8 Traits of a Good Designer
8 Traits of a Good Designer
8 Traits of a Good Designer
8 Traits of a Good Designer
Vol. I
Vol. I
1. A good designer is reliable.
1. A good designer is reliable.
1. A good designer is reliable.
1. A good designer is reliable.
A good designer is reliable. If a designer can complete work on time and at spec, it asserts to the rest of the team that they considered everything they can. The designer is thorough in their estimation of work, time management, and communication. A good designer takes personal responsibility for achieving outcomes.
A good designer is reliable. If a designer can complete work on time and at spec, it asserts to the rest of the team that they considered everything they can. The designer is thorough in their estimation of work, time management, and communication. A good designer takes personal responsibility for achieving outcomes.
A good designer is reliable. If a designer can complete work on time and at spec, it asserts to the rest of the team that they considered everything they can. The designer is thorough in their estimation of work, time management, and communication. A good designer takes personal responsibility for achieving outcomes.
A good designer is reliable. If a designer can complete work on time and at spec, it asserts to the rest of the team that they considered everything they can. The designer is thorough in their estimation of work, time management, and communication. A good designer takes personal responsibility for achieving outcomes.
2. A good designer communicates effectively.
2. A good designer communicates effectively.
2. A good designer communicates effectively.
2. A good designer communicates effectively.
2. A good designer communicates effectively.
Good clear communication helps set expectations. If a designer has strong communication skills it helps build a rapport with the cross-functional team. Good communication includes listening effectively. A good designer must make sure they are understood and makes sure they understand others. Honest and realistic communication can create an environment that fosters constructive criticism.
Good clear communication helps set expectations. If a designer has strong communication skills it helps build a rapport with the cross-functional team. Good communication includes listening effectively. A good designer must make sure they are understood and makes sure they understand others. Honest and realistic communication can create an environment that fosters constructive criticism.
Good clear communication helps set expectations. If a designer has strong communication skills it helps build a rapport with the cross-functional team. Good communication includes listening effectively. A good designer must make sure they are understood and makes sure they understand others. Honest and realistic communication can create an environment that fosters constructive criticism.
3. A good designer manages time successfully.
3. A good designer manages time successfully.
3. A good designer manages time successfully.
3. A good designer manages time successfully.
3. A good designer manages time successfully.
A good designer can generate a work process/plan and see it to completion. Effective planning and organizing work is a valuable asset to small teams. Good IC designers excel at identifying goals, communicating them to the team, developing a plan, and estimating that plan. The mark of a good designer is making progress without a ton of oversight. At their highest level, a good designer will develop contingency plans and anticipate problems. Managing competing deadlines is also in a good designer’s wheelhouse.
A good designer can generate a work process/plan and see it to completion. Effective planning and organizing work is a valuable asset to small teams. Good IC designers excel at identifying goals, communicating them to the team, developing a plan, and estimating that plan. The mark of a good designer is making progress without a ton of oversight. At their highest level, a good designer will develop contingency plans and anticipate problems. Managing competing deadlines is also in a good designer’s wheelhouse.
A good designer can generate a work process/plan and see it to completion. Effective planning and organizing work is a valuable asset to small teams. Good IC designers excel at identifying goals, communicating them to the team, developing a plan, and estimating that plan. The mark of a good designer is making progress without a ton of oversight. At their highest level, a good designer will develop contingency plans and anticipate problems. Managing competing deadlines is also in a good designer’s wheelhouse.
4. A good designer never assumes.
4. A good designer never assumes.
4. A good designer never assumes.
4. A good designer never assumes.
4. A good designer never assumes.
We need real user insights to help us design successful products. A good designer may believe, they may work hard, and they may prepare…but they may never assume (without stating their assumptions). A good designer should always get validation. Some good rules of thumb: Never assume the users are using a product in the way we designed it. Never assume we know what features users want/need. Never assume you are the user.
We need real user insights to help us design successful products. A good designer may believe, they may work hard, and they may prepare…but they may never assume (without stating their assumptions). A good designer should always get validation. Some good rules of thumb: Never assume the users are using a product in the way we designed it. Never assume we know what features users want/need. Never assume you are the user.
We need real user insights to help us design successful products. A good designer may believe, they may work hard, and they may prepare…but they may never assume (without stating their assumptions). A good designer should always get validation. Some good rules of thumb: Never assume the users are using a product in the way we designed it. Never assume we know what features users want/need. Never assume you are the user.
5. A good designer is always growing.
5. A good designer is always growing.
5. A good designer is always growing.
5. A good designer is always growing.
5. A good designer is always growing.
Continuous learning is a designer’s self-directed persistence in acquiring knowledge in order to expand their skill set and reach their full potential. It forms part of a designer’s personal and professional development in an effort to avoid stagnation. A good designer is trying to expand their skills and competencies regularly. Tip: Look outward for learnings, there are many good bits of knowledge in domains other than design.
Continuous learning is a designer’s self-directed persistence in acquiring knowledge in order to expand their skill set and reach their full potential. It forms part of a designer’s personal and professional development in an effort to avoid stagnation. A good designer is trying to expand their skills and competencies regularly. Tip: Look outward for learnings, there are many good bits of knowledge in domains other than design.
Continuous learning is a designer’s self-directed persistence in acquiring knowledge in order to expand their skill set and reach their full potential. It forms part of a designer’s personal and professional development in an effort to avoid stagnation. A good designer is trying to expand their skills and competencies regularly. Tip: Look outward for learnings, there are many good bits of knowledge in domains other than design.
6. A good designer is self-aware.
Self-awareness is one of the most valuable traits a designer can have. By knowing your values, personality, needs, habits, and emotions, and how they affect your actions and the actions of others, you'll be better able to manage your stress, make better decisions, and ultimately lead others to do the same. A good designer seeks knowledge and understanding in order to inform their decisions.
Self-awareness is one of the most valuable traits a designer can have. By knowing your values, personality, needs, habits, and emotions, and how they affect your actions and the actions of others, you'll be better able to manage your stress, make better decisions, and ultimately lead others to do the same. A good designer seeks knowledge and understanding in order to inform their decisions.
7. A good designer is collaborative.
Cross-disciplinary collaboration is essential for helping designers work together and communicate. A good designer can share ideas quickly and expose them to other team members for critique. Being proactive in seeking and giving effective feedback are two signs of significant collaboration among designers. Pro tip: Always state the goal of the meeting and what feedback you are looking for at the beginning of the critique
Cross-disciplinary collaboration is essential for helping designers work together and communicate. A good designer can share ideas quickly and expose them to other team members for critique. Being proactive in seeking and giving effective feedback are two signs of significant collaboration among designers. Pro tip: Always state the goal of the meeting and what feedback you are looking for at the beginning of the critique
8. A good designer is creative.
True creativity in design is born from a well-defined and understood problem. A good designer looks to understand the problem space well enough to use their creativity in solving that problem. Creative problem solving brings novel ideas together with usefulness and understandability and never sacrifices usability for flare.
True creativity in design is born from a well-defined and understood problem. A good designer looks to understand the problem space well enough to use their creativity in solving that problem. Creative problem solving brings novel ideas together with usefulness and understandability and never sacrifices usability for flare.
-La Fin
© 2022 Jonathan Brazeau
© 2022 Jonathan Brazeau
© 2022 Jonathan Brazeau
© 2022 Jonathan Brazeau