Designers checklist advices

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10
dos and don'ts for better designer's life by Filip Slováček • Freelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

10 dos and don'ts for better designer's life

Filip Slováček • Freelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

In these 10 random points I aimed to more general knowledge and wisdom about how to not be a total design dick and have happier life full of love, sunshine and stuff.


  

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9
radical advices for being a good designer by Nemanja Ivanovic • Interaction designer • Bonn, Germany

9 radical advices for being a good designer

Nemanja Ivanovic • Interaction designer • Bonn, Germany

 


  

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01/10Don't listen to rules and others

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

Sometimes, when you want to come up with something new, it is really important to don't listen what rules and other people say. Try to be more punk and don't limit yourself just because of some book by Steve Krug and shit.

02/10Don't just criticize

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

This one is especially for art directors. If another designer (colleague, friend, whatever) ask you for feedback about his work, you shouldn't just say what you don't like about it. When there is something, what you think, it is somehow wrong, you should come up with solution, advice, or just reason why it is wrong. Also try to tell others what is really good about their work. Even designers love compliments.

03/10Don't hide yourself

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

I know some really great designers around me, who have lots of nice stuff to share with us all, but they have one problem. They just don't give a shit about self promotion. And the solution is so easy. Make your portfolio, sign up for Twitter, share your work on Behance, Dribbble etc. You don't have to be social media expert. If you really make awesome stuff, you will be superstar with lots of opportunities and fans in a while.

04/10Don't try to learn everything

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

Everybody wants to be awesome graphic designer, animator, 3D & CGI guy, sound designer, photographer, product designer, type designer, illustrator, front-end developer etc. all in one person. Maybe somebody does all of this stuff, but the results will never be perfect. Do what you do the best and improve that skills to maximum first.

05/10Don't be a dick!

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

Definitely the most important don't. Trust me. I know what i'm talking about because sometimes i'm also a dick and then people around you start to be like “Hey, you're a dick”. Treat everyone with respect and be just a nice guy. People remember dicks and sometimes, it's not even good for business.

06/10Wake up soon, work immediately after

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

Not totally immediately of course. Take a shower, have a coffee and then you should start. The trick is to use the morning time for most creative and difficult work as long as your brain is fresh. It doesn't mean you shouldn't work and think in the afternoon. You should. But everybody is little bit brainless after lunch, so it is a good time for writing emails, doing calls, meetings and stuff.

07/10Listen to music, play games, watch movies

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

A lot.

08/10Bookmark everything you love

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

Everything what you like or what can become handy next time, you should save somewhere and structurize it somehow. It will save you tons of time, trust me. I personally use Kippt which is a great tool for saving links, but there are tons of other tools on the internets. I also use collections on Behance a lot.

09/10Get a mac, get a tablet

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

Sounds little bit radical, i know. I'm not any of those kind of haters, but i can compare today, and the truth is, i work faster, i work with a smile and i also look sexy during that.

10/10Enjoy the life

Filip SlováčekFreelance designer • Prague, Czech Republic

Definitely the most important do. You are probably not an Elf, and definitely you have no potion of immortality. Do not work all the nights, weekends, years etc. like a robot. Turn off the internets, socialize yourself, travel a lot, meet your friends, go to club, get wasted, get drunk. Just enjoy your life and have fun. Design or any other profession is not a competition.

01/09Do not design “safe”. Safe is equal to Average

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

No one wants to be average, so try to make things different than people are used to. Yes, you can make mistakes and lose potential projects, but you can also become a superstar. Designing safe is a dangerous thing and keeps your creativity average all the time. It is your choice, so make the right decision the next time you start a project. Improve some elements on the page which will surprise people.

02/09Leave your current position when you are the best

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

There is a moment in every agency or company where improving your skills and knowledge stops. Even if you feel that you are the “boss” in the house you have to leave and find new challenges. You will not become a better designer if you are the best in your area of work. You will only get better only if you are working with people who are better than you.

03/09Chasing Money is so wrong

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

How many times have you accepted a project where it's not the potential you see of making something amazing? Or maybe you accept it and it's not even a style of work that you like to do. I did... a lot of times... and I know that was wrong. On this kind of projects once you finish and get money you actually never open that folder up again. No one will add that kind of project into their personal portfolio or share it with others. Ultimately, you lost time, you feel dissatisfied, and have no work to impress the next potential client. The Money you got will be spend fast. Do what you makes you happy and excited. Money will come anyway.

04/09Keep your profiles updated

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

That's easy to say, yet very hard to do. :) Yes, I know... it's never good enough to be published. There is always something that you want to change when a new idea is just born. Though it's good, at some point you have to stop and just click that “Publish” button. I know so many amazing designers who made great projects but they never did any Case Study's to really present their works. No one knows about them. An updated portfolio will bring more respect from people you work with and of course many more job offers. If the profile you have is 2-3 years old, immediately delete it. It will give you more of a negative reputation than you could believe.

05/09Rules are for people who don't know what to do

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

Maybe this is a bit too strong, but at some point it will make sense. We have so many rules today while designing that making McDonald's burgers and designing have become the same. Everything, everywhere... looks and feels the same. Of course you have to follow most of the rules, and sometimes you have to break them. That's the way you will bring “magic” to your work and stand out from the crowd.

06/09Learn to become expert rather than learning to know everything

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

A lot of young designers who just jump into the industry are trying to learn a lot of different disciplines... which is fine since they still want to explore and find themselves in something that makes them feel the happiest. The problem is it can cause a loss of focus. Doing a good job in different fields rather than being an expert in them and doing great! I'm going back to my point #1... Average is everywhere, and that's not enough today.

07/09Development VS Animation

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

Maybe I'm wrong, but I noticed big switch in last few years from designers who have knowledge in coding, to designers who have become real animation experts. 10 years ago it was totally normal for designers to know HTML, CSS and JS very well. Today, I don't think that it is necessary. Of course, they have to know basic things but should mostly focus on animation and knowledge in After Effect which will give them a bigger value and more comfortable work experience.

08/09Be a designer, look like a designer

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

Being a designer is not part time job you do half of the day with the other half spent not caring how something looks. You have to live that lifestyle. No matter what style you prefer... Underground, Elegant, Casual or even Rock.... You must wear it with style. People are supposed to see designers as a nice looking people. Designers make nice looking things. Somehow it's connected, right? :) People will take you even more seriously when you talk about design and look in style.

09/09Design school or design experience

Nemanja IvanovicInteraction designer • Bonn, Germany

I will be very short here... I never met any Lead designer who had finished any design school. :) Design is like singing. You can't learn that. If you are going to school to learn some theory... Forget that. We have to learn new theory's every day. A few weeks ago the new Apple watch was presented... which school will teach you how to think and make Apps for that device? You know what I'm saying... Things are changing so fast that current way of teaching in schools doesn't make any sense. Just work, work and work! That's how you learn design. Of course... it helps if you born with a little bit of sense of what looks nice and what doesn't.