What separates good designers from great designers? Good understanding of concept development, typography, color, space and mastery of the computer are certainly important. However, writing, presentation, and time management are the qualities that most job seeking designers overlook.
Writing
Good writing skills are critical for producing great visual comps. Simply throwing around Lorem Ipsum text only takes away from the strength of a design. When it comes to your team, a clearly written background is critical for getting buy-in from coworkers and absolutely necessary as a reference tool for a distributed workforce. Many companies don't have the budget to spend on a bunch of specialist roles, so writing is usually the last thing companies focus on. Don't worry, a good designer can fill in the gaps.
Presentation
Presentation skills are crucial to designers, but often the most overlooked. You spend days on a design, don't blow the presentation by spending only a few minutes pulling it together. Most non-designers won't understand the business goals of your design if you don't spend the time on presentation. Remember, a good explanation is just as powerful as the concept itself.
Time Management
We've talked about time boxing, so why do most designers rely on others to give them dates and deadlines? A designer with good time management skills takes the burden of responsibility off management. In turn, the designer gets the latitude and creative freedom to explore their own ideas. Time is money, and money is a business goal -- designers need to take responsibility of their contributions to the business.
Whether you're new to the design field or long-time professional considering a job change, be sure to hone your writing, presentation, and time management skills. They'll give you an added advantage in the job market and make you an invaluable designer in the eyes of management.
Bryan Zmijewski
Leading the charge at ZURB since 1998
Our fearless leader has been driving progressive design at ZURB since 1998. That makes him quite the instigator around the offices, consistently challenging both the team and our customers to strive to always do better and better.
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Follow him at @bryanzmijewski
