I want to learn about design, I thought to myself, excitedly. I was interested in why some things feel better to use than others – why do some tools feel like a delight, while others feel rough around the edges? What makes an effective tool? What makes a tool a delight to use? How do I make a tool that feels like a delight?
I asked a designer I know if I could sit down with them to ask a few questions about how to get started in design. I was curious, but not quite sure how to begin. This was a familiar feeling: excitement mixed with overwhelm.
In the coming hour, my friend walked through how he approaches design projects. I asked questions. I love the opportunity to ask questions; this is one of the limitations of tutorials. Of all the things we discussed, one piece of advice stood out: take note of the things that you like. Collect the designs that you find interesting. This piece of advice, “simple” as it may seem, made me feel empowered. I can do that! I was already doing that a bit: looking at things and thinking about why I liked them.
I left that conversation with confidence that I could learn more; that design wasn’t an entirely different world.
I felt the same way about front-end web development, too. Earlier this year, I knew the basics of HTML and CSS, but I had no understanding of many of the modern technologies I could use. I knew grid existed, but I had no experience with its use. Then came Front End Study Hall, in which I learned about many technologies and how to think about them.
Kristof’s contribution to the IndieWeb Carnival theme of Impact this month ends with a prescient sentiment:
Everyone should be aware at all times that they can be the impetus, the butterfly for something positive in someone else’s life.
Helping someone learn something new can make the difference between them feeling overwhelmed and feeling excited and empowered. The confidence of I can do this makes all the difference.
In kind, I want to share a message with you: Your voice matters. I have been thinking about this a lot in the context of blogs. Why should I start a website? Because your voice matters. The web is a platform where you can express yourself. You can find community. You can make things without relying on corporate platforms if you work on a personal website.
This morning, after my cup of coffee, I started reading blogs and, with each one, I felt resonance on different subjects.
Nick’s commentary on the use of design tools made me feel more comfortable for designing in the browser instead of using a design tool first. I find the former more intuitive. I think that matters for where I am in in my learning, at the earlier stage where the feeling of building something and experimenting with the raw tools of the web is essential for building foundational skills.
A blog post on “Simple rules > complex systems”, written by Annie, helped me build conviction over a proposition I have had in my head of the value of simple heuristics. I made the connection of how this applies to my work in web search, where simple heuristics have helped me get a long way and the alternative – an incredibly complex system – would probably take the fun away from what is for me a passion project.
Each of these blog posts had an impact on my morning. Instead of going to put Frasier on in the background, I decided to write a blog post. I knew I had something to say and, with every voice and every word and every story, I was able to refine that into the blog post above. Every blog post has the potential to be someone’s butterfly; the thing that inspires them to do another thing – the words that give someone the confidence to make something new or learn a new skill or weave a story into words.
