Why building credibility is a critical part of growing as a designer
How to Influence without Authority, the Soft Skills that Will Advance Your Career
There is a hidden barrier, ~4–5 years into a Designer’s career, that often influences your career trajectory.
Around this time, most designers realize that creating a great User Experience is more than just following directions: it’s about influencing people to make the right decision.
After all, it doesn’t matter how well-designed a solution is if your stakeholders don’t want to use and build it. In the words of Jeff White, former UX lead at Amazon:
UX Designers need to do two things really well:
1. Design good stuff
2. Get people to agree it’s goodThat’s it.
That’s the job. — Jeff White
When you encounter this, you realize your communication skills, which you might have neglected, become critical in influencing stakeholders to create a great User Experience.
