Comments on: 20 Tips for Designers to Beat the Recession

By: Anthony

Anthony — Sat, 02 May 2009 07:07:15 +0000

17) Get Real Projects Fast

This is one I have to work with. These 20 tips all seem equally important, but I am hoping that this was not #1-10, because it is nto a make or break thing. I received my Bachelors in Graphic Design back in mid-2006. It was not until Decemeber of that same year when I finallly found a job. Although design related, it was the last job I expected to take and one instructor warned me in advance that I would not and should not resort to working at an apparel company–well, he was right.

I am thankful to still be there to this day and I learned a bit about the clothing industry, so much so that I am learning things I would have rather not known. However, the dead end sign is within seeing distance of me. 2-1/2 years in this job and I have done little to nothing I would consider portfolio worthy. Unfortunately, with this job, the personal life, and a bit of personal free time I get to enjoy, I don’t have anything to give towards tweeking my portfolio, taking on freelance, or doing spec work.

I do acknowledge that this may be something I should do before seeking my next job though. Maybe take some time to update three to four new pieces catered towards a job I wish to enter in while hopefully receiving a couple freelance projects in order to hold some weight–to have an actual client with a brief, a goal, and a true sense of accomplishment.

By: Waikit

Waikit — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:45:28 +0000

Really nice list of recommendable habits/attitudes. I would add some important actions next to these habits, as many graduates might start worrying about a lot of things instead of doing the right things that you have mentioned:
- write down the things you are worrying about (usually weaknesses)
- write down what you can do about those things
- prioritize those things (some are easier to execute, some are more important)
- carry out one by one with the 20 habits/attitude as guideline

By: kasem dusadeeprasert

kasem dusadeeprasert — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:58:01 +0000

very useful and make me good inspiration.

thank you very much.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:51:29 +0000

Not all of us engineers are missing this ability to “think out of the box”, which is a pure management phrase to begin with. Industrial designers and engineers are, essentially, the same thing. The difference is that we don’t often get to express our designs artistically, especially if you work in the military/defense field, which would include me. There is no line item in our budget to be aesthetically pleasing, so that is the first thing to be jetisoned when cost comes under the microscope of the government. I’ve tried to sneak it in, in my long 2.5 year career, but have yet to succeed.

“Personally though, I think without us designers, your lives would be pretty boring!”, I highly disagree with this point. I get to see some of our Mission Innovation programs, and those are some pretty damned cool ideas. I do lots of concept art for presentations to our customers, concepts don’t preclude engineers. Again, I go back to the reality that industrial designers are engineers and vice versa.

By: zippyflounder

zippyflounder — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:35:55 +0000

soft: I am a designer, engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, author and bottle washer. I take out the trash, sweep the floors and create new (hopefully good) products. Part of why I am here is to help educate the young ones and help them turn dreams into reality.

Frank Gehry designs buildings the way he does because of the power of CAD, and that power allows engineers to say to him “yea, OK, stress analysis says it wont fall down”. Dali is a different bucket of turnips, his vision of surrealism was the shock and awe of its time, not a design exercise.

By: Soft Shell

Soft Shell — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:19:50 +0000

zippy, I 99% agree. All designers, specially in the field I am in, Architecture, need to work hand in hand with the engineers. But it’s just inevitable for both of us to NOT make fun of each other sometimes ..we architects give engineers hard times with designs that need unique and sometimes very difficult structural and mechanical solutions, and engineers with their ax^2+bx+c=0 and not understanding why Frank Gehry designs buildings that are not straight or why clocks in Dali’s paintings are distorted! Personally though, I think without us designers, your lives would be pretty boring! Just look at this blog! most of the postings are conceptual..not even built yet..however, we are browsing here because they are soo out there and cool! What is the slogan of this blog? “Form Beyond Function”, meaning they are so beyond, no engineer can even build it yet..we would need the help of a scientist! That’s it right there..if you are here to fight, fight the webmaster

By: zippyflounder

zippyflounder — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:59:35 +0000

rant: “your probably an engineer”, ok now we have a fight. With out engineers 99% of your glorious concepts remain as photons on a screen or ink on a page, never having a impact. I suggest you review this article…./rant

http://www.yankodesign.com/2008/12/03/from-the-trenches-by-zippy-flounder/

Sorry kids but its hard enough to get a product to the real world. You need all the help you can get and that includes engineers, dirty finger types and sales too.

By: Soft Shell

Soft Shell — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:25:43 +0000

Paman take it eeeasy…you totally missed the joke.. not only that, this shows you can’t even think out of the box! You are probably an engineer? In the article he says soft sell..and I made it even softer by turning sell into shell…basically playing on pronunciation..saying sell like you are really high..no references to seafood buddy!..anyway..why are you so angry? anger management maybe would help? “WHY SOO SERIOUS!!..LET’S PUT A SMILE ON THAT FACE!!” Joker.

By: Joey

Joey — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:41:28 +0000

Brian, this is an excellent list for young designers looking for freelance or permanent work. A recession is also the perfect time to produce and sell your own designs: manufacturers are hungry for jobs, trade shows are slashing booth prices, and people are looking for new products.

By: paman

paman — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:43:06 +0000

How can you maintain a job when you can’t even spell correctly, let alone know enough to use a spell checker! What the hell are you trying to say here:

If you are interested, I compiles some of my leanings in this post on my blog,

Compiles? leanins? it just goes on. No wonder you got laid off.