Becoming a Better Designer
The term ‘better’ can have various interpretations, and becoming a senior designer can be one of those explanations.
After working for several years and gaining a deeper understanding of UI/UX design, I have started contemplating how to evolve into a senior designer and exert more influence. To achieve this, I have gathered insights from articles and talks by industry veterans, along with my own reflections, and compiled the following six soft and hard skills:
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If you would like to view the Chinese version, feel free to visit my Instagram @emma_uiuxdesign. https://www.instagram.com/
1. Design Practice
Tackling More Complex Projects:
New designers often engage in smaller projects as they involve fewer variables. In contrast, senior designers deal with a multitude of variables and must maintain consensus among stakeholders. Beyond focusing solely on details, they begin to care about the consistency of the entire product ecosystem.
Handling More Ambiguous and Uncertain Issues:
Some problems that are well-defined and have been solved countless times by competitors are areas where novice designers can learn. These projects have specific problems with clear solutions, such as the checkout process in e-commerce. However, senior designers often face more ambiguous and less defined projects, like how the latest technological advancements can be applied to their product. Because these issues are relatively new, senior designers draw from their context and database, generating unique perspectives on the product.
2. Product Thinking / Business Acumen
Going beyond user-centricity, senior designers can view their work from a more comprehensive perspective.
Strategic Thinking:
Senior UX designers can strategically consider the role of design in the product development process and advocate for the integration of design into decision-making throughout product development.
Business Acumen:
Senior designers comprehend the business context of design, including the competitive environment and the overall business objectives of the organization. They can align design decisions with these objectives and, ultimately, generate revenue directly or indirectly by solving user problems.
3. Communication and Collaboration
Collaboration Skills:
Senior designers can effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, supporting design partners both forwards and backwards, including product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders. This ensures that design aligns with the product vision, technical requirements, and business goals.
Communication:
You can clearly communicate your ideas to team members and influence others. Emphasizing accuracy, conciseness, and completeness, you also maintain an inclusive mindset, juggling both others’ perspectives and your own.
4. Leadership
Becoming a Leader Once Followers Exist:
Senior designers naturally bring a design perspective into any team conversation once they have followers. They help bridge the gap between the entire team and user needs, supplementing designers with business and technical background knowledge.
Becoming Transparent:
Senior designers are not secretive; they openly share their design approaches to ensure a thorough understanding by others. They avoid making design work mysterious. On the contrary, anyone interested can fully comprehend why they make certain choices. They invest as much effort in communication as they do in design. They also know how to create opportunities for others to ask questions, learn, and encourage cross-team communication.
5. Consistent Output
Consistent Output in Design Practice:
Designs delivered by senior designers maintain a consistent level of quality, avoiding fluctuations in performance. You can confidently entrust tasks to them.
Emotional and Mental Stability:
Senior designers not only possess strong hard skills but also have a resilient mindset. They are adept at keeping personal emotions separate from work, maintaining a calm and stable demeanor. They understand the detrimental effects of excessive overtime and burnout, prioritizing the upkeep of their mental and physical well-being in optimal condition.
6. Self-Awareness
Understanding Yourself:
Do you truly understand yourself? This goes beyond the conventional understanding of recognizing your strengths and weaknesses. It includes knowing when you are most focused, or what environments may induce stress. Understanding oneself, I believe, comes through continuous interaction with society and maintaining an ongoing internal dialogue. It’s a gradual process of self-discovery through the dual exploration of external interactions and introspective self-dialogue.
Self-Growth:
I believe the self-growth of exceptional designers is not a sprint but a marathon, with ‘continuity’ being the key. They excel at ‘learning by doing,’ incorporating both soft and hard skills learned into their work, creating a positive feedback loop.
Influence is the Integration of the Previous Six Aspects
At this point, you might be wondering, where does the often-mentioned “influence” come into play? I believe influence is the culmination of mastering design practice, utilizing product and business thinking in design decisions, fostering effective communication and collaboration across roles, being a part of leadership teams, maintaining consistent output, and possessing a profound understanding of oneself. Those with a blend of both soft and hard skills in these areas undoubtedly become influential figures within a team.
Every Individual’s “Seniority” Takes a Unique Form
The current perception of “seniority” that I sense doesn’t necessarily require achieving excellence in all six aspects mentioned earlier. It is more flexible, with some areas meeting the passing threshold and others standing out exceptionally. Depending on your company’s environment and your personal strengths, each person may grow into a different shape.
Reference：
- Getting to senior to UX
- A guide to becoming a senior product designer
- Speeches I’ve listened to before
- My Experience
Feel free to drop by and say hello, where I’ll primarily be sharing various design knowledge and experiences! Instagram @emma_uiuxdesign. https://www.instagram.com/
