A few simple lessons
I found the Design Indaba Conference enlightening
and some speakers were truly wonderful and inspiring. There were several aspects or topics that consistently popped up through
the various talks. They are fairly simple, but they definitely reiterate facts
that we can act on. I hope this inspires you and serves as a reminder of
a few easy things that are within your mindset and reach.
Collaboration:
I love collaboration and I strongly
believe in it. There are several things that stop us from getting actively
involved in collaboration and the main one is fear. We are taught to compete
rather than partner with people. The right type of collaboration can be
life changing and in turn change your business.
Simplicity:
We always want to add more. People often think that the more complex something is – the more value for money they
receive. In a world where people are being consistently bombarded and overloaded, why not simplify things? Make it easy for clients to interact with you and your
business. We need to return to a state of simplicity, where we realise that
things can be beautifully uncomplicated, especially in design. Aesthetic is the
quest rather than unnecessary bells and whistles.
Design for people:
There is a resurrection of thinking
about the human element and how, we as people use and interact with things. I felt as if this was
a revelation, but in fact it’s so damn simple. Companies who design for their
end user rather than as a competitive process are the ones who succeed time and
again.
Prototyping within the design
process:
Often, we get so caught up on getting
things planned and figured out. We forget that there is room to just get
started and learn as we go. Planning is necessary, but often the best designs
are born from getting stuck in and being creative through trial and error.
This followed onto another poignant thought - creativity is messy.
Brilliance and the human mind:
I was so amazed by some of the speakers
and the sheer brilliance of their creativity. It made me realise that I’m not using
my own mind to its full capacity. Our brains are insanely fantastic and we need
to remember that. Use your mind, fuel it, appreciate it.
Turning challenges into opportunity:
Almost every creative who spoke had
faced challenges and the reason they stood before us was because they overcame
them. Some of the best products and advertising campaigns came from limited
budgets or other limiting entities. By being creative they came up with concepts that
won awards, changed lives and shaped communities. Challenges are not all bad –
in fact they make that brilliant mind of yours thrive.
Technology as a tool:
We have a love hate relationship with
technology. When things work we love it, when they don’t, we view it as the
downfall of our sanity. When you start viewing it for what it really is – a tool,
you can begin to once again realise why you use it for business.
I could have made this post go on for
days, but I thought I would be concise or as close as possible. Go out and make
today brilliant!