7 Unusual Ways To Become a Better Designer
What does design mean to you? For me design is both the process and the final product of an endeavour to fulfil a personal or professional brief. Whether you’re creating a piece of graphic work, a website, or a design for a new product, the underlying principal is the same – and the creative process is everything. So how do we make ourselves better designers?
Despite very different backgrounds, most designers offer the same advice – reading the brief and planning your work on paper are two frequent suggestions. Design is wonderfully subjective though, and we all have different ways of getting better results. Here are some of the things that have helped me become a better designer…
1. Using Metaphors
In the context of design, a Metaphor is just another name for a theme. There are two ways to make use of metaphors in your design work: either a holistic approach (e.g. this slightly fishy site) or a pure design one (developing an appropriate colour scheme and layout style). Both of these approaches can work wonders for your designs, and successfully combining the two is almost guaranteed to lead to a memorable and enjoyable end result!
2. Keep Brainstorms Short
Bouncing ideas around with a colleague (friends and family if you freelance) is a great way to come up with new ideas, but the secret to making brainstorming sessions productive is to keep them as short as possible. A couple of short (and fresh) sessions will result in more focused storming than a single mammoth session ever would. I find that using software tools (e.g. MindManager and SmartDraw) are great for solo storming!
3. Take a Shower
I actually get a lot of my thinking done in the shower. Running water (apparently) increases brain productivity, which might explain why great ideas (and rubbish singing) are often born during a shower. Try reading a project brief before stepping into that cubicle, and see what happens!
4. Keep It Current
Visiting sites like Pixel Surgeon and Design is Kinky and reading magazines like Digital Arts and Create will help you to stay up-to-date with design industry. Don’t fall behind as many designers do - but don’t chase fads either!
5. Walk Away
If you find yourself tearing your hair out over a particular design (not a problem for me admittedly), then simply get up and walk away from it for a while. Go and do something completely unrelated (like the washing-up or eating) and then come back to it with a fresh perspective.
6. Bulging Eyes
Once a design is nearly complete, I find it good to step back from the whole thing, take a deep breath and stare at it until your face turns blue and your eyes start bulging like that bit from Total Recall! During this time you should look for elements that could be tweaked, polished, scaled, added or removed - but only if it adds to the design. I personally find myself looking for colours that could be made stronger or knocked back, or bits that could be nudged around to balance the composition.
7. Stick to What You Know
Avoid projects that are not within your core skillset or style. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve struggled with inappropriate briefs - but now I simply avoid those types of jobs. Choose your clients as carefully as they choose you, and always try to turn a negative experience to your advantage by never making the same mistake again!
What advice do you have for designers who want to get better at what they do? Does it help to think a little unusually, as opposed to taking the standard set of advice? What do you think?
Thanks to these amazing people for commenting during my somewhat flaky last couple of months: Ludovic, LaurenMarie, Wynn Currie, Marty, Johno, Damien King, David Airey, Jennifer, Vivien, Steve M, Toni Farrington, Dirk, Aaron, Franky, Robyn, Charity, Tara, Tess, Leanne, Randa Clay, Ron Smith, Asgeir Hoem, Ren, Sunny@HSO, J David, Vic Grace, Vagner, Genevieve, Chelle and Lisa Sabin-Wilson.
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Those were all sound and helpful tips, Paul. I would also add that it’s very important to listen to the client, learn as much as possible about the client’s needs, background. Also it’s essential to ask the clients the right questions about the project to get the complete idea of what they’re looking for. This will save so much headache down the road.
Great post - I had always wondered why I get so many bursts of inspiration while showering
I find changing environment to be useful, too; whether its going out for a leisure day somewhere, or just doing the shopping. Its amazing where new ideas seem to pop up from
Hi Paul
Was wondering when you were going to blog again! Should probably introduce myself; Toni here from Deckchair UK.
Good topic this and the bit about not taking on jobs that are not within your core skillset strikes a chord at the moment. Sadly we fell into the trap of trying to please a long standing client by taking on a job involving producing a plastic product. We are web and graphic designers so slightly outside our experience!! Anyway the manufacturer has let us down the day before the prototype deadline AAARRRGGGHHH!
I am so glad that someone else refers to that Total Recall moment with the bulging eyes…I have done that before and just got blank looks!
Good point about brainstorming…I have worked for very large companies in my dim and distant youth who would have meetings about meetings and then more meetings about why the meeting about the meeting went wrong etc etc
Anyway, don’t mean to go on…
Take care
Toni
Good tips!
One approach I found particularly useful and efficient is to break the process of designing into three segments - I start by building the layout (XHTML/CSS grid), followed by coding the functions (DB/php/rails..) and finally the style (CSS and PS). All of which happens between watching videos on YouTube and listing to my favorite 80s tunes.
Paul,
Good to see you back on-line
The points made in this blog-post are definitely worth remembering - although I’ve never tried the bulging eyes thing
(at least not that I know of!!)
If I may add one thing more-user’s perspective. It’s only to easy to forget that, from time to time in any creative process, especially web-related one, it becomes, if not necessary then very important to step back and put yourself in user’s shoes.
All excellent tips, Paul. It’s truly important to know when to say you’ve come up against something that is beyond your skillset…but then to have ready referrals to provide a client to someone who does know. Me? I’m a designer.. not a programmer. I can do some bits of programming here and there, as long as it’s relatively simple. I pretty much stick with making things pretty with graphics and CSS - - light PHP? yes - anything beyond that.. I have a list of developers that I will refer my clients to when they’ve made a request for something I cannot wrap my brain around.
Very true Vivien,
It never fails to amaze me just how many designers totally ignore their client’s project brief, in favour of doing something that they think is appropriate - only to react with astonishment when their client complains!
——
Damien,
You see - you thought you were simply getting clean! One day (when technology has advanced to a level where common technology is truly portable) you’ll be able to get inspired at the same time as sitting on the beach!
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Toni,
Wow… I’ve taken on projects that were outside of my usual remit, but never anything industrial!
I hope you get the prototype sorted in time!
Total Recall is one of those films that I think *everybody* has seen, but which nobody admits to seeing!
Totally sympathise with those “meetings about meetings” corporates! It amazes me that some of them made it past the drawing board to a physical company in the first place!
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Sunny,
You know what’s weird? I work in reverse compared to you! I start in Photoshop (creating and tweaking the design), then make it into XHTML/CSS, and then finally dump the dynamic code into place. With you on the Youtube and 80s background music though!
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Mr Barnes,
I’ve seen you do the bulging eyes thing on a number of occasions - although usually when I’m beating you at pool!
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Vagner,
Seeing things from a user’s perspective is indeed very important! I’ve long been a fan of the KISS principle - which I think benefits the user more than the designer/developer at the end of the day!
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Lisa,
I always try to refer project outside of my comfort zone to people I know first if possible (as you know yourself)! With Wordpress being you’re (undisputed) area of expertise, I would imagine that you manage to handle the bulk of what’s asked of you - what with the majority of the development work already having been done!
Dear Paul:
To me, planning is the essence of graphic design success. Projects can be “creative” and subjectively attractive, but fail in the marketplace because they do not support the project’s goals.
Throughout my books and graphic design workshops, I always encourage designers to begin projects by preparing a CREATIVE BRIEF that analyzes the project’s goals in terms of who is the market, what is the desired action, why should prospects respond, and how should they respond.
Creative Briefs provide focus and eliminate potential client misunderstandings, i.e., “But, I thought…”
Mindmaps have proven to be the best way to prepare creative briefs. Software programs like mindjet.com’s MindManager 7.0. Mind mapping provide a structure that ensures that designer and client are on the same page as far as project goals and deliverables.
To learn more about creative briefs, visit: http://www.designtosellonline.com/D2S_18_Creative_Briefs.cfm
My Design to Sell Creative Brief newsletter contains a link to a free creative brief template, that you can explore using the 21-day free trial version of Mindjet’s MindManager 7.0 Professional, available at www.mindjet.com
Thanks for your comment Roger. A thoughtful project brief is indeed a good way to eliminate misunderstandings.
I’ll let you off with the blatant plug because it’s quite relevant to the post! In fact, I’ve bookmarked your site to look at when I get a moment…
[…] recently came across a popular blog posting from Paul Anderson called "7 Unusual Ways to Become a Better Designer." In it, Paul […]
[…] recently came across a popular blog posting from Paul Anderson called "7 Unusual Ways to Become a Better Designer." In it, Paul […]
[…] recently came across a popular blog posting from Paul Anderson called "7 Unusual Ways to Become a Better Designer." In it, Paul […]
My question is actually on your comment about sticking to the project brief [”It never fails to amaze me…”]. Doesn’t it bother you when clients come in with a completely fleshed-out idea? I’ve heard that it “stifles the creativity of a designer” when the client overthinks the process. I used to preach detailed mock-ups but have since changed my tune after talking to several angry graphic designers. What are your thoughts on client pre-planning (before they contact you)?
I’m from SmartDraw and have been struggling to find the right way to interface planning, mock-ups, and project management (what we try to do) with design.
I wrote this article on the subject (but feel like it lacks more designer input):
http://blog.smartdraw.com/archive/2007/11/27/help-i-think-i-need-a-graphic-designer.aspx
Hi,
Thanks for the good post.. What caught my eye is the opening sentence where you asked what does design mean to you? I recently did a post on ‘What is Graphic Design’ including a review of a video on youtube that you might be interested in.
http://justcreativedesign.com/2007/11/28/what-is-graphic-design/
Anyway, what do you think? I’d love to hear. BTW you have yourself a new subscriber
Hi Jacob!
I found your article interesting and thought-provoking! I wrote a comment on your site, but it didn’t post - you seem to have a problem with your captcha plugin! I’ll answer the question here though:
It’s a bit of a cop-out, but I think Graphic Design needs to be defined individually, by every single person who is asked!
Graphic Design is perceived differently by each of us, from the designer to the man on the street, and from the marketeer to the consumer.
There isn’t a single definition that could cover all of these groups - but perhaps that’s why it’s such an exciting field to work in?
Thanks for the subscription - I’ve returned the favour!
Hi Paul,
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I had recently (about 3 hours before you posted) installed the Math Comment Spam Protection Plugin and hadnt yet configured it yet.
Would be so kind to see if it commenting works now. Keep in mind I have to approve comments
I would have to say graphic design to me means communicating images and type to convey a purpose in a short and sweet answer.
All the best.
Jacob
Comment left - working fine now, but no captcha at all!
#8 “Don’t Make Me Think” (Steve Krug) - has to be a must on any web designer’s reading list.
YOU ARE BRILLANT!!!!!
LOL… Thanks Meltem!
Hi Paul, there is some ace tips there. I have found going for a run gives me sudden bursts of ideas. Also when brain storming try and involve people that are not creatives, and include a one or two from the target audience. You be surprised what this can bring up
The best thing when ‘designers block’ occurs is to leave that project, get on with something else and come back to it, everything seems to click into place then! Crazy!
Hi Paul,
These are some great tips for being a good designer. The one I have problems with the most is keeping brainstorming rants short and to the point — I’ll have to work on that one!