Who works as a designer? (Questions)

talk design
1

I am trying to get into the industry and was curious about a few things. I have never worked in a ‘creative’ type role, my current job involves fixing people’s pc and setting up stuff hardware etc.

So for the people who work in industry are you expected to come up with designs straight away or are you afforded some time? Whenever I create a site I tend to spend ages just playing around with different ideas/style and coming up with something that I like. I have scrapped numerous designs after spending ages on them simply because I didnt think they were upto standard.

Also how do you come up with designs? I will normally do a very brief sketch before moving onto the PC and then coming up with something that sort of matches what I want. I do have a tendancy to experiment and find something I like and then build a site around it (for example a image or something), anyone else do this?

Not sure if this is the right forum for this type of question so sorry if it’s not.

2

This is indeed the right place to be asking. )

I do the web design and development for Churchill, and I’m always given time to come up with ideas. Most much time occasionally, but there’s always some breathing space. No-one can seriously expect you to come up with something just like that, not even management. :slight_smile:

As far as ideas go, I have a pad, pens and pencils on my desk so I can sketch things and not forget them. :slight_smile: Otherwise, I tend to simply play around with Photoshop, try a few things and see what happens. :slight_smile:

3

I have been in the design field for sometime now . from video games to now advertising/web and branding. And the biggest thing I try to push is know when to put down the brushes. Meaning dont spend to much time on the design phase. That plagued me early in my career.

Clients do expect to see results or at least progress. How successful you will be in the project depends on your upfront research and questioning. Be thorough since you are expected to portray an image of a company that will supercede a hand shake. So first impression is everything.

What I do is set up a development environment and encourage the client to view updates from there. So they can drop by anytime and see what is what.

For coming up with designs. I sketch and I look to inspiration sites for ideas. Not rips but ideas. AS far as color theory I would go pik up a book on it. Color means everything and you need to know what colors invoke what moods.

You definately in the right place for advice if you need anything further let us/me know.

4

Thanks for the quick reply :thumb:

My only problem is that I would always want to be seen to be something. I think i’d feel really dodgy if i just sat at a desk all day and played around with photoshop. Do you ever get any pressure from your boss to do something or is it a case of you working your own way?

Thanks for the help.

5

Well, I do a lot more than just design work, so it’s not a case of playing with graphics all day. :slight_smile:

But when I am, they can see what I’m doing, putting ideas together into pages, and they don’t have any objections. :slight_smile: I think I’d only get pressure from my manager if I failed to produce anything after the allotted time…

6

*Originally posted by 3d-iva *
**I have been in the design field for sometime now . from video games to now advertising/web and branding. And the biggest thing I try to push is know when to put down the brushes. Meaning dont spend to much time on the design phase. That plagued me early in my career.
**

This doesn’t surprise me at all, i’m very similar. I’m hardly ever happy with anything I do in terms of design, I always think I can do just a bit more.

I think it’s a problem that a lot of people have, you only have to look at the number of people on this site who are constantly updating their sites. Nearly everyone seems to have a site that is ‘coming soon’.

Thanks for the tips about the color. I normally decide what colors I am going to use very early on. I will normally knock up big blocks of the colors and save them in a file to remind me.

7

Bit of advice also. Dont be a one trick pony. Meanin have a knowledge of something outside of design. Like programming or 3d or flash. Many company’s want clean, nice looking SMART websites. <eaning they want a back end of some kind. Coldfusion has to be the easiest to learn next up is ASP. I am still learning Ascript but that is handy also. Never get stuck in a rut…Always make some kind of progress and your boss will usually stay off your back.

8

hey…i am just starting out with the flash and web designing stuff…this post has helped me…thanks cheddar for starting it…i hope more people have suggestions and tips!!!

9

Seeing as everyone is being so helpful, I might as well fire away with some more questions.

Has anyone ever been in the position where they have to employ a designer? If so what did you look for in that person, what traits and skills did you look for? Was it all down to experience/qualifications or the quality of past work?

Where do you see webpage design etc heading? The industry seems to be changing almost daily with some of the cutting edge stuff beyond the bedroom designer. Personally I find it hard to keep up with everything.

It reminds me of the games industry years ago. This started out with kids developing games in their bedrooms and has progressed into multi million pound design teams. It’s almost impossible now for one person to develop a game in their bedroom, will the web design industry go the same route?

10

Has anyone ever been in the position where they have to employ a designer? If so what did you look for in that person, what traits and skills did you look for? Was it all down to experience/qualifications or the quality of past work?

We are doing that now. But since we are a startup we are a little less stringent and we are targetting ambitious college kids who need to make a lil money plus enhance a portfolio. We are looking for of course design skill (portflios), considering job history and personality.

Web design is kinda a 2 edge sword. Anyone can grab frontpage find a free host and do a design. So in that sense we have to stay abreast of technology and offer things beyond a normal bedroom designer. But also it is those less than desireable bedroom designers who set the standard of what not to do. and actually fuel our industry. I see design coming closer and closer to TV and Console gaming. I have seen the internet settle into where it should be a effective communication tool d not a get rich quick scheme. And I do believe with the help of discreet erain and macromedia…Web developers will e around for a while

my .02

11

Has anyone ever been in the position where they have to employ a designer? If so what did you look for in that person, what traits and skills did you look for? Was it all down to experience/qualifications or the quality of past work?

Quality of past work first, then experience and number of jobs. I don’t care if you’ve done 1000 jobs, and you stink - I’m not hiring you. Simple as that.

All management should always try to find someone better than they are, that’s the key thing. A good manager can recognize their limitations, and find people who may be significantly better than they are, but know that the work they turn out will be all that counts.

Where do you see webpage design etc heading? The industry seems to be changing almost daily with some of the cutting edge stuff beyond the bedroom designer. Personally I find it hard to keep up with everything.

Well, it’s not really changing. Since 1997, the web has barely changed, only trends have. Sites are still HTML based, though the backend may change. Programming languages come and go, but the basic way the web works remains. Until the advent of some new, exciting technology we can’t even envision, the web will remain the same, so don’t worry about that.

As long as we’re looking at flat, two-dimensional computer screens, the web will remain in its current “page” format.

It reminds me of the games industry years ago. This started out with kids developing games in their bedrooms and has progressed into multi million pound design teams. It’s almost impossible now for one person to develop a game in their bedroom, will the web design industry go the same route?

No, I don’t think it will. You should just stick with web technologies, stay abreast. Right now, that means HTML, Graphic Design, and Flash. It’s been that way for the last 4 or so years, and it probably won’t change much in the future.

:pope:

12

do you guys think the design industry is getting harder to join?
seems like everyone these day are wanting to become some sort of designer… and you see so many new telents all the time!

13

Yes, it is.

I’m in school now, because I kept bumping into the glass ceiling of no degree. Even with 7 years experience, and what I’ve been told was a “stellar” portfolio, I couldn’t get a good job (had to do contract work for a Mickey Mouse companies).

If you go to http://www.monster.com and do a search for Graphic Designer, you’ll find that the VAST MAJORITY are now requiring:

**

  • 3 years experience
  • BA in Graphic Design
    **

Some want 5+ years experience and a BA in GD. Apparently, too many “non-college trained” designers are getting into the industry, and companies don’t want to hire them anymore. All the great designers I’ve known personally were not college trained, btw.

But, I’m doin’ it now :smiley:

:pope:

14

haha really… Im doing first year architecture at uni now
and it feels like im wasting time… just to get a piece of paper :stuck_out_tongue:
I always thought the design industry is all about your skill and portfolio :nerd:

15

Yeah, you’d think so :expressionless:

16

yeah college is a crock (not really you kids stay in school). But I graduated from UC berkeley. The degree is more of a back drop. I learned my real stuff on the job. But I am going back to help with my mcsd.

17

You learn the real stuff through experience, but the degree itself - that piece of paper - is becoming necessary.

:pope:

18

The way I have experienced the whole graphic design field, in my area at least, is that there is a huge oversaturation of people who do ‘amature’ design and clients/companies that hire them.
I believe that this is because they either don’t know any better or don’t want anyone better because they don’t want to pay them for what they are worth.
Many agencies won’t even look at designers without 3+ years of major brand experience, a willingness to work some extreme hours and only get paid peanuts for it. It doesn’t matter if you are the most creative and skilled designer ever, if you suck but have the years experience, you will get a job.
I hope that this isn’t the case everywhere.

19

Well, I think many employers are looking for people with degrees because of the advantages AWAY from your design skills that your pieces of paper imply…One who can get through a 4 year BA etc is much more likely to have good grammar and spelling, (I know many designers who have great portfolios in terms of design, but their content is full of errors, or just poorly written…it comes off as very unprofessional…) insight on a scope of different subjects that may come in handy, and most importantly they have been trained how to learn for themselves, and cope with stressful situations.

Having said that, if you dont have the needed skills and a decent portfolio, you’ll never get your ideal design job no matter what your credentials are.