Comments on: Top 3 things to avoid as a designer http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/ Designers and brands: how they met, fell in love and grew old together Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:02:08 +0000 hourly 1 By: GabiAgu http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/comment-page-1/#comment-72 GabiAgu Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:10:08 +0000 http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/#comment-72 I tend to disagree with the first point, simply because creative direction (if I understood correctly what you mean) has the purpose of overseeing the entire project and making sure that all the parts involved are headed in the same direction. On that level, creative direction is a must. I am reluctant to agree to the title of the 2nd point - "smart clients". The type of clients you speak are not the smart ones. They're the "design expert" type of clients that want to hire pixel pushers and nothing more. The actual smart clients are those who will learn from you and respect your expertise in the area. As for the top 3 things I believe designers should avoid, they are: 1. Art for art's sake A designer has a job to do, and that is to communicate something, build an experience, convey a message, and so on. Design that is "artsy" but fails to produce the results intended is useless. 2. Repetitive patterns Designers should often try new styles and new approaches to what they have to do. Doing everything in the same style over and over again prevents evolution. 3. Excessive self-evaluation Designers are not gods, they can also fail and they need to listen to feedback. Most designers tend to disregard negative feedback on account of their misunderstood creative genius. Very few are brilliant enough so they can afford to do that. Regards I tend to disagree with the first point, simply because creative direction (if I understood correctly what you mean) has the purpose of overseeing the entire project and making sure that all the parts involved are headed in the same direction. On that level, creative direction is a must.

I am reluctant to agree to the title of the 2nd point – “smart clients”. The type of clients you speak are not the smart ones. They’re the “design expert” type of clients that want to hire pixel pushers and nothing more. The actual smart clients are those who will learn from you and respect your expertise in the area.

As for the top 3 things I believe designers should avoid, they are:

1. Art for art’s sake
A designer has a job to do, and that is to communicate something, build an experience, convey a message, and so on. Design that is “artsy” but fails to produce the results intended is useless.

2. Repetitive patterns
Designers should often try new styles and new approaches to what they have to do. Doing everything in the same style over and over again prevents evolution.

3. Excessive self-evaluation
Designers are not gods, they can also fail and they need to listen to feedback. Most designers tend to disregard negative feedback on account of their misunderstood creative genius. Very few are brilliant enough so they can afford to do that.

Regards

]]> By: picsel http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/comment-page-1/#comment-71 picsel Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:44:10 +0000 http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/#comment-71 yes, i do consider that discussing about this stuff is also a design process :) so let's make it happen. the beauty topic is a huge one. not sure how to separate the mind of a designer from that of a creative director, as the latter is pretty much just seeing things in a larger perspective compared to the first, so there's not much of a difference. thanks for the kind words :) yes, i do consider that discussing about this stuff is also a design process :)
so let’s make it happen.

the beauty topic is a huge one. not sure how to separate the mind of a designer from that of a creative director, as the latter is pretty much just seeing things in a larger perspective compared to the first, so there’s not much of a difference.

thanks for the kind words :)

]]> By: Andrei Procopie http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/comment-page-1/#comment-68 Andrei Procopie Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:47:06 +0000 http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/#comment-68 Hi guys, Some interesting comments here. Thanks for your time! @iancu: I fully agree that hard work, properly organized, eventually pays off. But this is design we're talking about! Nobody wants to do the actual work, do they? I think the question becomes: could we all work as fast as Paula Scher, for instance? ;) @picsel: your idea about only working for 2 hours on a project warrants a separate topic. It's brilliant! And yes, I too think beauty is something we could do without, as far as design is concerned. At the same time, this kind of freedom is something the lone and lowly designer rarely dreams about, I think. Maybe more a topic for creative directors? Hi guys,

Some interesting comments here. Thanks for your time!

@iancu: I fully agree that hard work, properly organized, eventually pays off. But this is design we’re talking about! Nobody wants to do the actual work, do they? I think the question becomes: could we all work as fast as Paula Scher, for instance? ;)

@picsel: your idea about only working for 2 hours on a project warrants a separate topic. It’s brilliant!

And yes, I too think beauty is something we could do without, as far as design is concerned. At the same time, this kind of freedom is something the lone and lowly designer rarely dreams about, I think. Maybe more a topic for creative directors?

]]> By: picsel http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/comment-page-1/#comment-67 picsel Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:55:51 +0000 http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/#comment-67 my 3 cents: avoid: 1. beauty. get over the beauty thing. there is no such thing. beauty comes from usefullness. the word "beautiful" should never exist in a designer's vocabulary. in a client's, perhaps. (of course, considering you know what ugly means and you never go there) :) 2. working more than 2 hours on a project. if it has to be, think 24 hours, than do it. if it has to be, work again another 2 hours after doing anything else, but don't waste your precious life working on the perfect shadow :) 3. not communicating with the client. we are all humans, we do stuff because we connect. we do stuff to connect. let the client feel he is connected and get yourself connected to him. even if you did not finish that task, let him have it. we all have our reasons, even if they are lazyness or bad timing. my 3 cents:

avoid:
1. beauty.
get over the beauty thing. there is no such thing. beauty comes from usefullness. the word “beautiful” should never exist in a designer’s vocabulary. in a client’s, perhaps.
(of course, considering you know what ugly means and you never go there) :)

2. working more than 2 hours on a project.
if it has to be, think 24 hours, than do it. if it has to be, work again another 2 hours after doing anything else, but don’t waste your precious life working on the perfect shadow :)

3. not communicating with the client.
we are all humans, we do stuff because we connect. we do stuff to connect. let the client feel he is connected and get yourself connected to him. even if you did not finish that task, let him have it. we all have our reasons, even if they are lazyness or bad timing.

]]> By: iancu http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/comment-page-1/#comment-64 iancu Sun, 27 Sep 2009 07:44:41 +0000 http://ipsx.ro/2009/top-3-things-to-avoid-as-a-designer/#comment-64 My top 3 things to avoid: 1. Browsing more, working less — this is very very hard to avoid. We should work more, not watch more. 2. Whining about clients' stupidity instead of focusing on solving the problem — we are designers, not artists, the process of designing is not ours alone, it involves the people 3. Drawing less and less — paper & pencil should always be the start — it's the best way to get clear ideas Cheers :) My top 3 things to avoid:
1. Browsing more, working less — this is very very hard to avoid. We should work more, not watch more.
2. Whining about clients’ stupidity instead of focusing on solving the problem — we are designers, not artists, the process of designing is not ours alone, it involves the people
3. Drawing less and less — paper & pencil should always be the start — it’s the best way to get clear ideas

Cheers :)

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