Five Uncommon Attributes of Good Designers
As we approach the final post here at Be A Design Group I have been reflecting on how I have changed as a designer since my first post here four years ago. As I strive to be a better designer, the list of attributes that I try to emulate are things that on the surface don’t have much to do with design. Here are some characteristics that don’t normally get mentioned on most lists of designer skills…
Curiosity
You know the kind of person who seems to know a little bit about everything? No, not that know-it-all who always wins at trivial pursuit. I am talking about the kind of person who can have a meaningful conversation with anyone from a surgeon to an olympic athlete to a trash collector. A curious person asks intelligent questions and can pull comparisons from diverse and relevant fields. Designers are always working with different people and it should be obvious how valuable it is to be genuinely curious about our clients and their lives.
Patience
Design is a frustrating business. I doubt there is a perfect client and teaching and explaining will always be a part of our job. Software will always have bugs and computers will crash. If you can master the art of being patient you will have an advantage over the designers who are always complaining about clients/bosses/software.
Kindness
An true act of kindness comes from sympathy. I am not saying that we should feel sorry for everybody, but if we can learn to sympathize with people’s situations then good things will happen. We all care about design, but if our insistence on good design overshadows what our clients or co-workers care about then we aren’t doing our job. An atmosphere of kindness will breed good design.
Humility
Being the best designer in the world is a tough burden to bear. The hardest part is continually convincing people how great you are. Sometimes it is hard to find the time to do an interview. If you don’t toot your own horn a little bit, your monograph might get lost in the shelves at Barnes and Noble. Perhaps the design celebrities can get away with this kind of arrogance, but the rest of us could benefit from a more humble stance.
Communication awareness
Don’t you just stand in awe of great communicators? I think there is a raw talent aspect to great communicators that most of us will never attain. For those of us without natural speaking ability, the best we can do is be aware of how we communicate – good and bad. Try to sense how people are reacting to what you are saying. As you listen to people’s response notice how their words affect you and respond (not react) in a manner that hopefully they can connect with. Do you speak with lectures when a brief response will do? Do you use marketing language that sounds like hot air? Are you agreeing, just to be agreeable? Do you know when to speak up and defend your work? By being sensitive of how you communicate you can only get better at communicating.
At the end of the day, designing a logo is relatively easy. Being a good person is the real challenge. I believe that it isn’t enough for a good designer to just do good work. A good designer must also be a good person. What are some virtues that you believe help make a better designer?
March 31st, 2008 at 7:10 am
Excellent points, Adrian.
I’d add that a good designer should be empathetic. Those who can place themselves in the shoes of their clients can create designs that live up to expectations.
If you asked what was most important, I’d say communication.
I hope all’s well with you.
March 31st, 2008 at 12:36 pm
What a list. I agree completely. Wrapped into all those points is being a good listener and anticipating what your client is really asking for (even if they can’t verbalize it exactly). But listening is key. I guess that falls under communication.
Communication is paramount. When I consider why some people annoy me, it’s usually due to their communication. (I realize good communication is a two-way street, so maybe it’s my fault, too!) My first internship years ago was with a marketer who had come from the radio industry. She communicated so clearly and could be so persuasive…often I would sit in awe while she left someone a voice message!
These are the kinds of virtues that make people want to work with you, translating to more business. I think you could lump them all under “provide good customer service,” or, “treat others as you would like to be treated.”
Thanks for the list.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Wow!
I love that the attributes for being a good designer, don’t include “Must love Helvetica Light”.
I agree that being a good designer is more than pretty visuals – it’s responding to the clients’ needs (not necessarily the clients’ wants).
I have a colleague who’s always saying, “This is sooo not my style!” Individual style is not what’s important, but developing something unique and precise to the project is the priority … Of course if we can please our inner design-ego, it’s a bonus!
You’re article made me realize that I need to improve my Communication Awareness skills.
-Lorelle
April 15th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Lorelle, “Must love Helvetica Light‚Äù is always optional, but listening to Radiohead on a loop (and only ‘OK Computer’ if possible) is required of true designers.