Discernment, curation, opinion, and taste—is a designer's secret weapon. The designer-as-asthete is almost expected by most people and leaning into that can actually help us bring more depth and innovation to our practice. It’s not just about versatility; it’s about cultivating a depth of experience that enriches your creative process, enhances your communication skills, and ultimately leads to more innovative and empathetic design solutions. Here’s a few ideas that come from my own range of experience that can help in broadening your own range, and help you become a more well-rounded designer.
Adaptability: Navigating the Changing Landscape
Adaptability is crucial on the high seas of design in tech. Having lived in various cities, traveled extensively, and worked across multiple sectors, I’ve honed the ability to adjust to new environments, trends, and user needs. Travel is a key driver here—it pushes you out of your comfort zone, exposing you to different cultures, ideas, and ways of thinking. Documenting these experiences through photos and journaling helps deepen your perspective, allowing you to bring a richer, more adaptable approach to your design work.
Takeaway: Seek experiences that push your boundaries. Whether through travel, new hobbies, or stepping into unfamiliar roles, expanding your adaptability will make you a more valuable asset in any design setting.
Creative Problem Solving: Drawing Connections Across Disciplines
Creative problem-solving is about connecting the dots between seemingly disparate ideas, leading to unique design solutions that stand out. My liberal arts education emphasized critical thinking, creativity, and interdisciplinary learning—skills that have been a big differentiator for me in my product design career. Even if you didn’t attend a liberal arts program, you can still cultivate this by engaging with fields outside of design. Read widely about art, engineering, architecture, politics, and business. The more diverse your knowledge base, the more resources you have to draw upon for inspiration and innovation.
Takeaway: Broaden your perspective beyond design. Interdisciplinary learning fosters creativity and equips you with the tools to solve complex design challenges.
Empathy and User-Centric Design: Understanding Diverse Perspectives
Empathy is at the heart of user-centric design and as designers we should embody this. By exposing yourself to various cultures, industries, and organizational structures, you can better understand and design for diverse audiences. This isn’t just about global travel—it’s about exploring new aspects of your own environment. Try a new sport, visit unfamiliar neighborhoods, or dine at a restaurant that serves cuisine you’ve never tried. These experiences enrich your empathy and creativity, enabling you to design with a broader, more inclusive perspective.
Takeaway: Expand your empathetic understanding by immersing yourself in new experiences, both locally and globally. The deeper your understanding of diverse perspectives, the more resonant your designs will be.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Integrating UX with Business Goals
Cross-functional collaboration is essential for integrating user experience (UX) with business goals and technical constraints. Working with a variety of clients and organizations has given me valuable insights into collaboration with different types of teams. If you’re early in your career, freelance work can provide a rich variety of tools and techniques. In the first five or six years of my career, I took on low-paying or pro bono work in addition to my full-time job to deepen my expertise in collaboration, visual design, and UX. These experiences taught me how to navigate the complexities of different industries and organizational structures, making me a more effective collaborator.
Takeaway: Seek diverse collaborative opportunities, especially early in your career. Freelance work, pro bono projects, or interdisciplinary teams can provide invaluable experience and help you become a more effective designer.
Conclusion: Cultivating Range for a Deeper Design Practice
Range is not just about being versatile; it’s about building a depth of experience that enhances every aspect of your design practice. By cultivating adaptability, creative problem-solving, empathy, and cross-functional collaboration, you can elevate your work and become a more effective, well-rounded designer. As you continue to expand your range, you’ll find that it not only enriches your professional life but also deepens your personal growth and creative fulfillment.
