The two most important aptitudes for a successful career in design

“Effective design starts with the end in mind…Inspiration and creativity are common when you tune in, but a complete understanding of the consumer for whom your designs are meant and the problems and objectives you are trying to address is really what good design is all about… Human centered empathy and first-hand observation skills are two of the most important aptitudes for a successful career in design.”

Michael Delaney Cal Poly, Art & Design Alum ’89

I think when asked in an interview what skills you have, a good response goes beyond Photoshop, or Packaging. A good designer is a good listener. A really, really good designer probably cried in A Walk to Remember.

Wordsmith

Hire good writers

If you are trying to decide between a few people to fill a position, always hire the better writer. It doesn’t matter if that person is a designer, programmer, marketer, salesperson, or whatever, the writing skills will pay off. Effective, concise writing and editing leads to effective, concise code, design, emails, instant messages, and more.

That’s because being a good writer is about more than words. Good writers know how to communicate. They make things easy to understand. They can put themselves in someone else’s shoes. They know what to omit. They think clearly. And those are the qualities you need.

getreal.37signals.com

I think this is an area where my parents excel. My father is a journalist, currently an Editor at the Associated Press, and my mother is freelance writer, working towards publishing an original novel. I’m a designer, and often prefer the challenge of working with strictly type. All of my best work seems to arrive when there are visual limitations. Type is often overlooked, as Frank Chimero recently noted in his intern search, and it’s an area where I think I can stand-out. I find wit easy in words, and love wordplay. I enjoy kerning. I thrive on baseline grids. I can’t live without counters, terminals, and descenders.