In a profession as arts based as design, we naturally receive –and no doubt give– plenty of advice from peers and clients alike. While some of these tidbits hold nuggets of truth, there’s at least as much that’ll likely do you more harm than good. Some of it can be downright misleading.
In an effort to save you from the misery of heeding such misinformed advice, we bring you a handful to be sure and steer clear of. As the Head of UX at Webydo and during my long careers as a freelancer, I’ve gotten plenty of good and and bad advice.
Stay Ahead of Contemporary Trends
Trends in the design world change rather rapidly. There’s no getting around that. When these trends do change, it’s almost always thanks to a particularly creative individual that was either able to harness new technology in an innovative way or simply got lucky with a brave choice.
We’d all love to have this revolutionary ability to change the design world with every project we commission. Unfortunately, for every brave soul that strikes the right design chord at exactly the right time, there’s countless more that wind up with a much less desirable result.
Now, don’t think for a second that we’re telling you not to take chances. Calculated risks are a good thing for any creative individual. We just don’t want to see you jump so far ahead of the curve that it passes you all together.
You want to know another interesting fact about the nature of design trends? They evolve. When new trends emerge, they’re usually based largely on previous trends, not brand new ideas cooked up by the starving artist next door. So feel free to push the limits of your design, but do so with a firm foundation in current trends.
Designer Knows Best
This little piece of advice comes courtesy our self-proclaimed ‘design experts’. They would have you believe that your client’s input on design should be taken with a grain of salt. Not only a grain of salt, but rather disregarded entirely. After all, you’re the expert right?
Well, yes and no. Your clients come to you for a very specific reason. You know how to make their content look pretty and functional at the same time. That being said, the client ultimately knows their product and the needs of their target audience better than you ever will.
So take a healthy dose of humility next time you sit down with your clients to discuss design. While they may not hold a candle to your raw artistic ability, their insights on the people who will actually see and use your design can prove invaluable.
Just Go with the Flow
Some folks ascribe to the design philosophy of ‘let your creative intuition do the work’. They maintain that your creative subconscious has the ability to do some amazing things, therefore, don’t restrict it with unnecessary boundaries. You know, just go with the flow!
While this philosophy isn’t inherently wrong, it’s sometimes taken to an unhealthy level. We’re talking here about the designers that make it a point to avoid setting goals of any kind and instead rely on that organic flow of creativity to meet their client’s needs.
That’s just plain silliness. As a professional designer, you must maintain a consistent level of excellence when it comes to the work you produce. This standard doesn’t just happen. It comes from a combination of well thought out plans and goals based on client input along with that wonderful raw artistic talent. Fight the urge to rely too much on your creative liberties!
Great Design Makes a Great Web Site
As designers, it’s only natural to think that the hard work we pour into our projects is critical to the success of our clients. And you know what? It is! Now that I’ve buttered you up with the good news, I’ve got another side this that might be tough to swallow. Design is not the most important part.
Though people might be drawn in by captivating design, the content within is ultimately why they’re looking at it in the first place. As such, it’s important not to get lost designing for design’s sake. The goal should always be to strike the perfect balance of presenting content in a visually appealing and imminently consumable way.
Well, that’s a wrap. Next time you find yourself discussing the finer points of design and hear one of these doosies, you can safely let it float out the other ear. Better yet, enlighten your colleagues to the error of their ways!
Author Bio: Tomer Lerner is an award-winning designer and a UX Manager at Webydo – the code-free website design platform for professional designers.
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