Design Scrappy
To celebrate the end of my classes’ Visual Communication Design thesis, alumni and other well-known designers presented their works. There were plenty of things to be inspired about in these presentations, but one concept I pulled out from these presentations continuously was one simple idea and that is to design scrappy.
Designers Do Design
Students often fear being able to make or not make it in the design world. This is understandable as its a competitive field. But there are students who fear this, leave the classroom, go home or to their dorms, and they don’t design. Anyone can apply the identity of designer, visual designer, UI designer, or whatever. However, people say and do different things. To those who call themselves a designer, myself included, prove you’re a designer. By that, I mean produce work.
Why Don’t “Designers” Do Design
There Are “Designers” with a Lack of Drive
Most so-called “designers” only design when they’re asked to. People understand the use of design software and when school or a job asks for something they will produce it. If these people are struggling to get jobs in the design field, I find it difficult to feel sorry for them.
There Are “Designers” Who Are Too Meticulous
Visual design can be very meticulous and therefore these perfectionists can spend days designing a simple composition when trying to keep in mind:
- Typography
- Micro-Typography
- Hierarchy
- Grids
- Alignment
- Imagery
- Color
- User Experience
- Mood
- The Target Audience
- Motion
- Interactivity
- And the list goes on…
This choice paralysis of all the things a creative can do on a white background is crippling to the act of designing. That being said, how do we resolve these issues?
How Do “Designers” Do Design
People with a Lack of Drive
Designers become designers by becoming ferociously curious about design. Go to bookstores, libraries, museums, conventions, seek out role models, ask them questions, journey alongside friends who design, etc. Break away from passive hobbies like Netflix and browsing Instagram. Figure out what’s getting in your way of being curious. Without this curiosity, it’s no wonder these people have no drive. You’ll find these people in every field I’m sure. But to you designers, don’t let a lack of drive stop you from designing.
People Who Are Too Meticulous
Design scrappy. It’s too easy to get caught up in every little detail. Produce work. And produce a lot of it. If you need to:
- Start in your mock-up
- Use a timer and finish before it rings
- Don’t spend forever picking out silly things like fonts or colors
We all need to train our ability to break into designing effectively and fast. One isn’t good enough. As you do, you’ll make mistakes and grow. But if works are being produced slowly, you’re growing slowly. Only you decide your speed. Don’t let meticulousness stop you from designing.
So design often and when you do, design scrappy.
