Campfire #37: The more senior the designer — the more abstract the problem they should be solving

Not all designers are equal at problem-solving. There are a few levels of designers and problems they can solve.

The design has been going through a shift over the last decade under the headline of design thinking. People are becoming more aware of the power of design to solve problems.

When it comes to solving (business) problems, the way designers think is an excellent addition to traditional business thinking, mainly when dealing with problems that necessitate navigating uncertainty in complicated situations.

However, not all designers are equal at problem-solving. There are a few levels of designers and problems they can solve.

For example, junior designers usually take things too precise – implementing the exact requirements provided to them. Senior designers, at the same time, are not only problem-solvers but problem-finders.

The more senior the designer — the more abstract the problem they should be solving

Here’s how I think about the levels of designers and the problems they solve.

Designer Lvl 1

A task you give to a designer at this level might look like this:

Design a form that lets people edit their profiles.

Pretty scoped — assumes there is a profile and that the solution takes the shape of a form.