Designing is the most prestigious job in the entire world. It not only allows you to create stuff that will be used by million other people everyday but will also create a benchmark for the future products that will be inspired from today’s. However, the life of a designer is not as glamorous as many people think it is. It needs more than just skills to produce a work of art that will stand the test of times and influence everything on this planet.

Like our society, design is riddled with myths. Not all are harmful. Indeed, there is often a symbiotic relationship. Myths are also useful as a learning device in which the unintelligible is reduced to the intelligible, randomness to pattern. However, if we are striving, as designers, to gain understanding, then an awareness of the role of myth in design is essential. Myth in design is important because, in casting ideas into tangible forms, it affects the way we think and behave; it not only reflects our past and present, it can also determine our future.

It’s time to take a step back and reassess some of the myths and misconceptions circulating in the world of design. With our sword of truth and shield of keen analysis, we’ll begin to break the cycle of bad advice and free our minds from outmoded dogma.

We live today in a society that is riddled with myths, that we both use and are used by. Design both uses and is heavily influenced by myth, which has often underestimated effect on the way we think. Far from being a neutral, inoffensive artistic activity, design, by its very nature, has much more enduring effects than the ephemeral products of the media because it can cast ideas about who we are and how we should behave into permanent and tangible forms.

Here are a few myths in today’s world that I feel must be debunked.

Myth #1 : Creativity comes from birth

Creativity depends on a number of things: experience, including knowledge and technical skills; talent; an ability to think in new ways; and the capacity to push through uncreative dry spells. Intrinsic motivation — people who are turned on by their work often work creatively — is especially critical. I believe most people aren’t anywhere near to realising their creative potential, in part because they’re labouring in environments that impede intrinsic motivation.

Design is an attribute which doesn’t come just out of thin air and it is not a skill acquired from birth. It is a trait developed through constant dedication to who you are and what you do and from extreme hard work put in understanding and learning the principles of design and applying it effectively. Not every “designer” is able to produce outstanding designs just because he has a degree in applied or natural arts. Designing often requires the “designer” to consider the aesthetic, functional, and many other aspects of an object or a process, which usually requires considerable research, thought, modelling, interactive adjustment, and re-design.

Myth #2 : You are a designer only if you have completed a design course

This is certainly NOT true. In fact, if you look at the design community today, most of the designers are actually self taught and have not attended any sort of course remotely related to design and their talents/skills are beyond mundane imagination. A few of them actually do not belong to the domain of design(including myself). I know a few people who have majors in psychology and are extremely talented designers. If you have the passion for what you do and what you love, you can achieve anything. Having a passion to become a great designer and produce impressive artworks is really helpful as it keeps you motivated and inspires you to work harder and better and eventually producing great results.

“People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who actually do.” – Steve Jobs

So, if your goals are set straight and if your ship is pointed in the right direction, you will succeed no matter what. It might take time and a lot of sacrifices, but you will get there, eventually. Every one is creative, you just need to unravel your depths of creativity by constantly thinking, being curios and conceptualising ideas.

Myth #3 : Once you finish your design course, you have successfully mastered the principles of design

Many of us think design is a fairly easy endeavour. Just because you have ‘successfully’ completed a course on design at your university doesn’t mean you have the necessary skills to tackle the real world where design is the forefront of every innovation. It needs more than just a couple of university degrees to actually understand the design problems in the real world today. You need to nurture your creativity and talent through experiences, downfalls and experiments. You need to take risks, make mistakes and learn from them.

Some people assume whoever is working as a designer or has received a design education is naturally a design thinker. That’s not true. It is like saying anyone who is a graduate from a business school with an MBA is naturally a strategic thinker. Just because you are a MBA degree holder, doesn’t necessarily mean you will become a successful CEO of a company. Being a scion demands more than just academic expertise. It needs you to understand your customers and resonate with your clients.

So what makes a good designer? What makes a strategic thinker? Design is not just the domain of designers. Design (beyond form and function) encompasses a broader set of influences and is (should be) part of any complex decision making process. Designing for Social Change; Designing for Business Transformation; Design for New Organization Structure; Design for Social Participation; and Design for Strategic Agility etc. Most of these are beyond the training of designers and many great traditional industrial design companies. Designing is no more about just designing a cute logo or poster or chair.

Myth #4 : If you know Photoshop, you are a designer

Many people just follow tutorials blindly on the Internet, do some stuff on Photoshop and finally decide for themselves that they are full fledged designers. NO!… Just because you know how to do some tricks in Photoshop, Illustrator or any other software, doesn’t mean you are a designer. Designing needs much more than just knowing how to use these tools. It requires you to understand the purpose behind designing something. Having the right tools for a job is important, but using a tool without the skill, knowledge and experience to back it up only leads to inferior work.

In the world of design, sketching is nearly as important as your final product. It clearly delineates how your design took its birth.

“Who needs pen and paper! Let me directly jump into Photoshop and start designing!”.

Those are the words of an irresponsible designer. Sketching is very important because this where ideas take birth and evolve. Sketching can take different forms from doodling to brain storming. In a broader sense it comprises  everything that doesn’t involve the use of a machine/tool to aid you completely while you sit there and click your mouse buttons.

Myth #5 : Code contributes the least to a good design

A good (web)design product is a result of an amazing design work and also a flawless coding in the backend. Also, I think there are many coders out there who probably feel that design always gets the majority of the attention.This is definitely a bad thought. Design and Code are like Yin and Yang. There is absolutely no harmony if both of them do not co-exist. They equally contribute to a great design and are responsible for the design to serve its purpose. However, many designers think that coding is a ‘developer’s’ job and is totally not related to designer’s job. In realilty, there is no clear distinction between a designer and a coder. If you want to be a good designer, you pretty much have to learn coding, as it just makes you more valuable and independent.

The other side of the story is, many people think that designers can’t ‘do’ technical stuff, that developers build ugly sites, or that print designers can’t ‘do’ web design. This may have been true during the earlier years but most ceratinly not today. We are now in an evolving industry where each side has grown together in perfect harmony. Successful projects are usually built by designers and developers that co-exist, knowing more – not less – about each other’s disciplines.”

Myth #6 : A designer’s job is very easy

Well, unfortunately it’s NOT. It’s not a game, and it’s definitely not a joke. Designers work long hours, under extremely tight deadlines, for demanding clients. We are expected to do design work, customer service, accounting, and sales. To be honest,  we are the ultimate multi-taskers, working on several projects at once , and we are expected to constantly come up with fresh creative ideas. Any designer who owns their own firm has all of the responsibilities of any other company owner. Just because the end product might be clever or beautiful, that doesn’t mean that a lot of hard work, sweat, and tears weren’t sacrificed for that end result. If you love design, you should do it.

A designer’s job is filled with challenges, risks and failures. Success without taking risks is impossible. Mistakes are a part and parcel in the process of achieving extraordinary results. A good designer is not taken apart by such mistakes, rather he learns from it. Gain wisdom from your own mistakes and use this to accelerate self-improvement. Learning from mistakes along with risk taking are very essential to be a success designer. The important thing is to view mistakes as a useful stepping stone to a higher reality and better outlook on life.

Myth #7 : Design is transparent

The word ‘transparent’ takes a different meaning in this context compared to the quote,  ” Good design is obvious, great design is transparent.”

“Design is only prevalent in good websites, posters, typography work and other digital art forms.” This is one of biggest misconceptions in the community today. To be honest, Design is everywhere. It is at the heart of every structure, every product, every thing that has a shape and which works. Design plays a very vital role in everything we use and perceive, and is prevalent in the very fabric of our lives. Design is that which lays the foundation for making an object or an artwork. Design in something which sends out a similar message to a wide range of audience because it was intended to serve just the purpose for which it was created.

Design is at the core of every commercial activity and perhaps at the core of every innovation. Every endeavour that connects the customer to the company and every process inside an organisation is heavily influenced by design. Design is demonstrating how beautiful something can be. Design is a way of changing life and influencing the future.

Myth #8 : Every client is EVIL and knows nothing

This is one of the biggest and most widely perpetuated myth I have come across. There are inumerable articles that explain why your client sucks when it comes to design. Well, most of the times, it may be true but you have to consider the fact that your client’s goals and objectives are a bit different from yours. If you ask a designer what makes a good design, they’ll rattle off a list of impressive sounding terms: good contrast, effective use of type, good use of white space, logical hierarchy and so on. However, if you ask a client, they’ll tell you one thing – it needs to increase sales.

For some designers, that is a hard pill to swallow. You may think your design totally kicks ass but if the market says otherwise, you failed. By failed, I don’t mean artistically, I mean failed in not meeting the goals of the client. You client doesn’t care about your design theories – this is a business, and businesses must make money or die. Make your clients money and they will take you very seriously. This is certainly true in the corporate world we live in today and there is nothing wrong in it. This is how one needs to look into if he/she has to improve the company. As a designer, we have different stand points of view but instead of throwing bashful comments on your clients and hating them internally, it is best to educate them about the current trends/standards and let them know that you are an expert at what you do and he is an expert at his job.

If things go out of control and if your client ticks your ‘Patience Radar’, then you start to think about your role! Until then, learn and let learn :)

Myth #9 : Your design is always right

One of the biggest weaknesses of many designers is their ego. Most of the times, we are filled with so much self esteem that we think we are always right. This is one of the biggest misconceptions that could make our career take a disastrous U-turn. One of the traits of a being a good designer is to be open to any sort of criticism (good and bad). Unless you value your peer’s opinions, you will never improve and most certainly, never succeed.

“Have no fear of perfection, you will never reach it.” – Salvador Dali

Many young designers are impervious to criticism egos. You cannot blame them because you couldn’t succeed as a designer without it. The problem is that with a lack of experience and real-world knowledge, that ego needs to be kept in check to really succeed and to avoid all these other myths. I think it’s the toughest part to overcome; to know your actual worth, stick up for it, and not let an inflated self-idealized persona take over. You just can’t be successful as a designer if you don’t take the time to listen to your clients. They know what they want and they are paying the bill, so most of the time, that makes them right!

So, strive for improvement rather than perfection.

Myth #10 : You can ‘teach” design to anyone

What gets me is when someone think that design is so “easy” that they actually ask me to teach them how to design. There is nothing wrong in asking someone to teach design but one must also look into the fact that it is not as easy as teaching a kid learn how to ride a bicycle or perhaps water the garden. Many of my friends ask me to teach them Photoshop so that they can learn everything there is to know about design and start designing posters, websites and other stuff. It takes many years to understand and embrace the beauty in design and to become a good designer. However, I feel it is possible through very, very hard work to learn how to design, but the results vary by individual.

Myth #11 : It takes only a few minutes to design a logo and couple more to establish the brand

Not only do clients not understand the time it takes to do any type of design work, but friends and family have a hard time with this as well. People will look at a logo and say, THIS is what you’ve been working on for the last three weeks?!?! Nobody realizes that it took 200 designs to get to the final product.

So many students live with the belief that they will start their own multi-million dollar company the day after they graduate. I’ve seen many graduates gathering their friends and designing business cards so they can all partner up and rake in the money. Now, I’m not saying that it hasn’t been done, or that it’s impossible. But, I am saying that it is highly unlikely that you will go straight from the classroom to owner of your own company with no prior experience. And, it’s not smart to assume so.

You do learn a lot in school. But, you don’t learn half of the things that you’ll need to know to run a company. Those are things that you learn on the job. You’re not going to learn how to deal with clients, how to handle contracts, estimates, and billing, or how to hire illustrators and printers at school. You’re not going have a network of reliable people right out of school. You’re not going to know how to run a meeting, how to set up a conference call, or how to keep track of hundreds of open jobs. It is important that you build a foundation for yourself with professional experience before you venture off on your own.

If you’re hoping to start your own design business someday, try to find a job in a smaller company where you can have your hands in many departments. You’ll learn a lot that way. If you have the patience, work for a few different companies so that you can see that there are different ways to run a successful firm. Start building your freelance clientele, make sure you have some savings, figure out your taxes, get your insurance and a retirement plan in order, and THEN take the leap and start your own company. The road will be much easier this way, and much more likely to end in success.

Myth #12 : Design is about making a website look good

Many people regard web design as decoration; the art of making a website look good. However, design is more about how something works than how it looks. Design is about both form and function. In contrast with art, good design is not only visually and emotionally appealing but is made for use. The goal of design is to efficiently solve problems. Design is based on the understanding of how users see the world, how they think and behave. And the toolset of the designer is broader than just colors and font-styles, as it also includes user-research, prototyping, usability testing, and more.

Myth #13 : A good design is a result of 10% YOU and 90% computer

Sometimes, we all forget that a true design process starts in our brains and we then transform it onto a paper. All of us have been “blessed” with a few awesome digital imaging tools in the computer that we have forgotten about drawing, with our hand. If you ask any good designer, he will most certainly justify that sketching alone gives birth to a great design. Once you have the sketch ready, you can use Photoshop or any other similar tools to enhance your idea and bring it to life.

I can’t believe how many people have told me they want to do something themselves so they’re planning on buying and learning Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop or whatever. Somehow they think that because we work on computers, the computer does all the work. The knowledge we gained during all those years we spent learning about typography, design, usability, HTML, CSS, marketing, etc. are supposed to be magically included in a program’s feature set. This is certainly not true. Computers are mere tools to help you fasten up your process and hold least contribution in the development of your product/design. Unless you put a lot of effort and use your head, you will end up nowhere even if you own a supercomputer!

Myth #14 : You’re A Designer?… Will You Help Me Fix My computer?

One of the most annoying facts about being a designer geek is that people start to assume you know everything if you know how to use Photoshop. Not everyone will get exactly what your job is. You are a designer, you probably work with Photoshop or some other graphic editing program, and you create digital, artisitc graphics, but that does not mean you know everything else. Just because you are a designer, people might overestimate your abilities with other things like web development or a different field of graphic design. You, as the designer might also overestimate your abilities with other fields of similar fields, but remember all the work you’ve put into becoming a designer, and know that for all the other fields, it takes just as much!

Myth #15 : Flash is EVIL

This comes from Flash overuse during the days of slow bandwidth. Flash is also used for annoying adverts, so when people picture Flash they see ads. But what they don’t see is that with the help of Flash you can deliver rich content to pretty much everyone, offering great perks over HTML. And without Flash, there’d be no YouTube – so how can Flash be evil?

In the earlier years of the internet, many web designers preferred overusing Flash animations, ignoring users with slow internet connections or without Flash player. These early implementations often neglected basic usability principles, too, therefore the whole technology was criticized for being unusable and inaccessible. Flash technology has improved a lot since: it is now SEO friendly, has rich accessibility features and even supports the use of the browser’s back button. Most users have no problems with Flash itself, suffice to mention the popularity of online video sharing sites.
However, there are still a lot of poorly designed Flash sites and the technology has several limitations, so you should always consider whether it’s the optimal choice for your design.

Myth # 16 : Freelancing is as easy as a walk in the park

Freelancing is one of the most courageous thing a designer can do in his/her profession. This is because, most of the times, freelancing doesn’t guarantee expected results and you must work extremely hard promoting yourself and your portfolio to make sure your works are recognized and you get design contracts. This is a calculated risk many designers take. However, if you are a budding designer and have graduated fresh out of school and still searching for a job, freelancing is probably a wiser option as it lets you experience the real world for the time being.

Also, if you are planning to freelance, you must have enough money bundled up to able to sustain your requirements and needs for the next 6 months or so. It is not easy to get clients when you are starting up because there are some many talented web designers out there why should someone new instead hire you instead? This is not to scare you or anything but just to give you an idea on how to get ready if you plan to become a freelancer.

But there is definitely a bright side to this. Being a freelancer has its own advantages, like :

• You can be your own boss. Nobody will nag or breath down on your neck for finishing projects (But you have to responsible be yourself)

• You have no serious schedules, no proper deadlines. You can take a slow and steady path in your creative process.

• You get to do creative work constantly, like logo design, print work and many more and no one questions you.

• You can deny a project or website if you do not like it, whereas if you are working in a firm you are required to do any project you are given

Myth # 17 : Using Comic Sans makes you a horrible designer

Comic Sans is unique: used the world over, it’s a typeface that doesn’t really want to be type. It looks homely and handwritten, something perfect for things we deem to be fun and liberating. Great for the awnings of toyshops, less good on news websites or on gravestones and the sides of ambulances.
But why, more than any other font, has Comic Sans inspired so much revulsion?

Partly because its ubiquity has led to such misuse (or at least to uses far beyond its original intentions). And partly because it is so irritably simple, so apparently written by a small child. Helvetica is everywhere and simple too, but it usually has the air of modern Swiss sophistication about it, or at least corporate authority. Comic Sans just smirks at you, and begs to be printed in multiple colours. Perhaps the most comic thing about Comic Sans is that it was never designed as a font for common use. It was intended merely as a perfect solution to a small corporate problem.

So, there is nothing wrong in using Comic Sans in the right places for the right occasions but if you use them inappropriately, you will find yourself banging your head against the walls. So, be wise with your typography. The fact is, being a designer, you wont be using Comic Sans anywhere. Will you? :)

So, what do you think?

Do you think you have the same thoughts too? Does any other myths strike your mind that needs immediate attention. Please share them with us. Let us help build a better community of designers.

Sources and useful articles on design:

1) UX Myths

2) Net Mag – Exploding the myths of Web Design

3) Creative Opera – 8 Design myths

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