Think of any brand or any advertisement that you recently saw. How are you able to recall it? There could be various reasons, but the most obvious is – its design! The design stood out for you! How it made you feel and the experience you took away with you. To help you create a similar experience, we have a list of 7 tips and tricks for designers to use.
The definition of design might be different depending on who your ask. If you ask a consumer, they might think of design as something fancy or eye-catching. A designer, however, will simply describe the design as a means for problem-solving.
Designing as a career has been gaining momentum rapidly over the past couple of years. You don’t need a degree in Design or Arts to start a career in design. With the right knowledge and some tricks up your sleeve, you too can make it!
If you are a designer or looking to switch to design, 7 tips and tricks are mentioned below for designers.
1.) Study Design Basics
The first tip is not only for beginners but also for seasoned designers. As much as having practical experience is critical, sometimes you need to return to the basics and refresh yourself on what you learned while starting. Going back to concepts like the golden ratio, typography, white space, etc., can help you with a fresh perspective.
If you are a beginner, you might be wondering how to start in design? Turning to Google might feel overwhelming when you’re not well-versed with the basics. Starting a career in any field can feel intimidating. Read more on starting a career in design here.
2.) Be patient while upskilling
The next point in tips and tricks for designers is concerned with upskilling. Now, this is no surprise that new software versions come out very frequently. This means that you need to upskill yourself continuously to stay rooted in the industry. However, having patience is as crucial as acquiring new skills.
It is important not to feel pressured by the changes happening in the industry but instead focus on mastering one skill or tool before moving to the next one. Being a master of one would always help you more than being a jack of multiple.
3.) Dissect your favorite designs
You must come across many ads or posts that make you pause and pay attention to them, even if you aren’t interested in the product. That is the power of a good design. Whenever you come across such a design, look at them from the eye of a designer rather than a consumer. Try to understand the thought process, the placement of elements, use of space, colors, font, etc.
To be good at any craft, you need to consume it incessantly. The best way to keep track of good designs is to maintain a repository that can be used as your reference book at any point in time.
4.) Spend time on prototypes
The importance of prototyping cannot be stressed enough. With the help of prototyping, you can have an outline of your design to get feedback from clients, investors, or your team members. Changes can be easily incorporated in prototypes as compared to final designs.
Prototyping gives you a look and feel of the final product and also helps non-designers visualize better, which eventually leads to fewer miscommunications.
5.) Don’t be scared of iterations
Learn to take constructive criticism in a positive stride. Rounds of feedback happen in every profession. Design plays a significant role in creating a brand image, so it should be spot-on. Almost no design gets finalized in the first go, so be open to feedback and changes.
Again, as discussed earlier, making changes on prototypes is more convenient, so make sure to get your design reviewed before moving to the next design step.
6.) Understand the product
Whenever given any project, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Understand the ‘why’ of the product you will be designing for. You might be working for the best product in the market, but the product is of no use unless you can attract users. Only if you understand the problem you are solving for end-users will you communicate the solution through your design.
So research well, look at your competitors, understand the idea behind it, your target audience, before you settle on a design.
7.) Step out of your comfort zone
We established that it is crucial to focus and master your craft through this blog. You need to be cognizant of where you’re spending your time and if it contributes to your long-term growth. You need to pick your niche and become a pro at it.
However, working in an organization means working with a team. Now, as a designer, you might not be concerned about what HR might be doing, but you surely need to work with the development team. This doesn’t mean that you need to know how to code but at the very least know what code can or cannot do. Having this skill will help in effective communication and reduce friction among teams.
Incorporating these tips and tricks for designers in your day-to-day work will help you be more productive and efficient.
Above all, the most important thing is to get started. We are continuously working to impart Design knowledge in the most effective way possible. ProApp offers you bite-sized, easy-to-digest design content. After completing each topic, take a quiz to test your learnings! Try to relate whatever you learn to the real world to understand the implementation. Keep learning, keep making mistakes and keep growing!