According to LinkedIN, there are 900,000 UX designers in the world. How strong willed are you to be one of the best in the long run?
“ Determination is the wake up call to the human will”
A designer is a commercial artist confined by factors such as economical efficiency, technological constraints and most importantly a client’s requirements. A UX designer is more skilled in the techniques and the process on a whole new level which we will not dwell into. And as seen with artists and designers, even UX designers can lose their way in between or simply succumb to mental fatigue unless the work flow is organised and their creative persona is kept alive.
So, what exactly are the obstacles a UX designer faces?
To answer the above question, let us just assume you are 6 years old and in elementary school. The task at hand in the art class is to draw the conventional scenery with a sunrise and a small house.
You have an hour to complete the task and your creative and young mind sketches out generously on the canvas. Agreed, it will not be the best work of art but for a 6 year old child, it is commendable.
Now, let us add factors one by one to transform the 6 year child into a UX designer.
The client, the teacher in this case, wants an enhanced amalgamation of colors that are soothing to the eye.
Instead of crayons, you will use the latest tech available to make it more interactive: the fish in the rivers should pop out when touched, the canvas should have interchangeable themes according to the time of the day and everything should look lifelike.
Instead of an hour, you have a week, in which you have to start from the scratch. Create a storyboard, research how different users react to the design, predict how users are going to interact with the picture on different levels to name a few.
And now, most importantly, you are not supposed to cross a fixed budget, redraft the design until the client likes it and stick to a deadline.
You’re in your 20’s now, you have had experiences as a human being and your creative side sometimes has a slightly different point of view.
And thus begins the constant battle between your creativity and someone’s exact requirements. Being a 6 year old was fun, being a UX designer is much more fun stacked up on a heap of obstacles and opportunities. So, how to go through the ardent process while enjoying it and keeping your creative ego on a standby?
You are special. You are sketching the future of technology. It is a part of you that people will see when they access the digital world. You have already predicted what they will feel, how they will react and that is nothing but pure magic! Not an illusion, not a cheap trick, but a result of your skills and ingenuity. So, as far as you keep this in mind and adjust to a few requests, you are already strong willed to be one of the best in UX designing.
Still, here are a few tips to keep yourself clutter free and determined:
Ask yourself why is the client/business spending money on UX design? If it is so important can I afford to lag behind and deliver an under-performing product?
It is good to have infinite concepts for a project but stick to a concept, believe in it and keep refining it. The more choices you have, the more fatigue you will experience even before starting especially when you have a deadline.
When we are unsure of what to do, we usually look towards a social behavior to guide us. Avoid that. It is your design, a proof of your brilliance.
People not only perceive object shapes better, they respond better to action oriented stimuli. Allow this thought process in your creativity.
Be clear of what exactly you want from your design, see your design on an emotional level for the future user.
Every process has its hardships, but visualize the end result that will boost your confidence.
Anything beautiful and alleviating takes time and effort to be created. It is your mind, your space and your canvas. Realize it proves your worth as a person and as a professional.
Divert your mind from social and family matters and engage in healthy conversations with your co-workers.
Being a UX designer, perhaps no one will ever know who designed the masterpiece android/iOS mobile app that they have gotten addicted to. You are designing for everyone and no one at the same time. Either your passion for designing and challenges provide the spark for you or it is the growth opportunities. There will be times when you will be agitated, every creative soul goes through that. In fact it is imperative. All that pressure, all those suggestions and yet every time if you come up with a design that startles everyone, you will be the silent guardian that ensures the success of products.
A creative knight in the shining armor of technology.