Were you born to be a designer?

baby playing with design tools 1
Who do you want to be when you grow up?

Designers come from various different backgrounds. Some are self-taught, others are made after attending design school, while some are born into a family of artists.

Most of them are aware of how creative their work is. Knowledge, discipline, passion, and belief are the sources of creativity. 

You can learn how to apply your design knowledge to create beautiful things. But creativity is not something you can be taught.

While a creative mind can produce amazing work, it is doubtful that the work will be successful without discipline and design skills.

Destined to design

When you were just a kid, who did you imagine yourself becoming when you grew up?

Many people would respond with the jobs of their idols and the fantastic roles they had seen on TV as children. I once had aspirations of becoming an astronaut. My child wants to be a pizza (?!). Not a pizza cook or a pizza delivery boy. A Pizza!

When we asked our Deer Designers what they’d like to be when they grew up, they photoshopped themselves. Check it out:

Collage of childhood dreams

These designers may not have become superheroes or astronauts, but they are now able to make a living doing what they love. Isn’t that the dream?

None of them anticipated that their designs would make small and medium-sized businesses look big. Nowadays, they help business owners to connect with their target market through their creativity.

What qualities do designers need?

Tools are simple to learn; each year, as design trends change, you can pick up a new skill or tool. Therefore, in addition to the fundamental design skills, it’s crucial to have soft skills like the ones listed below.

  1. creativity
    The thing is, not everyone is naturally gifted as a designer. The most essential qualities are passion and creativity. Even if you struggle with drawing, you can still be a fantastic designer. You just need to know your tools.
  2. cooperation collaboration
    A designer shouldn’t work alone. With your account managers, quality analysts, and most crucially, your clients, you must work in seamless collaboration. This means that, for the benefit of the vast majority, you should be able to adapt quickly.
  3. adaptability
    Constant feedback loops help you create better designs, thus you should be diligent in seeking them out.
  4. skillfulness
    Every day, designers use a wide variety of tools. Knowing and understanding these tools is vital, particularly in a time when more and more individuals are designing things for the Web.
  5. teachability
    Having talent as a designer is a plus, but keep in mind that even if you are well-versed in several tools and techniques, you still need to have a strong drive to learn. Every client demands a unique set of deliverables, as well as preferred tools. It helps to be prepared.
  6. punctuality
    Being on time is essential if you are working in a team so that you don’t hamper development. Timelines are crucial for any task or job. If the proper audience doesn’t see a design at the right time, it is ineffective.
  7. empathy
    Aside from being creative, designers must also have empathy. You can be more sensitive to the needs of the client and the target market thanks to this trait. Empathy will allow you to effectively create quality designs.
  8. persistence
    And lastly, you need to be persistent. It’s rare to find a client who will immediately appreciate your design. No matter how many iterations it takes, you have to be patient with this.

Characters of a well rounded designer

Are you a good fit for a career in design?

What if you are unable to visualise how things fit together or even draw a straight line? If you don’t have these abilities, can you still be a great designer? The answer is yes.

Here are some signs that might show that you are a good fit for a career in design. Try asking yourself these questions:

Do you have a passion for design?

Do you have an eye for design?

Do you have a passion for solving problems?

Do you have a passion for creating new things?

If you answered yes to all of these, go ahead and master a design tool or two, and you are on your way to becoming a full-fledged designer.

Designer 2.0

You’ve spent a few successful years establishing your reputation in the design world, and now it’s time to step it up. Instead of switching between agencies, why not start your own?

When launching an agency, there are many factors to think about, such as how to get clients, differentiate yourself from the competition, increase sales, etc.

It’s not simple to create a design agency, as it is with any business. It’s a challenging yet rewarding road. Once you become an entrepreneur, you’ll start making decisions and taking responsibility for your achievements.

The hardest part for business owners with a design background is removing themselves from the daily operations.

If you’ve spent your entire life designing, this is completely understandable. You have to edit a ghost pixel if you see one, right?

In order for the business you created to succeed, you will eventually need to learn to let go. Before you do so, ensure that processes are in place and that the work has been outsourced to reliable professional service providers like Deer Designer.

Be better, every day

Keep a growth mindset no matter where you are in your designer career. To be a designer, you don’t have to be instantly great or have a clear career path. Start by doing what you love, and it will come naturally.

Some people call designing a talent; others, a skill; and still others call it art. The truth is that it’s a combination of all of these things. Being a designer isn’t easy, but it can be satisfying.

You are the one who creates the design that will make people happy. You have the power to change lives simply by creating a design.