I always wanted to write about my experiences, learning processes and inspirations, and decided I would do that in 2011. But as I was sitting here wondering why I didn’t have anything imperative on my desk, I said, why not start early? So…since it’s that time of year to reflect on what has transpired, I thought I would share my 2010 with you, what it’s done to me, how it’s affected my life in design, and what I plan on doing about it.

2010 was a rough one for me, especially January. It started out fantastically (if that’s even a word) with my company’s conference in Nashville, TN. Record numbers in attendance (10,000+), which I tell myself that my designs and promotions had something to do with that even if they didn’t. It was “rockstar” themed, and I really did feel like one. Mostly because design goes unnoticed, except by designers, but not this time. I got approached so many times about “who did all this?” And the rare opportunity to be able to say “Well, I did” was a truly awesome experience. Seeing their faces, the smiles, the congratulatory words & compliments were heart-warming. And to be honest, it’s not like the work was ground-breaking. Mediocre might be a good word for it. Nevertheless, it’s always nice to think your work is appreciated, but to actually know it is, is a completely different story. I don’t want that to come off wrong, but we do work in a field where we don’t always receive recognition and I’m OK with that, really. After all, good design is supposed to be transparent. So January started off with a bang & and then an absolute bust.

I returned home from Nashville to find that my Mother had taken a “spill” with the dogs outside. Fractured nose, scraped up and embarrassed, but not beaten. Until she fell ill that weekend. Five days in the hospital and 10 days off from work for me, Mom came home. It took her a while to recover, but she eventually did. But during this time, I did absolutely zero work. Zilch (obviously). And it felt good. It gave me time to reflect on a lot of things in my life, especially my life in the world of design. Some of my friends thought I should go to work to take my mind off things, but that really felt like the last thing I needed. My mind was on other things for once, and it actually felt good. No deadlines, no edits, no ridiculous amounts of copy for a one-page ad. Just me, my Mom, and my thoughts. It was in this time away from design I realized a few things:

1. My family will always be more important than anything else

2. I worry too much about what others think about me and my designs

3. Life truly is about the journey (cliche, but true)

4. No one else is going to get it done for me, I’m going to have to do it myself

5. Stop following trends, there’s a reason they call them that

6. Think in terms of timelessness, not in terms of right now

7. Time to reach for what I want, and take any steps necessary to do so

we get caught up so easily with what we’re supposed to be doing instead of what we want to do

I know a lot of that may seem obvious, but we get caught up so easily with what we’re supposed to be doing instead of what we want to do. I took more trips this year, small one’s but trips nonetheless. I celebrated the little things more and stopped worrying about the little things as well. I played more with the dogs, took more walks, rode my bike and enjoyed the day. I really and truly changed. And I don’t plan on changing back…because it changed the way I approach life and design as well. It changed my purpose.

What is the Purpose?

Purpose can mean a lot of different things to many different people. But let’s talk about it in a design sense. What is design? Seems like a simple question to answer, but it’s not. To some it’s merely beautification. To others it is writing code. We could all probably come up with 100′s of different answers, but to me design is an experience. Shouldn’t we treat it like one? Whether you are writing beautifully semantic code, picking the perfect color combination or laying out the greatest book design ever, you are creating an experience for whoever uses/sees your finished product. We’re not just making something look cool or pretty. We’re delivering a message, and that message is conveyed through the experience of the design we created. That message can be anything, but it’s just that…a message. A conversation without verbalization.

1. What are we trying to say?

2. Are we saying it the right way?

3. Do they understand what we’re saying?

4. Are they experiencing the emotion we intended?

These are really the fundamental questions to creating a good design experience. Yes, yes I know…there’s grids, typography, color theory, C.R.A.P., hierarchy, balance etc. But in essence it’s as simple as creating an effective conversation, albeit conducted in about 3 seconds. We have to remember what the purpose behind our designs are. What our purpose is as designers. Are we trying to provoke thought? Are we advertising a product or service? Are we simply trying to make something pretty (to me that’s called art)? In the end it all comes down to whether or not we succeeded in creating the right experience. This is what I haven’t been able to get out of my head this year. I keep breaking it down, over and over again, with each piece of my work. It has made me more thoughtful, more deliberate and, in my mind, a much better designer. It’s made me more ambitious, more adaptable and aggressive for success in all aspects of my life (we all have our own ideas of what success is, but I won’t go into that right now).

What’s next?

With the new year knocking on our door, I plan to continue on this path. The path of creating experiences, not just creating. My life has changed this year without having to make a resolution to do so. I have no resolutions any more. I have no reservations either. Life is good, and getting better every day.

What are you planning for the new year? What do you consider design to be? How have you changed this year?