You Are A Designer!

Yes, YOU!
I bet “real” designers gonna hate this.

I’m talking to all of you who don’t have the word “designer” in their job title.

There is some smugness in designers. I have it as well.
Like we are better than you. We design everything around us so we must be important. We have studied for this. You haven’t. So you should listen to us and nod in agreement.

This mild lingering conflict between designers and the people who hire them has resulted in frustration on both sides.

• Clients: “Design what I tell you!”
• Designers: “Why hire me if you want to design it yourself?”
• Iterations: Countless!

You know the drill.

I’m here to tell you designers are wrong.
And you as a non-designer can design as well.
In most cases, you are even a better designer than them.
Yes, you are.

All design is… is making a plan.
A plan on how the thing you are doing looks and works.
And you’ve done that since you were born.

If you are 32 years old.
You have 32 years of design experience.
Put that in your LinkedIn profile.

Some might argue that your designs are ugly and difficult to use.
That’s only because they don’t know your design philosophy.
Yes, you have a design philosophy.

See design is a game of trade-offs based on your personal values and beliefs. Your designs are based on that. And also coping all your favourite stuff you have seen. So next time when you present your design ideas make sure you share your philosophy behind it.

And designers will be designers.
We are not gonna like your designs.
That’s not because we believe that we are better than you.
And that’s alright.

If you didn’t know almost all designers are artists at heart who want a good salary. We are not here to serve you.
We are here to express ourselves and we want you to pay for it.

But I digress…

All I’m trying to say is.

YOU are a designer!

Yes, you. And you. And you as well.
Don’t let anyone make you believe otherwise.