Idainc - I’m not sure where this is coming from. I’m also not sure where you work, or what you have put out into the market, so I’m not going to have a debate on who’s work is more meaningful. What I can tell you is that I do have multiple products that have gone to market and have enhanced consumer’s lives, I have managed great teams, and I have a passion for design. Do I come in a 9 and leave at 5? Yes, when I can. But, when the hours are needed I am there working hard to make sure the job is done right.
Back to the post…
I am most intrigued by nr. 8. LEARN YOUR SUPERPOWER, and so the related 3. and 1. how to apply it in your team and overall career.
For some people these are things like modern dance, or sports, and relating it and the lived experience of the human body back to their design work. For others these are insights into human behavior such as why people do certain things, like ritualized behavior, and playing into that as a designer. Others are mathematical geniuses or great researchers. Some are great at automotive design but it took their lifetime starting from childhood to be an insider in that field. I only know that I am especially good at drawing comics but it doesn’t make me want to be a comic artist. Visualization is what I am good at but I wonder if it can be the unique selling point I am looking for. Otherwise I am good at a lot of things but not one of the best. So how do you find your superpower? I was wondering if you can share some advice or examples of people who did.
Visualization can be a very strong story telling tool. Very few can do great scenario drawings that tell a great consume story. I have a passion for consumer research and synthesizing those insights into meaningful platforms. Most of the time this means scenarios, experience platforms, etc… BUT when we have the resource to turn our insights in visual scenarios that tell a story, it takes the work to the next level. It can then be easily communicated to stakeholders and a true story is created.
The key here is being able to tell a STORY, not just visualization. If you can master that, then you become valuable and you can eventually learn strategy and grow that skill further into a more strategic role.
JC