Essential Qualities for the Aspiring Designer

What makes a designer go from zero to phenomenal? Which qualities are essential for creating effective and intelligent user experiences? Designers of course need a solid foundation of technical skills, but good design is so much more than that. Consider how your interpersonal skills and your intuition affect the work you produce. For some employers and freelance clients, your soft skills and personality are what will set you apart from other designers. Read on to learn more about three of the most important qualities that can make or break an aspiring designer or creative type. 

Curiosity 


"Every great design begins with an even better story." 

    - Lorinda Mamo, graphic designer 


Having a curious mind can increase your creativity as a designer. But how often do you cultivate your own curiosity? Not much? No sweat. There are countless ways to develop and support your curiosity. Research cool projects and learn more about them. Devote your time to continuing education and keep your mind fresh with the help of UX courses or design challenges. Then look outside of the design world and get inspired by poetry, dance or astronomy. Find unexpected sources of inspiration to keep it interesting. Then you can bring your new insights back into the world of design and apply them to your projects. Be the kind of designer who asks unpredictable questions in search of brilliant ideas. What if we flipped the script? What if we turned this concept on its head? What would happen if we added some randomness or ingenuity here? How could we solve this problem more creatively? When you pair your curiosity with critical thinking, you will find unexpected but eloquent design solutions to previously unsolved problems. 


Empathy 

UX designers need to entertain multiple perspectives and really get inside the mind of the people who use their products, apps or websites. Empathy is key to making that happen. Creating thoughtful and relevant user personas can inspire effective designs because they help designers make informed choices based on the needs of the archetypal user. User personas also offer a practical approach for anyone who has a hard time tapping into their natural empathy. There is no shame in admitting that you can be closed off or you have a hard time putting yourself in the shoes of another person. The good news? You can increase your empathy by thinking critically about the needs of others, educating yourself on the value of accessible and inclusive design or investing in diversity and inclusion training. When you expand your worldview, you increase your empathy and can produce more valuable designs that serve a purpose and have a positive impact. 


Openness 

The willingness to collaborate and accept input from others is paramount for any aspiring designer. Thoughtful design requires openness and acceptance of your own imperfections so you can see when you are wrong and make an adjustment. Constructive criticism is a major element of the learning process that you will encounter in any digital marketing course or UX design course. Instead of focusing on ego or personal excellence, try to openly accept your errors as learning opportunities. Your willingness to embrace constructive criticism and outside ideas will only make you a better designer and collaborator. 


Written by CJ McGillivray

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