Being young and working in design
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- youngdesigner
The "getting old" thread made me think...if you were just starting out now in the design and tech industry, what area would you focus on to avoid becoming unemployed/redundant?
I realize it may be too late for some, but if you had the chance to start over what would be the best skills to know by 2020 or 2025?
- matski0
Digital. Simple. Everything is digital or moving to digital these days.
You need to keep on top of digital design trends (don't do them mind – they will become clichés). And have some knowledge of code, and the possibilities of what code can achieve across different tech.
No one knows (except those in the know) about what tech and devices will be around in 2020 or 2025. So no one knows what skills will be required in the future.
The best thing anyone can do is simply keep an eye on what's going on right now, and work from there!
- sofakingback2
When I was starting out, Im talking still in school and working at blockbuster. 18-19 years old.
A guy who was much older and in the industry told me:
If you're gonna focus on something, I would recommend becoming an expert in FLASH. Its the future of web design.
Years later here we are. so yea. :)
My advice, focus on the fundamentals of design, what it means, how people interact with it and how it affects them.
Then you can apply that to whatever is hot at the moment.
My 2 cents
- Im not sure if my point is clear; it was terrible advice to focus on flash or whatever was hot.sofakingback
- not at the time! Things change. you gotta keep up.monNom
- ArchitectofFate1
On that topic, is UI/UX/XD, and whatever other user/experience you can come up with, the new hot shit position?
But to answer your question "what area would you focus on" don't ever settle down on your knowledge, it's exhausting but you gotta' keep running. And yeah, don't expect your workplace to let you know what you should learn to keep from becoming redundant. There's no +cmd=design.
True/false: The "managing" side of an agency have longer careers within the same company? Where creatives tend to burn out, jump ship, or get canned?
- word of the week seems to be: pencil mileage (you need a lot to become great)ArchitectofFate
- Managing how? if you're a CD or DD you're still working a shit ton. I felt like I worked more actually and more stressed.sofakingback
- UI/UX/XD: I say that has more staying power because in the end its observing a users needs and tendencies. You can apply that to more than just websitessofakingback
- like i said true/false, the places I've been to reward the numbers-guys. uxuxuxux-and thats where it blends into designer/creative and no longer has "purity"ArchitectofFate
- colin_s0
it'd be unfortunate, that's for sure.
too much right now is about being first to market / development. the places that can focus on good design either have nothing to offer or are using the design as the facade of what is being offered. (facebook)
if i was young and working in design i'd find an equal (in age and talent) mind for code and pair up. freelance build prototype apps, websites, anything. move in to the big bucks at full development / studio eventually.
- Maaku2
Learn to code, teach your kids to code.
Wish I was taught at a a very young age.
- robotron3k0
in the next life, become a writer.
they have it so easy but make it look so hard.
- BrokenHD0
On the low, i'm learning working with wood type, for after the fall.
- scarabin0
if you're into entertainment design i'd suggest 3d and digital painting
- iGin4
It makes some good to read all your stories, I feel less lonely in my struggles as a Designer in my early 40. I'll share my story as well hoping it will help encourage someone somewhere.
In a previous life, I was a pretty successfull freelance Designer. Life was good until that day I realised the junior developers and project managers I started my career with were now at "Head Of" level while I was a "digital Art Director" at best.
I should of course have shifted towards a CD role but let's face it: agency politics is not my thing and also I hate the MS Office side of the role. My true passion is the very act of crafting visual compositions and telling stories not selling campaigns with account managers buzz words.
I felt stuck.
Then one day I was put to work hand in hand with a UX Architecte, I never really understood their role so thought working with one of them was a good way to understand their job. I was pretty shocked, I found out:
- the guy was just good at turning my scamps and ideas into wireframes.
- that my interaction ideas were better then his ideas.
- that what they called "Usability" was in many cases just Graphic Design basics (e.g. Gestalt Law).
- that being myself an app and website user was enough to define the "User Stories" at the level that guy was doing it.
- that "User Research" was basically market study with a pinch of interviews, nothing that required me to go back to school to learn.
- that UXers brainstorms were nothing different to Creatives brainstorms.
- that being a UX was just about wearing a shirt in meetings.
---> that he was better payed while had no clear skills ahead of me.That shock came with a bright side: I am not in a position to change the direction the industry is going to but I could bypass the traditional UX practitioner (the Luke Wroblewski type, the type that is good at eCommerce and banking app only) by introducing myself as a UX Designer, adopted their langage while championing for the real Design Thinking: creating stuffs for humans with feelings, not for machines.
Yes I cheated, I faked it 'till I made it. But I don't care, my enemies are not the other UXers but the recruiters, the HR, the Account Managers and the clients that just buy a shallow trendy label.So yes, I am maybe not as 'scientific' as those UXers with Psychology or Engineering backgroung. Yes I will never be approached by Amazon or a FinTech giant. But do I care? that's not the kind of brand/product any designers want to work for down to the bottom of their heart anyway.
So guys, if you feel you're experienced enough in this industry, are not interested in starting your own company, wonder what you could do next to not end driving a truck, well, I would suggest you to consider shiftting to UX.
Your eyes for branding, your balanced care between creating the wow while maintaining legibility, the whole creative thinking you will inject in a product is very valuable. The battle is not about Flat Design or Long Shadow, Flash can collapse, Sketch can be the new Photoshop, it doesn't matter if you've got ideas.