Non-Design Skills Every Designer Needs To Learn
In the 10+ years I’ve been in the industry I have seen many designers learn the hard way that being a designer isn’t just about making pretty things. I’ve seen great designers fail because they are stuck on the fact that they created something great but the company didn’t like it.
Below is a list of skills that are essential if you wish to have a long successful career as a designer.
Time Management
This is a skill that is actually one of the hardest to learn. Not just to know this project is due on Friday and this one on Thursday. Of course, you’d have to do the Thursday one first. What I am saying is you have to learn how long it takes you to realistically complete a project.
I have seen so many designers fall flat because of this. I have heard a designer tell the CEO “ oh that, it’ll only take 3hrs I can have it done today.” I know instantly that the designer won’t make that deadline and this task in perfect conditions is a 5-6hr project.
A good practice to do is from the beginning of your career just test yourself and see if you can guess how long it’ll take you. If you think “ok the photoshop takes about an hour for clipping and color adjustments, the package Dieline is 45 minutes so say 1 hour, package layout I always give myself an hour or so extra if it’s new so I can try a few things that might look better then the normal layout we do. But I add all that up and then give a little extra if I have to deal with other departments or for approval with changes. I’ve gotten good enough that I can usually plan my day and complete my project within 15 minutes from what I had figured on to give time for last-minute emails or plan the next day.
If you learn this tip you will be ahead of a lot of other designers in the industry. Plus, it just takes a load of pressure off your shoulders when you don’t have to worry about making your deadlines because you already know what you are doing.
Thick Skin
Thick skin is necessary in the design world. You will deal with people who have a different preference in design and will tell you your work isn’t good even if you know it is.
A prime example is an employer I worked for told once told a photographer and a room full of his peers that if you wnat to know what not to do look at his work. Also, maybe your work on this project stinks if so you will have to learn from that. Thick skin will get you far in the industry.
Memory
Being able to remember conversations, comments, and everyday interactions has been another key to success within the industry. Being able to remember just about every project you’ve worked on allows you to become the go-to person.
This is can can be a learned skill. Start with taking good notes in every meeting even if the task isn’t yours take note of it. You never know when you will be asked to step in on a project and with you knew the details.
Organization
For your own sanity and those around you stay organized. It’s unbelievable how some people have stacks of papers with no organization to the pile. I’m not only talking about your desk but your notebook as well. Keep your notes organized with tabs, checkboxes, sections, and dates. Besides taking notes helps with your memory.
Quick Thinking
You will need to rely on this daily. You will be in meetings where you will be asked to solve a problem with a design or to put a system in place that will limit a particular mistake.
I had a job interview once where I did a Dieline test and after I had to meet with the CEO. In that interview with him, he had someone bring a box in and he requested that I tell him what was wrong with the packaging and how I would do it differently. I asked for the Dieline that they gave the factory and noticed right away that the factory changed the Dieline size and layout. He called in the production and designer and asked why they didn’t see that issue. That quick thinking and problem solving helped get me that job. Something like that puts you in good with your boss from day 1. The more experience you get over the years the faster you will get with this.
Problem-Solving
Not just your problems either. You will ultimately be solving problems for other departments. You’ll be solving design problems, personal problems, computer & software problems, printer problems, production issues, or costing issues just to name a few. That is why I say a designer is really just a talented problem solver. When you design you are ultimately solving a problem. Now you just need to put that creative skill to work in other areas of the business.
Treat It Like Your Own
Treat the company you work for like it’s your own company. As if you have invested all your life and savings into this. When it’s your company you have more passion for your work and more dedication to the success of every task given. Showing that dedication goes a long way in your review and in your happiness while employed there.
Attention To Details
This is important. Don’t just regurgitate the information passed on to you. Actually think it though before putting it in your design. To many designers will take the information and mindlessly put it on a package when it’s incorrect to begin with. I mostly see this as a product size typo. Instead of 12.25in it says 2.25in. If it doesn’t look right say something. The worst thing that will happen is it will be correct but people will see you are paying attention.
Ability To Present Your Work
Having the ability to present your own work and having the voice of confidence is the difference between your projects moving forward or being passed over. If you can tell a story, even better. When I have a product concept, a package layout or dieline, or an Ad that I am trying to get moved forward I always try to tell a story on why it is a good idea. Most of the time I explain the mindset behind the design how it relates to the demographic I’m trying to target and why it will sell. That way the person can’t say “Well, I don’t like it”. That is fine if they don’t like it because 9 times out of 10 that person isn’t the demographic and I base design off facts not opinions.
Patience
You will have to learn this if you don’t already have it. If you don’t you will be stressed out with those around you. You’ll realize as a designer that those not in the design industry don’t have the memory or visualization skills that you do. You will realize that when getting info from from other teams that they just don’t understand what you will need as far as information and if you don’t have patience then you will get frustrated. You will also need patience with them as they don’t understand what it takes for great design to come to fruition. You will get one-day turnaround deadlines from your boss up to the CEO and you have to complete it.
Acceptance
You will have to learn that you can not teach everyone nor can you let it get to you that some people will just never learn. You can’t let that get to you or bring you down. You also have to accept that you will have great ideas that will be passed up and tossed to the wayside that would have made the company millions but they just don’t see it. Accept it and move on. Flush the idea out on the side and you’ll have a create portfolio piece.
Humility
You have to be humble to work in the industry especially when you are starting out. You may be the best designer in the world but you are still just an employee making another person rich. You are always going to answer to a boss but that is necessary to learn new skills.
Learn & Listen
This goes hand and hand with humility. Learn every aspect you can about the whole system. For instance, with my first few jobs what made me last so long and be such a key employee is the fact that I did more then what was required of me. At my first job as a product designer I learned packaging, how to fix printers and transfer machines, I learned about licensing, costing, production, sales. In my second job as a package designer, I did exactly the same thing. I learned more about the sourcing and production side as well as the sales and sales support side. You should try to be an expert in some areas of the department. It goes a long way in job security.
Ask Questions
Asking questions can save you time and save you from making mistakes. So many times I’ve been told by someone to make a change and upload for production. I, in turn, asked questions to find out that it is a change that wasn’t approved to be made. Just the other day I was asked to design and make 12 mockups of a belly band package for an item that we just turned over in a color label and insert package but a different item number. I went back to the person requesting it to ask what it was for, asked them to check the item number again and double-check the package type. I was correct on all accounts that they should have gone with the item specs we just turned over. Now had I done it as requested I would have wasted time and money as well as been told by upper management that I should have known better than to make that as requested.
Don’t Come With A Problem
A huge peeve of managers and directors, and this goes for any field, is someone coming to them with a problem. More so a problem where this person should have come up with a solution before approaching them. Whenever you have a problem find out how the problem occurred not just “Who’s fault it is” but what happened that caused it. Fix it to the best of your ability and if you can’t figure a solution before taking it to your boss.
For instance, I had a photoshopped imaging error at work. I was given a swatch and eyeballed the correct color like I have done 1000’s of times. Given that I know how my screens usually convert what the real color is I was confident that it was spot on. I was wrong, my screens for some reason did not register that color. It should have been an aqua slate and was more like a spring green. I had to find a solution once I figured out how it happened. I then put a system in place when doing photoshop to assure is wont happen again, testing on a color correct plotter so I know exactly what the color is. That way you can be sure to be as close to perfect as you can get.
Admit Failures
This one tends to be hard for new designers to except. You will make tons of mistakes in your career. All you can do is avoid the big expensive mistakes and learn from the smaller ones.
There is something to learn from all your mistakes. You’ll learned to spell check even on things you thought would be a no brainer ad or package.
I’ve seen a designer make a grammatical mistake like “steak” instead of “stake” for tent stakes. Took the whole company to work in the warehouse opening tons of master cases to fix that one by putting stickers over the mistake. I’ve seen a designer claim on a package the wheel of a wagon be 10” but it was only 7” cost the company thousands because it was already in stores so they had to pay a company to go to every store to cover the claim with a sticker. Learn from your mistakes and from those around you.
It’s Just Business
If you have been laid off know it’s just business and nothing personal. Does it hurt? Of course, but they have to do what is best for the company. The best thing you can do is smile, thank them, and tell them if they need anything just ask. I’ve seen people take it great and leave with a smile. I’ve seen the opposite in which people leave yelling and making a scene. Both types are remembered by everyone around them.
Personally I have been laid off twice. Once over the phone which I appreciated because I didn’t have to drive for an hour and could get my job search stared that much sooner. The other time I quit my secure job for a better one. 2 weeks later they shut the office doors and Theresa and I was without a job. Why both of use? Well because I quit my job to take over for her as director while she was out on maternity leave. This was weeks before Christmas and a month before the arrival of out 3rd child. Now I could have flipped out and taken it personal considering they knew our situation but what good would that have done? I took it, smiled, help them pack up the office for moving, and thanked them for the opportunity. It was nothing personal when I quit my last job and this wasn’t personal either. I was lucky enough to go back to the company I was previously working for and got a higher title then when I left.
That was a lot to information to digest. However, you will advance much quicker in your career if you learn these tips. I’ve worked with great designers who I’ll give raving reviews for just because they understand these few things. Let me know in the comments what non-design skill do you think all designers need to learn?
