The 'I'm a better designer' checklist

I’m a designer by practice. I never went to a design school. But ever since I joined Skcript, I have been carefully curating some of the best principles that a designer can follow to be better at their job. Thanks to their company culture.

As Steve Jobs once said,

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

I’ve been having this quote as my mantra and I’ve been trying to use this philosophy as much as possible in the product we shape together at Skcript.

My design psychology checklist

1. Look at something and wonder why it was made that way. Everything that’s around you has a reason. Know what that reason is.
2. Design is more than just colors, and pixels. It’s problem solving.
3. Design for your parents. Not for yourself. It’s never selfish.
4. Get inspired by great designs. Try to make them better. Credit the designer.
5. Read. Read and Read. Stay calm and listen to what people say about design. Think through. And analyze what can be done better.
6. Work on em. Every damn day. Push yourself to make it perfect. Roll up your sleeves and work on your product. Over and Over again.
7. Talk about your design. The more you talk/explain about why you designed that way, the more clarity you get.
8. Concentrate on the aesthetics of your product.
9. Have a healthy disrespect for design rules. Go out of the road into those rough waters. Try something new, and tell the world what you learnt.
10. Extend beyond your horizon. Don’t just be stitched to one single product. Think about how these things could shape up in the future. Write them down.
11. Don’t rest until its elegant.

Most importantly,

Don’t rest until its elegant.

I might not be a grown-up designer. Yet. I might not even be called a designer. But for most of my waking hours, I’ve been following these 10 rules at my office. Hope this helps.