My design principles

Christopher Butler says that “hiring for skills is mostly bogus. Hiring for soft skills is better. Hiring for principles is ideal”. I agree with him. Here are my principles, in case you want to understand the kind of designer I am.

Rely on others

Designers should help to challenge, set, and understand the team’s direction and its implementation.

But a designer doesn’t need to stick their nose into every decision. Trust others to do their job.

That said, don’t design alone. Consider the problem, its many solutions, and involve others in decisions.

Prefer quality, accept practicality

Some companies do not commit to quality, and a designer should always push for quality.

It is not the designer’s job to change a company’s culture. Either improve what you can, as much as you can, or move to a new company.

A design process doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s better to think of design as a toolkit than a process. Recognise your situation, choose the right methods, and use them well.

Learn and share

Always learn more. Try to be the best designer, even if you never get there.

Generalism is useful. Especially in your early career. More perspective means more ideas.

Share what you know with other people, if they’re interested. More people who can understand and fix problems is a good thing.

← anthonyhobday.com