Realigning our meaning of designer
I’ve seen the meaning of the word designer shift several times since I’ve been in the field for nearly two decades now. Even the type of designer I considered myself to be has morphed as I learned new disciplines: graphic designer, print designer, industrial designer, web designer, UX designer… you get the picture. Lately, I have found myself getting stuck with the thought that the word designer equates to the world of product design (or user experience design). And fair enough — when it’s the world you’re in, it’s easy to think that way.
A progression to the top
From listening to other designers’ experiences and reflecting on my own, I’ve noticed a common progression in design skills. Dabbling with visual in web or traditional media often leads to solving more complex problems and workflows in a product sense. The aesthetic gets us interested, but building systems users interact with gets us hooked. It’s a progression that I saw myself, ending up ultimately in the product world. A world where the challenges of designing a web app are more exhilarating and interesting than those of a web site.
When you’re at the top, the rest looks boring
The issue with treating this as progression is that the work you used to do — where you came from — starts to feel less important.
“Oh sure – I used to design logos, but now I solve real problems.” — Some product designers
Sound familiar? Don’t worry, it’s ok to admit it. I know I was thinking like that. And while I’m all for focusing on your current craft, the danger with this thinking is looking at other types of design simply as stepping stones to the holy grail of product design.
Psst… it’s not the top
Product design is just another type of design. And because it’s hot right now, it looks like it’s the only thing that matters. But it’s not the only thing that matters. Try building a good product with a weak visual brand identity. Try selling your product with a sub-par marketing website, or non-existent print collateral (yes — it very much exists and is still very much used). Working in a SaaS world specifically, you start to realize how important SEO actually is (boo! hiss!).
Should other areas of design learn from the advancements in product — user centric — design? Of course! I would argue the good logo designers, illustrators, etc. already apply these learnings, they might just not have had a name for their process or approach. Conversely, product designers have a lot to learn from other disciplines as well. It works both ways.
There is no top, no scale, no progression. Maybe it’s a circle, a spiral, a rhombus (I just wanted to use the word rhombus). Whatever it is, we need to acknowledge all disciplines in design are necessary in building successful businesses – both with how you build the products, and how you sell them.
The opportunity
With a lot of creative people rushing towards product design, I suspect we might be leaving a void in more traditional forms of design. Businesses still need logos. They still need brochures. They still need websites. And sure while they are more likely than ever to venture into the world of digital products, or services – the traditional forms of media still exist, and are still very important.
I’m currently in the process of realigning myself to be more open to all forms of design work — to bring the learnings in all disciplines and apply them to others. It’s a fun and exciting challenge — and a great opportunity for all of us designers.
Want to talk to me more about this? Share your thoughts!
