The value of experience
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- tcmmct
There have been many threads about how some people view experience as more valuable than the education some of us got. So how far out of school (or not) in the working world did it all finally start to click. How much experience do you think the average designer has to get before they 'get it' and start producing good work. I know this is different from person to person, but I am curious when you all felt you started to produce better work.
- CALLES0
yes and no
- dropdown0
I wish I had more schooling. Hind site, you know?
- yeah, you would have learned it is 'hindsight'Jnr_Madison
- CALLES0
well... you have to have talent.. but school can never teach yu how it is out there in the work place... they can just polish your talent(sometimes) but there is not a class called "Asshole Producer 101"
you need both i guess
- powertoni0
I dont.....grad school was unequivocally the worst mistake of my life.
- holger0
perhaps It could / would be interesting for you ...
Possibility to Measure the ROI of User Experience ...
http://www.adaptivepath.com/idea…
- monkeyshine0
talent + experience + inquisitive mind > formal education
...I think the most successful designers are those who are inquisitive and make learning a part of their everyday process, regardless of their degree level.
- kelpie0
I can honestly say that in teh last 6 months to a year, I have had a suddenly higher level of understanding of my profession, and much improved capacity to see the bigger picture and navigate through projects from pre-brief to conclusion following a common thread.
I think it took me ten years and its been quite a noticable change.
10'000 hours innit?
- juhls0
A formal education usually don't hurt.
- *doesn'tjuhls
- I definitely learned how to spell.juhls
- Your formal education obviously did you well!Nightshade
- I already made that joke.juhls
- JerseyRaindog0
I would say 10 years is a fair response.
- rupedixon0
Depends how good you feel you can be - I was working with some dudes recently who span some bullshit about work/life balances and always left work at 5:30 on the dot. Personally I like to stay til I'm happy, consequently these dude's work was shit, and I always feel like mine has room for improvement.
I didn't have formal training/degree and learnt on the job, I've been at it nearly 10 years now and still get blown away by other peoples work. Initially I regretted not being trained because I felt it was a hinderance, but after a succession of great creative directors, and working with some immensely talented people I've learnt that it is irrelevant, and about what you want out of it.
- fate_0
rupedixon, sounds like you're just insecure.
- ha haa! strangely I'm one of the most confident people I know, but I'm humble too.rupedixon
- i don't agree with fate's commentLIoyd
- nor do i :)rupedixon
- nor do IcoolhipNgroovy
- zarkonite0
I think experience is what really counts and that if you take full advantage of everything a good design school has to offer you will gain a lot of valid experience that way.
You can have access to a lot of opportunities and challenges in school where as on the job you might be stuck producing banners or some other remedial task for a long time, not having the opportunity to learn anything.
You need to be part of a talented creative team to learn on the job, school's more flexible because it is a learning environment. You won't get to learn about most of the "harsh" realities of the work place, but that's ok, you're getting paid for that now =)
- BaskerviIle0
@ rupedixon – experience means knowing how to plan your projects so that everything gets done on time. Working late all the time to improve things show a lack of experience. If you're a good designer you should be able to create useful, relevant work within a normal timeframe. Knowing what will work down the line is key.
- robotron3k0
it's not experience or a school, it's your ability to sell yourself and/or how cute you are.
- shit...
tcmmct - spread dem cheeksattentionspan
- if you are female, you hit it dead onLIoyd
- shit...
- JSK0
Too much experience and higher title can hinder you from getting a job.
- rupedixon0
@BaskerviIle - that's very true, and I completely agree, I think what I'm trying to say is that even with a lot of experience you can still be a rubbish designer. and you're right, the more experienced you get the more foresight you develop, therefore the faster your decision making process becomes.
The comparison I was drawing to the dude's I'd had to work with recently was that they didn't give a shit and for them design was a 9 - 5 job, and there was very little pride in what they did. My point being that experience and training don't matter as much as desire.
- desire will fade...babaganush
- not if you're a true designerLIoyd
- NotByHand0
Not surprisingly, people without much experience tend to think experience is not really that important.
People without much education tend to disregard schooling as being that important.I, personally, don't think having an ounce of talent is that important.
- play0
Design can be learned, but those without the initial eye and talent will take much longer to reach a certain point.
Talent aside, I think professional experience grows on 2 different levels.
The first is the ability to gage a project's scope, objectives, timeline, and execute completed deliverables within your timeline. All while juggling all sorts of bullshit in between.
The second is the understanding of business architecture, social skills, and the art of persuasion ... The people you work with and the environments that surround you play a big role in this. This skill will earn you more money in the long run. And everyone knows it's all about making money ..