Ever wonder what are the characteristics of a great designer? Sometimes, you may have to meet with some designers which only know about the tools of photoshop but don’t even know how to think creatively or how to fulfills the needs of the customer. I took the time to research the qualities of the great designers and here are 6 things every great designer has in common.
1. Observation
Great designers have some habits that they see the things what the others don’t and they take time to write them down or memorize them. Whenever they are browsing the web or taking a ride on the bus, they are searching for what the others are doing, how they are doing it right or wrong. They take what they found and they use them later in their works.
2. Skills
Great designers have both technical skills and other skills like drawing sketches, creating arts etc… They are really good at the tools and softwares which they need to use. Some even have photographic skills and some have natural artistic talent.
3. Communication (Listening)
It’s really important for a designer to know what clients need or want. If you don’t really listen to your client, you can’t fulfill your client’s need. Listening is some kind of mind reading. You can learn a lot of things such as what’s in your client’s mind, how they want to be the result, which color they like, what’s the theme of their company by listening. Great designers not only listen to their clients carefully but also good at questioning.
4. Creativity
Great designers are very creative. They can develop new and innovative ideas. They are always thinking about new techniques and how they can create different kinds of approaches.
5. Problem Solving
Great designers can work under pressure. Sometimes they don’t have much time or resources to finish the projects. But they can always solve the problems. People cannot always prepare for every problem. Electricity may be cut off for a week, internet connection is down or software may crash. Great designers are able to calm and finish the jobs under these situations.
6. Bending the rules
As designers, sometimes we need to think out of the box. Sometimes a different approach may be a great solution to the problem we are facing. Really good designers are open to the less than obvious solutions to problems. We need to ask “what if” and “why not” rather than forming a belief of what a solution can or can’t be. Great designers are unbound by rules.
