Recently, some new students approached me asking how to become a qualified designer. I realized that it's hard to explain in just a few sentences. So I decided to write a detailed article based on my accumulated experience and understanding of the design industry. This article outlines the key skills and mindset a visual designer should develop.
1. Understand business needs, product positioning, and interaction logic
2. Establish a rational design style and conduct preliminary reviews
3. Combine requirements during the design process and optimize rationally
4. Maintain effective communication, deliver designs, and follow up on implementation
First and foremost, it's essential to understand the role and purpose of visual design within a product. Is it to provide users with an aesthetically pleasing experience, or is it to make the product more intuitive and user-friendly? Visual design also plays a crucial role in brand differentiation, helping users recognize, remember, and love a product. Ultimately, it should support business goals. Therefore, visual design shouldn't just focus on surface-level aesthetics; it should deeply understand business needs and user groups to create designs that align with both the brand and the product’s objectives.
1. Understand Business Needs, Product Positioning, and Interaction LogicI once had a colleague who made a mistake by jumping into design too quickly after receiving a prototype or requirement. He was under time pressure and lacked experience, so he started designing immediately. The result was visually impressive, but the product manager and boss pointed out that the design didn’t match the actual needs. The website was for internal use, so it should have been simple and efficient, not overly complex with multi-screen scrolling. Although the boss wasn’t a designer, he understood the business, which highlights that design must be based on real business needs, not just technical skill or artistic flair.
Once you receive a request, ask yourself: What is this product for? Who is the target audience? What are the business logic and usage scenarios? If you're still unsure, communicate with the interaction designer or product manager—they can help clarify the requirements. Understanding product positioning involves knowing whether it's a B2B or B2C product, its core functions, and the characteristics of the user group—such as age, gender, preferences, and usage patterns. It's also beneficial to participate in early product research to shape the visual identity and brand positioning from the start.
To grasp interaction logic, review the prototype and form a clear idea of the flow, page structure, and navigation. You can sketch a framework diagram to organize your thoughts. If something isn’t clear, don’t hesitate to ask the responsible person for clarification. Key aspects to understand include layout methods, information architecture, page relationships, control states, and how information is presented under different conditions.
2. Rationally Establish Design Style and Conduct Preliminary ReviewsOnce the requirements are clear, it's time to define your design style. Design isn't about self-expression—it's about solving problems and meeting user needs. Avoid being too rigid or overly creative without purpose. Instead, find a balance between common industry trends and unique personality. Many designers start by studying existing examples, analyzing what works well in their field, and then combining those insights with the product’s positioning to create a cohesive style.
If the product is already in an established phase with existing design guidelines, follow them closely. However, even within constraints, there's room for creativity—especially in details that can exceed user expectations. Enhancing brand tone through visual design is a topic worth exploring further in other articles. For now, the goal is to build a strong foundation in style selection and review.
After defining the style, conduct a preliminary review to ensure consistency and efficiency. This step helps refine the visual direction before moving forward, ensuring that all future work aligns with the chosen style.
3. Combine Requirements During the Design Process and Optimize RationallyDuring the design process, it's common to face unclear requirements or conflicting ideas. In such cases, communication is key. For example, when designing an app’s announcement pop-up, if there are multiple messages with varying lengths, it’s important to discuss with the interaction team to create a more logical and consistent visual solution. Ensuring that pop-ups are uniform in size and behavior improves the overall professionalism of the design.
As a visual designer, having a good understanding of the product experience and business context is crucial. Reading books like "User Experience Design" can help you think more critically about product design. Concepts like ease of learning, efficiency, memorability, correctness, and satisfaction are fundamental to creating a great user experience.
Design is not just about making things look good—it's about explaining your choices and gaining approval from others. This requires deep involvement in the design process, so that every detail makes sense and can be clearly communicated later. When hiring, I’ve seen many designers who are technically skilled but struggle to explain their decisions. Often, they copied prototypes without adding meaningful input, which limits their growth and engagement with the product.
4. Maintain Effective Communication, Deliver Designs, and Follow Up on ImplementationThroughout the design process, requirements may change, so maintaining open lines of communication is vital. Be ready to adapt and adjust your work as needed. Once the design is complete, the output stage is equally important. Prioritize key modules, standardize naming and organization, and ensure that everything is clear and easy for developers to implement.
It's also important to maintain a clean and structured workflow. Organize files logically by page or function, so other designers can easily navigate and use your work. Regularly check in on the development process, identify any issues, and track changes to ensure smooth delivery.
In SummaryVisual designers should practice regularly, study great designs, and maintain a strong sense of aesthetics. They should also improve user experience and analyze the motivations behind different design choices. After all, visual design is much more than just making things look good—it's about creating meaningful and impactful experiences that serve the product and the business.
E-zigaretten Bang Box 15000,Bang Box 15000 Züge Vape,Original Bang Box Bc 15000
Longhua Manxueling Trading Company , https://www.mxlvape.com