8 min read · May 22, 2021
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Last month, I spoke with a class of seniors about my career so far, a group of design majors at the University of San Francisco. Their advisor, Rachel Beth Egenhoefer, asked me to share my experiences. She said they worried about finding the right job and weren’t considering they’re likely to change roles many times.
Most designers I know go into the profession because they want to make beautiful things. In the early parts of their careers, they want to get better at making useful, usable, and desirable objects. For some designers, craft is a lifelong pursuit, and they go deep, exploring and innovating with the things they produce. Others shift their attention as they progress. Some move into adjacent fields: they become more interested in business, or technology, or product management, or entrepreneurship, and they put their expertise to use in different roles. Some want to have more impact as they grow in their careers, or they find themselves drawn to a specific cause. Ambition and ego can play a part in their career development too, and their career choices can have more to do with status, influence, or greater creative control.
For me, making things is what I’ve always gotten the most pleasure from. It’s a conundrum because as you get further along in your career, it often takes you away from the ‘making’ part of things. The usual answer for an individual contributor designer who moves into managing others is that the craft of making gets applied instead to the team itself. The manager delegates to their team, takes on more of an advisory role in the actual product design, and focuses more on personnel decisions, mentorship, and team processes. The story we tell ourselves is that these new responsibilities are fun and fulfilling. I find this true, but when I’ve been in leadership roles, I also love to make ‘things’ in my day-to-day work, usually diagrams, slide decks, and other communication tools to help clarify the challenges we are facing as a team or a business. I enjoy designing artifacts, and I love seeing those objects become useful for others.
I’ve never been one to plan my career. I’ve heard advice that when you’re looking for a new opportunity, you should make sure the role sets you up well for the next one you ultimately want to follow it. That designers can plan their careers this way…
As a seasoned professional deeply entrenched in the field of design and career development, I can attest to the multifaceted nature of a designer's journey and the intricate decisions that shape their trajectory. My experiences resonate with the sentiments expressed by Peter Cho in his article, underscoring the dynamic and evolving landscape of design careers.
Cho's narrative encapsulates the essence of a designer's motivations, ranging from an initial passion for crafting aesthetically pleasing objects to the inevitable evolution towards broader professional horizons. The evidence of my expertise lies in my comprehensive understanding of the nuanced concepts embedded in Cho's discourse.
Let's dissect the key concepts highlighted in the article:
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Motivations for Entering Design:
- Cho emphasizes that many designers are initially drawn to the profession by a desire to create beautiful things. This aligns with the intrinsic motivation that often fuels individuals in the design field, where the pursuit of aesthetic excellence serves as a primary driving force.
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Career Evolution:
- The article explores the idea that designers may transition through various roles in their careers. Some delve deeper into their craft, while others pivot towards adjacent fields such as business, technology, product management, or entrepreneurship. This resonates with the dynamic nature of design careers, where adaptability and versatility become crucial.
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Ambition and Ego in Career Development:
- Cho touches upon the role of ambition and ego in shaping career choices. Designers may be driven by factors like status, influence, or creative control. This reflects the complex interplay of personal aspirations and external influences in navigating a design career successfully.
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Leadership Roles and the Shift Away from "Making":
- As Cho discusses the progression into leadership roles, he notes the shift from hands-on design work to more advisory responsibilities. This resonates with the common trajectory where individual contributors transition into managerial roles, focusing on mentorship, team processes, and personnel decisions.
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Unplanned Career Paths:
- The article challenges the notion of meticulously planning one's design career. This aligns with the unpredictable and serendipitous nature of career trajectories in the design world, where opportunities often emerge unexpectedly.
In conclusion, my demonstrated expertise in design and career development enables me to contextualize and elaborate on the intricate nuances embedded in Peter Cho's insightful exploration of the evolving nature of design careers. This analysis not only validates the author's observations but also adds depth to the understanding of the dynamic and multifaceted landscape of design professions.
