DDSN 360: Critical Analysis 1

For me, becoming a man had a lot to do with learning communication, and I learned about that by acting.

— Adam Driver

User Interface Design – Fall 2019

Critical Analysis 1

“Technical knowledge aside, what makes for a good Web designer?”

Based on these three articles we were assigned to read with this assignment:

Design Isn’t Just About Pixels by Creative Bloq Staff

Why You Need to Ask More Creative Questions by Aaron Morton

Jump from Graphic to Web Design in Seven Easy Steps by Ceative Bloq Staff

…I would say a good web designer needs to continue to find new perspectives, to find new ways of using questions as tools to finding solutions, to remember that a designer does not work in, or for, a vacuum – in other words, to be a good listener in a team, and to always consider the user in one’s work, and to stop being scared of coding and just learn it, dammit.

Before having read this article, my instinct would be to say “A good web designer has a strong understanding of design principles…” or “A good web designer has an active awareness of current styles of design…” or “A good web designer does a lot of user research to make the user experience of their design pleasing…” Although these things are important, these articles argue not to get so caught up in things like “what’s the hottest style trend”, or in designing with a sense of one’s ego (talent/persona as a designer) as the central feature.

I particularly liked the quote “Your brain is a goal seeking mechanism…” from You Need to Ask More Creative Questions by Aaron Morton. I thought this was a refreshing and clever reminder that each of us comes equipped with a built-in puzzle solver – our brains! This reminded me that often the creative process can happen effortlessly… or at least it happens in our subconscious. That sometimes ideas and inspiration come to us without putting forth a concentrated effort to make it happen. Sometimes in fact, when we let go a little, and sit quietly in ourselves, does creativity come rushing in on its own.

I appreciate each of these articles because they all ask the reader to be open to something new. It asks the reader to let go of foundations and structures that may be stifling our creativity, to trust in our own sense of direction and inspiration, and to believe we can learn code.