I have some esoteric and wide interests, particularly in history. I am currently reading a book I quite enjoy on the history of trees in the United States, starting in about 1650.
Scott Berkun has three skills designers underrate themselves in:
If we can spend hours reading about the 16th-century French history behind the beloved font Garamond, or studying the details of the design prototypes Jonathan Ives made to create the first iPhone, we have the rare capacity to discover and digest layers of complex information for practical use in solving problems.
On translation:
Someone who explains things clearly, including through insightful sketches, diagrams, or metaphors, has tremendous value. Explainers help people make sense of each other. Designers are often shy about their ability to explain things, but typically we’re better at this than other professionals, since our work is rooted in communication (even visual design is rooted in semiotics, the study of symbols and their meaning). If we can be curious about our coworkers’ perspectives, objectives, and frustrations, we can be translators.
The third is curiosity.
I have, for some time, struggled to ascertain why some of my students seemed to struggle more with some assignments. “The lack of curiosity” nails it, every time.
