As designers we are outsiders. The norm is the middle lane. But we want to make things better. To change the direction of travel. To advocate for something different.
Choosing to be a designer is choosing to step outside. To take a different perspective. To go against the grain in order to see what might be possible.
And all that takes work. So if design feels hard, it may be because of the extra work we are having to swim in a different direction. But unless someone is prepared to take that risk, then we’ll all carry on heading the same way.
Here’s the tricky part: we are also insiders.
That’s because we need to earn the right to work with the people we are designing with and for.
Being an insider means we are trusted and that we are in an empathetic relationship with the people we are seeking to influence.
Just as being an outsider takes work, so does the trust and empathy building process of being an insider. But if we can’t convince people to move with us, our ideas may be good for nothing.
[This post was originally two separate posts on Eiffelover.com published on 1st and 2nd October 2024]