Campfire #48: Adding value as a senior designer is all about effective communication

The age of technology has given birth to a new breed of design professional: the unicorn. Designers have been driven to become multifaceted as a result of technological needs.

It is no longer sufficient to be talented in design aesthetics alone in today's world; you must also have an excellent working knowledge of digital strategy, customer journey mapping, business, and coding.

But one skill will outperform them all: good design communication.

Answering the question, "How can we win in the market?" for product teams is plagued with ambiguity, a lack of clarity, and an overwhelming number of well-intended ideas, including yours.

When this situation occurs, there are two options:

1. Immature designers race to author the best idea in the room
2. Experienced designers focus on effectively communicating the ideas already available

As designers, we act like explorers, guiding our team through a curtain of uncertainty and complexity.

Sometimes that means speaking to customers or front-facing partners.

Sometimes it's as simple as turning someone else's abstract idea into a tangible artifact that we can place in the center of the table and discuss.

Designers are first and foremost facilitators. But there are a few things you need to be a good idea facilitator:

Communicate intent early and often

The initial observation serves as an anchor, and as the dialogue progresses, gentle reminders of our anchor can keep us on course to achieve the outcomes we're all aiming for.

Write a short line expressing the intent at the top of a shared workplace / whiteboard / artboard. Make a habit of referring to it.

Measure the distance between intent and reality

This is what I call bridge craft. It is the ability to think broadly and work narrowly by prioritizing long-term achievement over immediate gratification. Designers who can communicate a massive vision in tiny, incremental steps - graphically or otherwise - enable teams to digest and approach big concepts pragmatically. They not only get paid well, but they also create incredible things.

Create intermediate stages for your design concepts. Create the future vision you want, and show the steps in between.

Be proficient with your sense-making toolbox

You'll need an excellent sense-making toolset and the ability to use it. Yes, Figma is included. However, Venn diagrams, flow charts, mind maps, decision matrices, and, most importantly, the bullet point list are also included. Everything has information, whether you're developing a system or attending a meeting. And where there is information, there is the ability to make sense of it using the appropriate tool.

Begin by taking notes in all meetings as a habit. There's more to it than that, but arranging information in real-time is the first step toward enhanced sense-making.

I'm frequently asked about the distinctions between inexperienced and expert designers. There are a few, but none stand out more than the capacity to communicate effectively with a group of stakeholders and contributors.