For the last year 90% of my work has consisted of either web or interactive work, which has been a great experience. Over this period I have developed more skills than I can even remember, however it has left me in a unique position that I only just realized. A client of ours had asked us to take on a collateral kit, which to my surprise was harder for me than I thought it would be. However, it was ultimately this difficulty I experienced that benefited me and the project in the end.
Struggling has it’s Benefits
I firmly believe that hard work has its benefits, and design is no different. With this project I sketched over 65 different cover designs. Normally I would probably sketch about 25 but my uncertainty had me embracing my process to its fullest. In the end this is actually what led me to my proposed solutions. It was somewhere around my 50th idea that actually clicked and that I felt really met the needs of the client. Additionally I spent a larger than average number of hours researching the aesthetic for the project, the client’s offering, and their competitors.
This project has really opened my eyes and I have recaptured some of the theories and skills that I may have forgotten for a while. Not to mention that I have reestablished faith in my design process, which definitely helps justify the cost of my design education. For all of these reasons I’m actually glad that I struggled on this project. The amount of thought that was applied in order to deliver on the project has helped me to rediscover my creative roots in a whole new way.
So the next time you are frustrated with a project and are about to give up, think about how the act of struggling may actually be benefiting you. If you embrace the design process, ultimately you will persevere and the result may be better than you though possible. If you’ve been in a similar situation lately I would love to hear how you were ultimately able to overcome it, so please share in the comments below.
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August 8th, 2008 at 1:09 am
There’s an ancient chinese saying(i’m paraphrasing):
“When one travels a treacherous and grueling trek to find the golden brick he seeks; once he finds it, looking back, every step he made was a golden brick.”
Often it’s the process/journey that’s the most rewarding, than the end result.
enjoyed this article.
August 8th, 2008 at 3:50 am
Yeah, good point(s). Certainly some of my most frustrating projects have been the most rewarding, and I’ve come out of these experiences with a better understanding.
I think if you were to never come across any struggles then you’d probably get bored. I quite like having little things to do to push me, and things like this are a great way of doing this, even though it might not seem it at the time. Good read!
August 8th, 2008 at 6:09 am
Definitely agree. It’s just frustrating though when things seem to not be coming together and when they’re taking longer than you think they should. Patience is key I guess.
Steven Snell’s latest post: Communicating with Indecisive Clients
August 8th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Good article, and I agree. We were working on a full site redesign and there were about 30 different iterations of the home page. But because those 30 different iterations rolled through, we were able to answer and address every concern that people had about the work. Pretty much no stone was left unturned, which led to the final being pretty bulletproof.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I definitely agree. I’m in the opposite boat though, the majority of the work I do has always been geared towards print design. The sister company of where I work, which deals in all web and interactive, has been getting an overflow of work and has been freelancing my help.
Its such a different frame of mind. I know I’m probably spending much more time than I probably should. But I find myself really taking the time to make sure my work is up to par with the other designers they have. I’ve always thought that a sense of competition brings out my best work.