The Ideas and morals of a designer who is constantly changing their ideas and morals, but is incredibly concerned with what it means to be a human designer.
Purpose
Design with a new perspective every time. It should never be templated or cookie-cut, but be individualized and separate from other problems. It should only be made specifically for the unique solution that it serves. However, design should never be different for the sake of being different. Every pixel on the page needs to have a purpose. Design in ways that are appropriate for the solution.
Story
Make designs that illustrates a story. Humans speak in stories so design’s main goal is to reflect or tell a story that can be openly understood by the public. Stories are how we live, so imitate life in design.
Bad Ideas
Solutions always start off as bad ones, but these should be explored and directed for the aspect that can be combined with other bad ideas, to make something completely different, and appropriate to solve the problem.
Disagreements
Be ok with things you don’t like. Accept that different people value different things in design. Design is not math, there is not one right or wrong answer. Be ok with other peoples values and opinions, but don’t feel as if it is necessary to warp your convictions.
ATTITUDE
Your skill is never an excuse for your attitude.
Choose other things
Love design. Love other things. Be involved in completely unrelated things. Invest time in people who value aspects of life that are not design related, and try to understand that passion. Be interested in other things that expand your understanding and widens your field of vision.
Be a designer
Do not limit yourself to any medium. Love programs. Love products. Love exhibition. Love textiles. We are not bound to the computer, charcoal, paper, or dust. Our life is our canvas, and how we act is our pen tool.
Social
Design should be social, interacting with everyone. It should bring joy. It should reveal something in your heart. It should inspire, and bring comedic relief. It should be easily understood by all and not reserved for anyone.
Donald Miller writes “I loved the fact that it wasn’t my responsibility to change somebody, that is was God’s. That my part was just to communicate love and approval.” We should take this same approach to how we design anything. Taking the time to tell a story, to reach someone and improve their lives is what designing is all about. We should strive to let others know that they are cherished and loved by choosing to design things that will communicate that. That means making things other than logos and stationary, even though those things can accomplish the goal. It means to take design out of the computer box, and design experiences. Design things moments in time that people will remember and hold close to their hearts. It should spark emotion and change you.
We are constantly being changed by our surroundings. We change after we have conversations with our spouses and our coworkers. We change after seeing movies and looking out the window. Being a designer means being sensitive to the fact that other people who are not designers change our lives with their own actions. We need to listen to those voices who have so much to give, because it is something that we do not understand. If we can do this, then we can move toward better design, because we are aware of the visions of those around us.