The Challenges of Designing as an Intangible Profession

Design is an intangible craft. While designers put in hours of diligent work perfecting their craft, the value of that labor is often invisible to clients and potential customers. This mismatch between the effort involved and public perception poses real challenges for professionals in the field. Through open communication and creative problem-solving, however, designers can help educate others on their process while still earning a fair wage.

Recognizing the Design Process

Quality user experience design takes time, research, and iterations. Rushing a project for a low-cost “quick sketch” often means the designer can’t adequately define problems or propose optimal solutions. When the design thinking process is shortened or skipped, clients may end up with a subpar outcome that fails to meet their true goals. To counter spec work, designers must clearly articulate all that goes into properly scoping, researching, prototyping, and refining a project. Only with full understanding can clients appreciate the value of a designer’s specialized expertise.

Establishing Worth Beyond Speculation

The proliferation of crowdsourcing platforms and free work has devalued the profession for some. While casual hobbyists may happily spend a few hours on impromptu designs, professionals rely on design as their livelihood. To earn living wages, designers must prove the advantages of a thorough, considered approach over speedy speculation. Sharing development documentation and long-term case studies highlighting impact can help clients recognize quality, client-centered design strategy that enhances brands and businesses for the long haul. Designers who refuse to compromise on standards and outcomes will attract discerning clients willing to invest accordingly.

Outshining the Competition Through Skill

When experience and training separate amateurs from design experts, clients naturally gravitate toward stronger solutions. Continuing education in areas like user interface design, technology, business, and market trends helps professionals stay ahead of the curve. Building an impressive portfolio highlighting complex, multifaceted projects establishes credibility that casual creators can’t match. Partnerships with other specialists in fields like development, marketing, and consulting create opportunities for high-level, holistic solutions beyond the scope of generalists. With superior skills, connections, and client results, professional designers can thrive despite free or low-cost alternatives.

Inspiring Clients Through Process Documentation

Seeing the iterative process firsthand helps explain design’s true value to clients. Documenting each project stage through detailed logs, photosets, videos, or online project boards grants clients a behind-the-scenes look at critical thinking, experimentation, testing, and refinement. Case studies highlighting measurable pre- and post-project impacts like increased sales, higher quality leads, or improved brand metrics transform abstract work into tangible benefits. Interactive progress reports keep clients invested throughout, building excitement for the final product while preventing last-minute scope changes that compromise quality. Transparency fosters appreciation and repeat business from informed clients.

Educating to shift Industry Norms

While individual effort shapes client relationships, changing public perception requires a systematic approach. Design organizations promoting professional standards and ethics advocate for fair compensation industry-wide. Conferences and publications spread knowledge of design’s strategic, problem-solving nature. University programs ground aspiring designers in rigorous theory and practice. By promoting design as a skilled vocation rather than casual hobby, these efforts raise expectations of both practitioners and consumers. Shifting societal views of the field helps protect professionals from unrealistic demands while attracting qualified candidates who respect design’s true requirements of time, budget, and expertise. A more informed future bodes well for the sustainable success of the profession. Overall, the intangible nature of design presents real challenges to earning fair compensation for skilled work. However, through open communication of process, documentation of impactful results, and collective efforts to educate the public, professionals can overcome misperceptions and gain the trust and support of savvy clients. With patience, creative solutions, and a commitment to excellence, designers dedicated to their craft will thrive regardless of amateur competition or industry headwinds.