea Master at Design Planning, Howto Be a Valuable Designer, and Howto Frame a Design Problem by Christian Beck
I’ll end this guide with areminder that we are not the centre of the world. We are not geniuses, we arenot superior, and we are not the stakeholder.
Humble yourself andremember that it takes an army to bring a product to life. From productmanagers to developers, to sales and marketing, each discipline plays a vitalrole in bringing a product to market.
It’s our responsibility asdesigners to be aware of the process and work collaboratively with others. Ifyour team is in total alignment, you will succeed together. Lift each other up,anticipate needs beyond your own, design intentionally, and solve problems.
Empathy grows when youwork with others. You’ll begin to better understand their motivations,anxieties, and intentions — all vital to maintaining healthy relationships.
So reach out. Schedule ameeting and listen. Learn about the disciplines around you and design with themin mind, too (not just the end users). You’re not only building trust, butyou’re also building a team of people who will defend and support your design.
· Why it made me better: Particularly in theproduct design world, selflessness is a key ingredient to success. Learning thelanguages of other disciplines has helped me have more effective conversations,and we reach a shared understanding faster.
· Further reading: Designingfor Buy-In, Designingfor Production, and Designingfor Quality Standards by Jon Moore
We made it! Now, you can’tjust read a guide online and instantly become a pro, just like you can’t watchLebron James play basketball and all of a sudden be an MVP in the NBA.
Mastering any domain takesyears of time and practice, and each skill must be exercised and maintained.Use the techniques in this guide as a starting point and adapt them to fit yourorganization and professional desires.
Ask questions as you grow.Seek mentorship. Imitate the leaders yourespect. Find what motivates you and aggressively pursue it for fulfillment.All problem solvers are designers — it’s just a matter of how you choose tocontribute.
Article source: https://modus.medium.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-becoming-a-great-designer-part-3-of-3-591816a4a4b1