How to design better?
A collection of ideas on the design process and creating great designs
by shashaank · updated 3h ago
How to design better?
Though largely forgotten today, methods and rules upon which it is impossible to improve have been developed for centuries. To produce perfect books these rules have to be brought to life.
from A Richer Canvas - Mark Boulton
shashaank added 23d ago
source: Die neue Typographie by Jan Tschichold
- Understanding why you undertake certain projects or tasks is just as important as knowing how. Whether it’s because you have to or because you want to, find the purpose in your work. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned over my career is that I can find a worthy bet anywhere. It might not be obvious and I might have to dig for it, but it’... See more
from Dan Mall’s 10 Principles for a Worthy Design Career | Figma Blog by Dan Mall
shashaank added 23d ago
Rule #8: Keep asking why
If I believe in something, it means I know a certain amount about it. This gives me confidence to make decision, take action, do things that would have been harder to do before finding that belief. The belief that comes from finding purpose in what you’re doing. - Your work would probably be better if you focused on enjoying it, rather than on trying to make it better.
shashaank added 22d ago
- After ten years, nine months, and six days of running my agency Superfriendly, I shut it down. Finishing a project often triggers a sense of loss. When I pursue a worthy bet, I’m working toward an outcome for a set amount of time. And then, one day, I’m not. Even when I finish instead of quitting or giving up—especially when I do in a way that feel... See more
from Dan Mall’s 10 Principles for a Worthy Design Career | Figma Blog by Dan Mall
shashaank added 23d ago
Rule #9: Grieve the end
- One of the biggest hurdles to working is how boring it is, but there’s a lot of value in doing manual and mundane work. It’s rote, but embracing the mundane is more than just getting work done; it’s about being the solution rather than finding one.
from Dan Mall’s 10 Principles for a Worthy Design Career | Figma Blog by Dan Mall
shashaank added 23d ago
Rule #6: Embrace the mundane
- people new to design tend to confuse an idea for the expression of an idea. Ideas are easy, because they don't rely on specifics. Expressing ideas is incredibly difficult, because doing it well requires a deep understanding of the medium that is only possible by having worked in it, such as understanding which methods to use where, identifying subt... See more
from Learning Product Design by Nick Punt
shashaank added 24d ago
- Many want to be chefs but aren’t willing to be line cooks first. It’s not glamorous work, but it builds design muscles, muscles that you’ll need in order to get better and advance to the next step.
from “Stealing Your Way to Original Designs,” an article by Dan Mall by Dan Mall
shashaank added 23d ago
- Get good at asking the right questions. Elon said, the answer is usually the easy part. The hard part is asking the right questions. Questions are the only tool we have to inquire about this reality. It is our pickaxe to inspect the world we live in. It also happens to be the backbone of our cognition, we literally think in questions. Getting good ... See more
from Notion – The all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases.
shashaank added 1mo ago
- A few years back, I came across a piece of advice that made me rethink how I approach my life and work. The idea was to view each day as a chapter in a story. If a day ends on a sour note, it doesn’t mean the story is ruined. Instead, it’s merely a plot twist. You can always add a fresh chapter the next day, changing the course of the narrative. Yo... See more
from Dan Mall’s 10 Principles for a Worthy Design Career | Figma Blog by Dan Mall
shashaank added 23d ago
Rule #10: Alway be ready for the next worthy bet