Never being happy with the work while you are doing it
When annual reports were a big thing, I’m not sure we were that excited about designing annual reports, and I’m not sure we are now that excited about designing websites and apps! Even when we have partners who come in with really strong “new media” backgrounds, it’s funny how much they resist being thought of as the interactive partner.
I like this acknowledgement of the work product while we are doing the work. Everything is looks better in hindsight. The rose colored/romantic lens of time.
http://99u.com/articles/41159/michael-bierut-on-finding-your-voice
This reminds me of two things:
- You should look back on your work, and feel much better about it in time
- If you are excited about your day-to-day you’re already winning.
1: When looking back at my portfolio I can see a major impact of the work on my current thinking. My effort can clearly be seen in the wrong places, much more visual development of images than interaction development. The sense of play was more exploratory. Maybe my interests have just shifted with the projects I’ve graduated too.
2: Most of us think about how our work could be better, more interesting, and pushing boundaries. We can feel stifled by committees and hindered by budgets and timelines. Often the roadblocks prevent great work, but they could also be seen as constraints. Constraints that push us to do better work.
When considering our portfolio of work we should not be looking for excuses. Alternatively we should be understanding the use cases and explaining the value of the previous design execution. When we look at work through impact to the business and users I think we can move away from flat aesthetics to a more robust conversation around the holistic solution. Remember, design is relative. Relative to the technology, the brand and the web conventions of the time. Love your work!
