The secret to being a great designer is…

Simply noticing. Watch, listen, and react. So many designers today get hung up on the visual attractiveness of their work and assess themselves based on how many likes a dribbble shot receives. The real differentiator of a good designer from an exceptionally great one is the ability to passively observe before committing to taking action.

During a client meeting, the good designer will start to mentally brainstorm ideas about what the UI and interaction of the app could feel like as the client explains what they want the app to be. A great designer, however, will watch first — watch the body language of the client, the attitude of the client towards the project, what their real reason for even wanting the app is, and how the different stakeholders feel about it.

This gives the great designer a huge leg up — he now knows what to do in order to impress the client. Just noticing the overall vibe of the meeting and asking the right questions can help immensely in gauging the excitement level and concerns of everyone involved in the project. Meanwhile, the good designer is busy looking for inspiration online and sketching out ideas for wireframing.

The good designer makes what the client asked for, and makes it well. The great designer, however, creates what the client wants. By observing cues and picking out hints during conversation and online interactions, the great designer is able to get to the crux of what the client really wanted to get out of the engagement, and is able to deliver on it.

Tony Fadell once said “The secret to great design is simply noticing,” while referring to badly designed products that we come across in everyday life but tend to ignore due to habituation over time (and with age). This applies to humans too. In the end, we’re not just designing for our end-users. We’re designing for our clients as well. Balancing the two is a tricky task which you will only get better at over time.

At least now, you’re conscious of it. Don’t be so hasty to rush into visual design. That’s the easy stuff. Instead, try to focus on what problems you’re going to be solving. Take your time and spend as much time with the people you’re designing for. Really get to know them and get a feel for their likes and dislikes. This will not only allow you create products that they will be delighted and satisfied by, but will also open up a whole world of possibilities for your future career advancement — as you will be able to understand and cater to the demands of humans on a deep level. Very few people in the world can peer into the minds of others and understand what they want. Having the ability to do that gives you an incredible amount of leverage in life, which can only help you in the long run.