A Decade in Design: 10 Things We Now Know
This year, we hit a milestone: almost a decade in design. That’s ten years of brainstorming, presenting, redoing, silently panicking before pulling off a miracle, and learning. Lots and lots of it. We’ve grown up, messed up, and glowed up through it all. So here it is, in no particular order, a list of some things we’ve picked up along the way. Some practical, some philosophical, and some that probably came to us mid-procrastination spiral.
1. Not knowing something is not a crime. Pretending you do is.
We’ve realised we’re okay with not knowing everything. It’s better than throwing around half-baked knowledge just to seem competent. Yes, we’re the experts, but that doesn’t mean we must have every answer. Sometimes, the real magic is in asking better questions.
2. Say the bad idea out loud. It might just be the good one in disguise
We’ve seen terrible ideas turn into great ones with the right conversation. Bad ideas have a thread. Half-baked ones don’t. Say it anyway. Being in your own head too long makes you underestimate the potential. Someone might throw in garbage, but someone else might hand you gold.
3. Do it right instead of doing it twice.
We get it. Deadlines, client calls, time is money. But rushing through things without checking if they actually work is a false economy. Steal time from chaos if you must. Just make sure it works.
4. Work expands to the time you give it.
If you give yourself a week to do something, it’ll take a week. If you give yourself a day, you’ll probably get it done in a day. Of course, be realistic; but remember, you’re often faster than you think.
5. We’re in the business of people, not just the business of design.
Clients return when there’s trust. They refer you when they feel understood. Even when a pitch doesn’t convert, a good relationship might outlast everything else. Good work builds portfolios. Good relationships build careers.
6. Every project takes a little piece of you. Make it count.
Because of the profession itself, it’s often hard to detach your personality from the work. With every project, you give a little piece of your heart. So send out something worth loving.
7. Take your work seriously. Not yourself.
We all know someone who does the opposite (don’t be them). Shake off the ego. You can care deeply without becoming insufferable. Reset. Rethink. Laugh at yourself. Then get back to it.
8. Be the person who makes things happen.
Even if you can’t do it yourself, know who can. Be the plug. Be the person people think of when they need to get something done. Build your network like it’s your superpower.
9. Flip the lens, always.
Design is about spotting what others miss. It’s about seeing the invisible and making it visible. Is green a symbol of nature, action, or disgust? Depends. Question everything. Especially what you think you already know.
10. If you can’t build it, you haven’t really designed it.
Execution is just as important as imagination. It’s not enough for it to look good on Figma. Can it survive budgets, vendors, and real-world chaos? Design the dream, but also make it real.
Ten years in, design has changed, we’ve changed, and we’re still figuring it all out; with a little more clarity and a lot more heart. Here’s to the next ten.