Notes on being a professional
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 in Web Development | 0 comments
I recently discovered The Design Pro Show, a design-centered advice video blog from Andy Rutledge of unit interactive. Although I’m not a freelance designer, and I don’t work for a design firm, I found a lot of useful advice from his videos. My work publishes web content and develops software, and I’ve found treating product managers like freelance clients solves a lot of potential problems.
With that perspective, I started to jot down the important things I heard Rutledge discuss in a google doc for my own use.
Today I’ll share my notes. I figure since these ideas and guidelines have been invaluable to me, other designers who don’t want to watch hours of video may benefit from it as well.
Deadlines
Always hit the deadline
If you miss a deadline, your reputation takes a hit. This affects your compensation & opportunities.
Set one deadline at a time
Meaning do NOT set 3-4 sequential deadlines for discovery, design, development, project completion.
Deadlines are sequential, not overlapping
If one deadline wasn’t been met, the following deadline needs to be pushed back. Communication of this important.
Compromise
Compromise is weakness
The need for compromise means that you have failed somewhere. If you are a confident, competent professional, there is no room for compromise. Incompetency mandates compromise, and that’s ok when you’re starting out.
Don’t invite compromise
Indicating incompetence invites compromise. One easy way is to offer many design comps – “I don’t know which is the best option. You (client) need to help me guide my design with your opinion.”
Design
K.I.S.S
Keep it simple, stupid.
Rule of 3’s
To unclutter designs: use three fonts (max), three images and three colors (mono).
Use the grid
Always design in a grid format; it never fails. Stay organized.
Design walkthroughs show your prowess
Don’t just send a jpeg. Walk the stakeholder through the design to explain the design. “We want the user to see ‘x’ then do ‘y’ so…” This will enhance understanding, and show that you know what you’re talking about.
No person has ever designed a poster
Professionals have designed the content.
Discovery Process
Four phases
1. Standard Research: Google search, market research, etc…
2. Kick-off meeting w/ stakeholder: Come w/ a list of questions to cover off on. Requirements,
aesthetics, competitors, etc…
3. Continued Research: Use data from kick-off meeting to complete discovery.
4. Strategy Brief: Summarize purpose, deliverables, audience, execution plan, goal.
Design without constraints is art
Discovery process is used to discover constraints.
Good questions
- Who is your audience? (tone, imagery)
- What does your audience care about? (copy)
- What business aim/functions must the product/site fulfill? (call-to-actions)
- This site will be successful if…? (goal)
- What elements do you like or what must not change? (boundaries to design)
- What elements do you not like or what is the purpose of the redesign?
- Who are the stakeholders? (try to deal directly with the primary stakeholders)
Avoid a victim mentality
Designer & client is a partnership
The client is not an adversary.
When things go wrong, look for your error
Look for your mistake and take actions to prevent it from reoccurring.
About Me
I'm a web designer & front end developer for the ecommerce and web publishing company Juggle.com and writer for the music blog PlaybackSTL.com.
When I'm not scribbling wireframes, tweaking CSS, or trying to find yet-another way to describe sounds with words, I doodle, play guitar, try to write and kill zombies.