9 Different ways of becoming a designer.

I came to design much later than others, so when I considered career prospects, I had no idea where to start. There are many directions a designer's career can take, but I think the one that makes the most sense is to start with design research.

Here’s my quick cheat sheet on setting yourself on the path to calling yourself a designer. First and foremost, realize that becoming a designer requires patience. Don’t try to force it or rush it; accept the fact that you won’t become a designer overnight. Unlike actors who get discovered at age five and race car drivers who start driving at the age of 16, designers are formed through continuous practice, trial and error, and years of schooling. Realize that if you have a background in any other field (science, social work, law), there are numerous exciting career paths that combine these diverse subjects with design principles.

1. Comprehend the Designer Landscape

It honestly doesn’t matter what kind of designer you are. The only thing that matters is the work you do within your discipline. If you want to be a designer and feel strongly about one particular area of design, that’s great! But here’s the deal. There are lots of different kinds of designers with all different kinds of terms for what they do; we call these disciplines. UI/UX, UIKIT Visual/Interaction, Motion/Video/Interactive, Research, and so on.

If you’re not sure what design role would be best for you, take a step back and think about the kinds of things you get most excited about. Are you most curious about why people use a certain product, or how they use it? Those are the types of questions a researcher gets to ask every day. Designers who work on research enjoy using what they learn to ask more interesting, thought-provoking questions, lead insightful user interviews and workshops and solve product problems by validating multiple solutions before making a recommendation.

2. Practice Makes Perfect

While design can often seem like a universe unto itself, with its own trends and technology, it’s actually made up of well-tested concepts. By understanding the core aspects of good design, you can build a strong foundation from which to take on more advanced topics. Here are some of the best ways to learn these concepts for yourself.

A. Design Tuts+:?

The Design Tuts+ is a complete guide to learning about design, helping you become an expert and master anything from the basics of Photoshop to CSS and logo design. Whether you're a designer, developer, or hobbyist, this site is a must-have for anyone looking to create amazing visuals.

B. Gibbon:?

Do you want to improve your design skills? Start your journey with Gibbon. Browse the Gibbon library of over 14,000 unique design-related topics, including copywriting and storytelling skills, and make a playlist of what you want to learn. Create helpful resources as you go on your own design-learning journey.

C. Hello Designer:?

Hello, Designer is a free resource that was created to help new and beginner designers learn the basics of design. It includes resources, tools, and online courses all centered around design fundamentals. All of the content has been organized so you can easily search for what you’re interested in learning right now.

3. Think Like a Designer

The more you know and can talk about design, the more you build up an archive and a repertoire of knowledge to work through, return to, learn from, and iterate on. Let Design101 help you get started by breaking concepts down into small digestible chunks, documenting each step in the process. Perfect for designers just starting out or seeking a refresher on core principles and patterns.

There are lots of ways to become an expert in design, but you should probably practice your skills with a new tool before you need it. Do you already know how to use patterns and lovely UI? Keep track of what you like, what don’t like, and why? Then start unpacking why you have those preferences.

Think like a designer and begin spotting design trends in everything you see. Look for patterns everywhere—at the mall, at flea markets, even at school and on TV. Discover tips and tricks to set up a stylish bedroom and design your own creations. Learn all the secrets to becoming an expert decorator in this informative and fun book!

4: Discuss Design With Other Designers

When you’re talking to other designers—and you should be—you should ask them questions about design. “What are the most important aspects of good design,” for example, or “what’s the toughest thing about creating a product like this?”

Discussing design with other designers is a great way to gain new perspectives on your own skills and spot opportunities you might otherwise miss. Being in touch with designers can also help you build your vocabulary, articulate why a design works or how it fails, and strengthen the muscle of defending your vision. Design discussions can happen at meetups, happy hours after work, or even just a beer with friends.?

Discuss, share and conduct critiques on aesthetics with other designers such as yourself. Access art and design-related news to stay up to date on popular world events, or read articles by renowned designers of the past in order to broaden your own pool of knowledge.

5. Take a Class

There are many educational opportunities for designers of all skill levels in the Boston area. Popular topics include UX design workshops at local companies, web design and development workshops, mobile design classes, and more

Take a highly conceptual course like the anatomy of design or the fundamentals of interactive design, and it is definitely easier to understand the theory and approach when the instructor and classmates are working through them in person.

Continuing education classes and workshops offered at your local college can help you add a new skill set to your personal business arsenal. The latter is often a better bang for your buck, but do your research and see what’s best for you.

6. Get to Know People

Getting to know people is a great way to design meaningful experiences for them. What are people motivated by? How do they make decisions? What delights them and frustrates them? What experiences are you creating for them, and how will that make them feel? Get curious about others and try to understand their motivations, problems, and behaviors. Learn their attitudes and values, wants, and needs. That’ll help you design a terrific experience in any situation.

7. Say yes to creative opportunities

Sometimes, design just finds its way to you without you even trying. For Gustavo Zambelli, staying open to unexpected creative opportunities is what ultimately led to his successful graphic design career.??

8. Run With a Project

Start your design adventure with a side project. It’s an effective way to learn design, build your portfolio, and get started with something you’re passionate about.??

Get hands-on experience not just learning the theory behind the design, but creating real artifacts you can look back on with pride. From sketching ideas to refining your visual and interaction designs, you’ll complete projects that will build skills you can use on a daily basis.

9. Show Your Work

Showing work is one of the most valuable habits you can foster in yourself. As designer Nathan Curtis says: ''The best design work doesn’t happen in isolation''. We believe that showing and sharing your work is one of the most important ways to get feedback, iterate, learn, and grow as a designer.

The last word ?Maybe you're not a designer, but you do have a design. You know, like with life: you have a plan for it. If your Creator has something for you to do, then He will give you the tools you need to accomplish that task. And don't forget, even if we can't see it now, God has an awesome plan for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). Let's not waste our time doing things that aren't meant for us. Our God will make sure our talent is in the right place at the right time!