How to design better?

A collection of ideas on the design process and creating great designs

1. Describe your company. What does your company do?

2. What are the objectives? Spell out the goals and the reasons behind them.

Increase sales / promote awareness / expand client base / obtaining data or information / change image / improve competitiveness / reduce cost / raise MSRP / enhance customer experience / change demographic / provide a... See more

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10 Critical Questions in a Design Brief

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.

A Richer Canvas - Mark Boulton

source: Die neue Typographie by Jan Tschichold

In design and life

All this is to say is that for design, as for other fields, the road to greatness is often paved with obsession—an immoderate, unjustifiable surplus of care. Doing things that no-one asked for with a love that no-one could reasonably expect.

Ben Strak • Nobody asked for this

We call it a belief system because it's more than a collection of values. It's how we see the world and what is missing.

Make stuff you use every day —it makes for a better life.

Make it better —do less if you need to.

Nothing is finished —everything can be rethought.

Think small —make one small part of the world as it should be.

Slow down —put in

Building a Belief System | !Boring Software

at an institution, you can’t just do what is best, you also have to build trust and coordinate with others so you are on the same page. This, however, doesn’t mean that you should abdicate your judgment and get in line.

I like the approach Sholto Douglas expressed in his interview with Dwarkesh Patel:

If I’m trying to write some code and something

Henrik Karlsson • 6 Lessons I Learned Working at an Art Gallery

Every decision is a bet. To increase your odds of winning, place bets where you have an unfair advantage. Whether it’s your expertise, network, resources, or a unique insight, leveraging these advantages can make all the difference. When starting my agency, I had years of agency experience, a good reputation, and an existing steady stream of... See more

Dan Mall • Dan Mall’s 10 Principles for a Worthy Design Career | Figma Blog

Rule #2: Place bets on unfair advantage