Ask questions

So, you are exploring how to solve a particular design, and you laid out all your elements on your page, and you found an arrangement that you liked. You are happy with it, yes, it solves the problem, so you think, all is good with the world!.
Now... please, do this exercise. You have that solution, that's great, you got that. Now, force your self to come up with at least 3 other solutions. Play with the elements, put them in other positions. Change things around. Ask your self, why does this work?.

If you are designing a "product detail" page, ask your self: why is that image in that side?, is better in the other side?, why?. Don't answer with YES or NO. Describe your answer, explain why it's not better here or there, find an argument, a solid argument. Don't lie to your self, don't try to convince your self of something that you like, be ok with not having the right answer... just... look for it.

Questioning your self is the first step to finding the right answer. Otherwise you'll just end up in the first conclusion that you arrive, and... come on, do you really think that that is the best we can do?.

It gives me pleasure

It's the little things, right?, those little things that gives pleasure makes all the difference in the world.
Yesterday I was designing a newsletter. Nothing revolutionary, nothing unseen, just a newsletter.
But I had such a joy in the process. I don't know if it happened to you, but to me, sometimes, the pure fact of arranging text, or any other object, in a blank space, and finding a balance between those elements just brings me pleasure.

To see the hierarchies of elements and a well proportioned layout gives me this wonderful sensation in both my stomach and some part of my mind.
I remember that at some point, yesterday, I spend 10 minutes changing the position of a sub-title... just by a few pixels, until I found that right spot that just "felt" good.

To create something that has a flow, that is readable, that is easy to consume, gives me a sense of achievement, of completeness, of pleasure.

I'm not really sure why that is, why this feeling of pleasure becomes so "physical" in a way, but I've found through the years that many of us (designers) get that same pleasure from simple, little, tasks, and I believe we should enjoy it. When you find your self in that situation, of enjoying some aspect of the process, or some aspect of a result, enjoy it! indulge your self in that feeling! remember to stop and be in that moment, remember that feeling.

That feeling will take you to the next unpleasant task with much more ease.

Critique me!

Sometimes, what you see is not quite the same to what everybody else sees. It's alright, it happens, don't worry, we just have to we aware of this.
Our vision of... pretty much everything, is influence by our experience, our emotional state, our point of view, and probably what we just ate.
So, in order to understand if our solution, if our particular design is relevant or appropriate it is often not enough to consider our vision as the final proof of validation. It's important and almost crucial to understand that a design is not done until I had it observed and positively criticized by a fellow designer, or just a fellow.

The important thing here is to engage into a healthy and argumental discussion. Not a discussion about likes or dis-likes (well... just a little bit) but a discussion about the elements of the design and what they evoke.

Let's say that your project was to create a graphic piece that would communicate an event to an aduience, and you choose to simply write the text on a white font on a very light yellow background (you see where I'm going with this).
It would be easy for any designer to say: "I like it" or "I hate it", but the right way to engage in critisism would be to start asking questions such as: "who is going to read this?" "where is this going to be placed?" "how long will this be up?", etc. After that, you can certainly throw some arguments like: "well... if this is the only mean for communication and you want it to be popular, and the audience will only look at it for a second on that hall.. then, maybe it would be more effective if you add more contrast to it, maybe changing the background color, or the font color, that will bring more contrast and visibility to the content".

The truth is that 80% of our conversations and critics are not smooth nor healthy, and our personalities and egos are often hurten... that's another story that we'll have to deal with. But, there is true in the fact that even with unsolicited and negative critics, we need to "publish" our work to our colleagues before we publish it to everybody else (clients and the world).
It's an important habit that will change the way we see our solutions, that will shape the way that we interact with our community and that will push us in the right direction: Empathy!

There is one important thing

We, as designers, grow looking all around us amazing beautiful pieces of art, intelligent designs that speak to our souls, that solve a problem and that resonates with the context. We grow admiring those great designes that make the craft seem so seamless and effortless, and we crave those details that make the whole work come together.

Talent will get you so far, talent will put you in the right places some times, and definitley, talent will help you go a little faster. But the truth is that we are often blinded by talent. We think that in order to be better, be need more of that special formula, and we get frustrated by the thought of not being able to get more of what we where given.

There is one thing though that is actually important, and that will change your view of the world and the outcome of every single project you embark: Your character.
Never forget, your character will block or expand everything that you do, every relationship that you build, every project that you start, every critique that you make. Your character is the driving force of your signature as a designer. It is not your talent, it is not what you were given, it is what you forge with your effort and your will.

A good character will allow you to keep trying even though you don't feel inspire. It will empower you to be brave even though chances are against you. It will encourage you to be kind in the midst of aggression, and be aggressive at the edge of opportunity.
It will inject wisdom in your words and patience in your steps. It will guide your hand and will whisper to your ear.

When your talent has given all it's got, your character will be de one carrying you far, even farther than you think.

We, as designers, grow looking all around us, when the truth is, there is one important thing to look at: Our character.