The difference between a designer early in their career and a more experienced designer are easy to spot. Here we outline the key differences.*
*It should be noted that some young designers have been known to exhibit behaviors of senior designers. And on rare occasions, you may see a senior designer in the wild behaving like a young designer. Scientists cannot confirm why this phenomenon exists.
One asks when the deadline is.
The other knows the answer is "ASAP,” so they propose their own timeline.
Of course, every project is different. But those with experience know that most often the deadline "was yesterday." The designer has the power and ideally knowledge to propose a realistic deadline based on the briefing, and an informed discussion can be taken from there.
One designs exactly what they’re told.
The other knows what they’re told is just one idea, and explores beyond it.
If you're working with a mentor, creative director or even just the client, feedback should always be taken as general direction unless noted otherwise. After all, you're the professional being paid to understand this project. You are likely the one who has the knowledge to find the perfect solution to the problem.
In some cases, it makes sense to do exactly what you've been told. But in many other cases, the person who gives you feedback is only thinking out loud and wants to encourage you to keep thinking about the problem. When in doubt, do what you've been told and propose your own (hopefully better) solution as an option.
One turns in their first or second draft.
The other does as many drafts and explorations as possible within the time allotted, then shares their favorite options.
The biggest difference you notice between junior and senior designers is that junior designers usually come back with something to show way too fast. If you're not yet experienced, whatever you do fast is most likely not that good. So in order to do something good, you need to spend a decent amount of time on it.
For some senior designers, their experience allows them to design both fast and well. My advice to junior designers is usually to clarify when something has to be finished and then take time to do many different drafts, form your own opinion and present the best. Don't do one draft at a time and bother your mentor every 30 minutes for feedback. Find the balance.
One uses Lorem Ipsum.
The other writes their own copy to the best of their knowledge and ability.
Lorem Ipsum (or any form of placeholder copy) is for lazy designers. In most cases, especially UX design, the copy you write is as much part of the design as anything else. In some cases, the copy IS the design.
It's OK if you're not a perfect copywriter. Just write the copy to the best of your ability before handing it off. Even if that's not part of your official job description. Even if you already have a professional copywriter on the project. This will help you think through your design beyond the concept and see how it actually works in execution. It helps you better sell your work. It helps the copywriter because you've hopefully allotted proper space and structure for the message. It improves the quality of your project all the way around.
One sends their design saying “let me know what you think.”
The other explains what we’re looking at and why they made the decisions they did.
This is a simple one. When it comes to sending work to a client, they need to see your rationale or they may jump to unproductive conclusions. And if you want feedback from a mentor or manager, you need to be specific about it. Every mentor is different, but chances are your boss is busy. If you want great feedback, you need to explain yourself, present your work and mention specific things you want to improve. Avoid sending a design without commentary and leaving everything up for chance.
One asks for help.
The other asks for help by proposing a solution.
If you approach your mentor, don't just state the problem. Share your thoughts on the situation and offer a potential solution. Sometimes it's OK to be completely stuck and ask for help, but it's likely you have a solution in mind that you're just unsure about. Even if it's wrong, your idea gives them something to respond to. And if it's right, you've shown initiative and saved time for everyone.
One completes a task and moves on to the next one.
The other completes a task and sees it through to execution.
Perhaps this is less about being junior or senior and more about being a good or great designer. Don't just focus on the individual tasks at hand, but try to see one step ahead. Are there any states you need to design? Edge cases you can be proactive about? Can you already contact the developer and see if they need help? The best designers are often not only those who just design but those who also help produce and communicate.
One waits for directions.
Being self-sufficient and self-motivated is one of the important traits of a great senior designer. Even if direction is lacking, they're not just sitting around. They take initiative and do the work based on their best guess. Never just wait around for decisions to be made. Use what you have and do the best work based on that. A start is better than nothing at all.
One blames their manager, mentor or client for their struggles.
The other keeps working.
I've already shared my thoughts about this one in detail. I get many emails weekly from junior designers or designers new to the industry. One of their main complaints is that they're not learning enough at their current company or they're doing boring work. It always surprises me to hear these things from someone who just started out.
Of course, a good mentor or manager can make a difference, but they are not responsible for your success. A good manager or mentor is a luxury some may have, but others don't. Those who are great at what they do take their destiny into their own hands and make the best out of every situation.
