Workflow

Reflecting on my design practice has given me insight into areas where I feel most engaged, where friction appears and how emerging tools could reshape the way I work. My strongest point of creativity is at the heart of every project and where all my designs begin – research and exploration. I enjoy looking into other designers’ work, delving into historical context and taking inspiration from visual details that can be used in my own designs. The starting point allows me to do something I enjoy and gain excitement from and usually uncovers elements of a brief that I wouldn’t have thought about. I struggle to form ideas naturally if it isn’t something I’m immediately passionate about, so it gives me the opportunity to find myself and my personal preferences within a brief, which sets the tone for the project.

I feel like I’m actually designing once I progress from completing the task list and start making confident decisions. However, these confident decisions are usually backed by the feedback stages where I receive constructive criticism that allows me to take on another perspective. It gives me the opportunity to see my work from outside my own head and see the work from another angle. I start to feel confident and more like a designer when I feel comfortable to change aspects of my design, moving elements around and taking on more experimentation that will further strengthen my first drafts. This is the point where everything starts to feel more intentional rather than just checking boxes which leads to any issues being solved.

Workflow doesn’t come without pain points that can cause friction within the design process. I start to experience this after my drafts have been completed, prior to any feedback – at this stage I begin to lose the excitement I gain from research, often unsure where to start and where to end, second guessing all my ideas and wondering if I’m doing everything wrong. This in turn creates stress on my decision-making skills causing me to halt. I also find myself focusing too much on the small elements of a design which I love but can’t incorporate well, which causes frustration and often leads to a loss of joy within the project. 

Through research, I have explored some tools and strategies that could reduce these friction points. A tool that I will be incorporating into future designs is Milanote – a digital organisation tool that allows me to track briefs, research, reference and personal thoughts all in one place. Organisation of my work is often something I struggle with and allowing me to have access to all elements of my project in one place will help me maintain structure outside of the design itself. By having a clear visual map of my thoughts and process it will unload any stress and anxiety I have about keeping track of the project, giving me more clarity and direction when I feel overwhelmed or disconnected from the brief.

Another strategy I should take on board is annotating printed designs – allowing me to step back from the screen and engaging with my work with a more hands on approach. It’s something that would benefit me as annotations feel less overwhelming than immediately editing a draft. Tools like this one will give me the opportunity to slow down and reflect on my own work rather than relying on feedback to propel me forward, essentially taking the feedback into my own hand, reconnecting with my designs and looking at my work from a different (more physical) perspective. 

 Reflecting on the article and emerging tools does make you think about the designer. I feel that any tools that are emerging will ultimately help designers but maybe not all in the same way. Tools that work for one person can be used in a completely different way to enhance another designer’s workflow – I have already adapted to tools, such as AI, in a way that works for me which I mentioned in my previous reflection. Personally, I believe that the idea of making the work easier for designers should be encouraged as it cuts time from monotonous tasks and allows people to focus more on the creative elements of a project where most graphic designers thrive.