9 things I have learned in my 3 months in the design industry
Being an engineer turned designer in India is hectic!
Whatever it might be being an engineer and above that practicing design as a side hustle or passion is very exhausting in India! There is so much competition out there that after a certain point of time you feel like giving up on the degree of your interest.
Absorb all the feedback
When you have spent hours making a design be it an illustration or any form of design you will obviously become defensive when you receive feedback on your work. This is where actively digesting the feedback becomes critical. To do so, take a step back, set aside preconceptions, and investigate the feedback’s intent.
The trick is to view their criticism as a list of changes to review and achieve positive results, rather than a list of items to change. Coming up with solutions to their suggestions becomes fluid, interesting, and unpredictable when you revise in this spirit.
No UI without UX (Targeted for the beginners in UI and UX )
UI and UX are two very common design terms; however, these terms often get thrown around in the wrong context.
The goal of designing is to find solutions that users have. There is no issue to overcome if we don’t design with the intent to understand. If there isn’t an issue, we’re merely designing user interfaces for the sake of designing them. Not only would we wind up with something unworkable, but designing for fictional ideals will also hinder our ability to progress as designers.
User research (monitoring metrics, utilization cases, customer feedback), acceptance tests, a lean UX workflow, and anything else that provides data and insights into how users interact with the interface should all be used to drive UX design.
Keep it simple and clean — WHY?
Minimalism has a place in UX design to make solutions as easy to use as feasible. However, as UX designers, we must ensure that simplification does not imply product simplification, that critical features are always included, and that we continue to innovate.
3 points summed up —
- Simple is more comfortable for the user nowadays because people’s attention spans are increasingly shorter.
- Functionality drift is more prevalent in sophisticated systems.
- It is generally more fun to keep things simple.
Practice everyday
I recommend looking for a site or mobile applications that you use and thinking about how you interact with them, as well as the prospective customer engagement of how/when a user would integrate the app into their lives (i.e. when certain apps are used in a user’s daily life, there are often trends that lead to certain design decisions). You can modify these interfaces and document each of your selections. Design is a method, not a finished result. It’s fantastic if it’s absolutely perfect, but the most important thing is that it works and solves problems. To get ahead of others practicing every day be it half an hour or 15 minutes will always put you two steps ahead.
Ask questions
The proper question, asked at the right time and in the appropriate setting, can have a major effect on how a functionality or solution turns out.
You can generate better designs, prevent wasteful changes, and obtain repeat clients who are pleased by asking the proper client questions. Good communication and respect are essential for a successful strong collaboration. How and why will always be your two most important words in the arsenal.
Share your knowledge
By unraveling the process, you may help others comprehend what goes into the final result. People find it difficult to understand why certain tasks take so much time, but this is true for both design and engineering. It is our job to explain the nature of our profession to those who do not fully get it. Knowing the “why” behind the design process brings clarity since it reveals the reason and thought process that lies beneath it all. It makes design engaging. Your knowledge can always help others remember that, and when you cant share just a guide that will be more than enough on your part.
Embrace change
Change is Inevitable — A sequence of “tiny steps” leads to effective and good change. The most effective method to navigate large changes in your design methodology is to take them one at a time. Concentrate on your ultimate objective and the steps necessary to achieve it. Change can be difficult to deal with. Instead, if we take tiny steps at a time, we’ll be better able to control the change’s impacts and, as a result, your designing thought process will expand. Being an engineer and embracing change really sounds hilarious when we are always guided to be open to new concepts. But taking that constructively will help you go a long way!
Don’t say “no” to opportunities
“If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity, but you are not sure you can do it, say yes- then learn how to do it later” — Richard Branson
Having the courage and determination to take on doing new things and learning out of your comfort zone that's where your real learning takes place. New opportunities will open up now and then, and it will be stressful but if you go past that stage then you will really understand how your concepts from engineering and design can be molded together.
Network. A lot.
Leverage your social media handles for this! Be it Instagram, Discord, Linked In, etc. Be proactive and be in the mindset of exchanging knowledge online it will definitely help you land some new gigs and help meet a lot of amazing people! I started with just a question to Yutika Pahuja about design and it soon turned to an amazing group of designers from all over India and yes with some #realbadelog too! It is always a learning curve with Ashish Kashyap Vikas Shetty and many others out there. They will be your design family and will always help you out in tight spots. Don’t forget to go the extra mile and ask questions, the how and why and you will find people genuinely willing to help you out!
Thanks for reading 👍.
Connect with me with your doubts and I will try my best to help you out as much as I can!
