Why do we design?
Lately, I’ve had this late-night thought. It came nowhere just like a gust of wind. Not as mind-draining when I reach my quarter-life phase but still it’s strong enough to keep me awake.
It’s a four words, pretty straight forward, hit me on the spot:
Why do I design?
Why?
Isn’t it obvious?
I do design because…
Wait, what is it?
I was a little bit lost when I was struck by this question. As I’m digging, I can’t grasp the right words to answer that. Verbalizing my thoughts feels hard. It seems all the vocab is trying to get away from me.
As far as I remember, I’ve encountered this question many times during several design job interviews. I’ve answered it confidently. But that night, I felt doubtful with my answer.
It really makes a difference when a question is asked by yourself and not by somebody else.
A few days later, after taking a moment to have some rumination, I found the answer that feels right to me. And here it is.
It’s fun
Since a younger age, I’ve been very fond of aesthetic things. I see wonder in the TV shows animation that I watch. My eyes dilate when I read comic books. And my heart got pumped when I went to the carnival. What I perceived aesthetically are basically some things that are vibrant and lively, like a first explosion of fireworks. I occasionally use my crayon, try to express those dazzling feelings, and keep drawing. I’ve enjoyed doing that a lot.
A year later when my family got a PC, we had this software installed called Photoshop. I am intrigued by how awesome this software can make a captivating spectacle. It’s like creating awe-inspiring things but in the digital realm. Armed with a tutorial book that I got from the local book store, I learned how to navigate this new toy.
And the feeling that I got is quite the same as drawing. It’s fun.
I do design because it’s fun.
I get validation
In my school days, my ability to navigate design tools was well-known among my friends. Thus there are moments where they reach-out to me for asking help to do design. Most of the time they ask me to design school event posters but there are times when they ask me to help with video editing too.
I get validation of how good I am at designing. They praise me how good my design sense is and how it looks easier to me for operating the tools.
I feel so special.
Later on when I joined university, my reputation of designing was known as well. That led to the trust of my peers and brought me opportunities to lead some creative and design division for most major events. I feel so humbled and it was a good experience indeed.
I do design because I get validation.
Rational decision
When my university comes to an end, I already know what career path I want to follow.
I was quite simple minded back then. I enjoy doing design and my major is Computer Science. At that time, a profession that needs design expertise with some kind knowledge in my major is UI/UX Design. Also, the field is growing due so many tech start-ups are rising. I think it’s the most rational decision at that time.
I do design because it was a rational decision.
For impact
Long story short, I got my first official design job at e-commerce company. The fact I landed this job without an internship or prior UI/UX experience was a real blessing to me. I can’t thank my previous manager enough, Alex, for trusting me with the role.
When doing my job as designer, I have this idea that we designers have the power to make the world a better place. We represent users and provide a solution to them and make their life easier. We are agents of change. Surely making impacts.
I was green as grass.
After changing companies, meeting many awesome people, and dwelling in many projects, I got my own lesson-learned.
Yes I have power. But it was limited. I don’t have that strong influence and there are always constraints. There are many times where I feel so hopeless.
It does indeed make some impact. So are the other roles too. Looking back, I hate those hero-complex feelings that I felt. To feel like I’m the only noble person who makes this civilization better.
A question then pop-up: Is it really by deciding the button’s color and position can make impacts and contribute to the world?
I remember my days where we finished deploying some new features for our internal users in a B2B supply chain company. This user, who is basically my coworker, personally messaged me and said thank you. He said thanks for helping push this feature to come to live. It does really improve his workflow. Hearing that my heart is full.
It seems as designers, we don’t need to change the world as a whole. Changing someone’s world, even just a little bit, is more than enough.
I do design for impact.
Support my family
For me, design is also a job, because the effort of doing that is traded with my monthly paycheck.
There are times when the project is challenging — fun and I give my fullest. But there is also a time where the task is less-exciting but still I need to deliver it somehow. I need to be professional and get it done. Cause no matter how less-exciting it is, it helps set the food on the table, it helps support my family.
I do design to support my family.
I’m lost
At the time I write this, I have been in this industry for around five years. Reflecting back, there are phases where I don’t know why I do design. I do it daily and get a sense of routine. It makes me feel like I just go with the flow.
According to Krippendorf (2006), design is a meaning-making activity, where the primary goal is to create new artifacts that make sense in the context for which they were intended. Design is creation of meaning.
And maybe that was the meaning of it.
I just realized how indispensable the feeling of lostness is when doing the design process. Feeling unsure, figuring why and how at the odyssey. It is like the act of seeking something even though you aren’t quite sure what.
Maybe I’m lost so I can find–making something.
I do design because I’m lost.
And that’s the reason why I do design.
Sometimes a certain reason outweighs the other and sometimes it is all equivalent. Over time, some of it may change or become irrelevant too.
What about you?
Let me ask you the same question.
Why do you design?
