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Designers Need More Than Designers
Designers Need More Than Designers
Designers Need More Than Designers
I’m a designer saying this: we spend too much time around people just like us.
I’m a designer saying this: we spend too much time around people just like us.
I’m a designer saying this: we spend too much time around people just like us.
There’s nothing wrong with designers. We’re thoughtful, creative, and usually great to work with. But when most of our conversations stay inside the design bubble, something important gets missed. Every hour spent discussing fonts, components, and Figma shortcuts is an hour not spent understanding the people and systems our work actually serves.
There’s nothing wrong with designers. We’re thoughtful, creative, and usually great to work with. But when most of our conversations stay inside the design bubble, something important gets missed. Every hour spent discussing fonts, components, and Figma shortcuts is an hour not spent understanding the people and systems our work actually serves.
There’s nothing wrong with designers. We’re thoughtful, creative, and usually great to work with. But when most of our conversations stay inside the design bubble, something important gets missed. Every hour spent discussing fonts, components, and Figma shortcuts is an hour not spent understanding the people and systems our work actually serves.
Many designers are comfortable staying quiet, heads down, perfecting their craft. That personality trait is common in our field. But it becomes a limitation when your job is to design for the real world — for users, businesses, markets, constraints, and messy human behavior.
Many designers are comfortable staying quiet, heads down, perfecting their craft. That personality trait is common in our field. But it becomes a limitation when your job is to design for the real world — for users, businesses, markets, constraints, and messy human behavior.
Many designers are comfortable staying quiet, heads down, perfecting their craft. That personality trait is common in our field. But it becomes a limitation when your job is to design for the real world — for users, businesses, markets, constraints, and messy human behavior.
That’s also why you constantly hear the same advice:
That’s also why you constantly hear the same advice:
That’s also why you constantly hear the same advice:
“Do more user research.”
“Test your designs.”
“Talk to customers.”
“Do more user research.”
“Test your designs.”
“Talk to customers.”
“Do more user research.”
“Test your designs.”
“Talk to customers.”
It’s not criticism. It’s a signal.
It’s not criticism. It’s a signal.
It’s not criticism. It’s a signal.
It means our understanding is often incomplete.
It means our understanding is often incomplete.
It means our understanding is often incomplete.
Design is not about creating screens in isolation. It’s about translating reality into usable solutions. And reality doesn’t live inside design tools. It lives with users, support teams, sales calls, revenue targets, failed experiments, and operational constraints.
Design is not about creating screens in isolation. It’s about translating reality into usable solutions. And reality doesn’t live inside design tools. It lives with users, support teams, sales calls, revenue targets, failed experiments, and operational constraints.
Design is not about creating screens in isolation. It’s about translating reality into usable solutions. And reality doesn’t live inside design tools. It lives with users, support teams, sales calls, revenue targets, failed experiments, and operational constraints.
Creativity doesn’t only come from visual exploration. It comes from spotting patterns others miss. From connecting dots between business problems, user frustrations, technical limitations, and market opportunities.
Creativity doesn’t only come from visual exploration. It comes from spotting patterns others miss. From connecting dots between business problems, user frustrations, technical limitations, and market opportunities.
Creativity doesn’t only come from visual exploration. It comes from spotting patterns others miss. From connecting dots between business problems, user frustrations, technical limitations, and market opportunities.
But you can’t connect dots you’ve never seen.
But you can’t connect dots you’ve never seen.
But you can’t connect dots you’ve never seen.
Exposure Is a Design Skill
Exposure Is a Design Skill
Exposure Is a Design Skill
Becoming a better designer is less about mastering new tools and more about widening what you’re exposed to.
Becoming a better designer is less about mastering new tools and more about widening what you’re exposed to.
Becoming a better designer is less about mastering new tools and more about widening what you’re exposed to.
That exposure can come from many places:
That exposure can come from many places:
That exposure can come from many places:
• Sitting with Product Managers to understand why certain problems matter more than others
• Talking to engineers about what’s realistic and what’s fragile
• Listening to customer support calls
• Joining sales conversations or demo reviews
• Reading industry reports
• Exploring competing products
• Following how startups in different domains solve similar problems
• Even browsing through GPT use cases or breakdowns on YouTube
• Sitting with Product Managers to understand why certain problems matter more than others
• Talking to engineers about what’s realistic and what’s fragile
• Listening to customer support calls
• Joining sales conversations or demo reviews
• Reading industry reports
• Exploring competing products
• Following how startups in different domains solve similar problems
• Even browsing through GPT use cases or breakdowns on YouTube
• Sitting with Product Managers to understand why certain problems matter more than others
• Talking to engineers about what’s realistic and what’s fragile
• Listening to customer support calls
• Joining sales conversations or demo reviews
• Reading industry reports
• Exploring competing products
• Following how startups in different domains solve similar problems
• Even browsing through GPT use cases or breakdowns on YouTube
Each of these adds a new lens.
Each of these adds a new lens.
Each of these adds a new lens.
Imagine spending one lunch break just discussing product strategy with your PM. You’ll probably walk away with insights no design critique could give you.
Imagine spending one lunch break just discussing product strategy with your PM. You’ll probably walk away with insights no design critique could give you.
Imagine spending one lunch break just discussing product strategy with your PM. You’ll probably walk away with insights no design critique could give you.
Now imagine listening to your sales team describe objections they hear every day. Or your support team explain why users get stuck.
Now imagine listening to your sales team describe objections they hear every day. Or your support team explain why users get stuck.
Now imagine listening to your sales team describe objections they hear every day. Or your support team explain why users get stuck.
That knowledge rarely shows up in design files — but it should shape every important decision inside them.
That knowledge rarely shows up in design files — but it should shape every important decision inside them.
That knowledge rarely shows up in design files — but it should shape every important decision inside them.
Design Doesn’t Live in Isolation
Design Doesn’t Live in Isolation
Design Doesn’t Live in Isolation
We don’t work in a static environment. Every product exists inside a moving system shaped by companies, markets, competitors, customer expectations, and technical constraints. Design decisions are always influenced by forces beyond the screen.
We don’t work in a static environment. Every product exists inside a moving system shaped by companies, markets, competitors, customer expectations, and technical constraints. Design decisions are always influenced by forces beyond the screen.
We don’t work in a static environment. Every product exists inside a moving system shaped by companies, markets, competitors, customer expectations, and technical constraints. Design decisions are always influenced by forces beyond the screen.
Strong design is not only about expressing ideas clearly. It is also about absorbing what is happening around you and letting real-world context shape those ideas.
Strong design is not only about expressing ideas clearly. It is also about absorbing what is happening around you and letting real-world context shape those ideas.
Strong design is not only about expressing ideas clearly. It is also about absorbing what is happening around you and letting real-world context shape those ideas.
When designers talk only to other designers, the result is usually refined and visually strong work. It looks good, feels consistent, and follows best practices.
When designers talk only to other designers, the result is usually refined and visually strong work. It looks good, feels consistent, and follows best practices.
When designers talk only to other designers, the result is usually refined and visually strong work. It looks good, feels consistent, and follows best practices.
But when designers actively engage with the rest of the organization, the work becomes effective. It starts solving the right problems, not just presenting them nicely.
But when designers actively engage with the rest of the organization, the work becomes effective. It starts solving the right problems, not just presenting them nicely.
But when designers actively engage with the rest of the organization, the work becomes effective. It starts solving the right problems, not just presenting them nicely.
That difference matters.
That difference matters.
That difference matters.
Design combined with more design often leads to beautiful execution.
Design combined with more design often leads to beautiful execution.
Design combined with more design often leads to beautiful execution.
Design combined with real-world exposure leads to meaningful outcomes.
Design combined with real-world exposure leads to meaningful outcomes.
Design combined with real-world exposure leads to meaningful outcomes.
You might notice that some designers repeatedly come up with better solutions. Not just cleaner interfaces, but stronger product decisions that move the business and help users in practical ways.
You might notice that some designers repeatedly come up with better solutions. Not just cleaner interfaces, but stronger product decisions that move the business and help users in practical ways.
You might notice that some designers repeatedly come up with better solutions. Not just cleaner interfaces, but stronger product decisions that move the business and help users in practical ways.
That consistency is rarely just about talent.
That consistency is rarely just about talent.
That consistency is rarely just about talent.
It comes from knowing more than what design tools or critiques can offer.
It comes from knowing more than what design tools or critiques can offer.
It comes from knowing more than what design tools or critiques can offer.
They have listened to more people. They have seen more projects fail. They have understood more viewpoints across teams, users, and industries.
They have listened to more people. They have seen more projects fail. They have understood more viewpoints across teams, users, and industries.
They have listened to more people. They have seen more projects fail. They have understood more viewpoints across teams, users, and industries.
And over time, that understanding compounds into better judgment.
And over time, that understanding compounds into better judgment.
And over time, that understanding compounds into better judgment.
Final Thought
Final Thought
Final Thought
If you want your work to truly matter, don’t focus only on improving your pixels.
If you want your work to truly matter, don’t focus only on improving your pixels.
If you want your work to truly matter, don’t focus only on improving your pixels.
Focus on improving your inputs.
Focus on improving your inputs.
Focus on improving your inputs.
Your creativity grows in direct proportion to what you are exposed to.
Your creativity grows in direct proportion to what you are exposed to.
Your creativity grows in direct proportion to what you are exposed to.
And meaningful exposure is built through people, not tools.
And meaningful exposure is built through people, not tools.
And meaningful exposure is built through people, not tools.
Step outside the design room more often.
Step outside the design room more often.
Step outside the design room more often.
That is where real product thinking begins.
That is where real product thinking begins.
That is where real product thinking begins.
Want to work together?
Feel free to reach out for collaborations, inquiries, or just to say hello.
Want to work together?
Feel free to reach out for collaborations, inquiries, or just to say hello.
Want to work together?
Feel free to reach out for collaborations, inquiries, or just to say hello.
Let's Be Friends
Feel Free to Hit Me Up!
I always enjoyed product discussions and If you’re a startup founder or PM/Growth person and interested to chat! Hit me up on any social media platforms.
Crafted with ❤️ on Framer, All Rights Reserved © 2025 Guruprakash.
Let's Be Friends
Feel Free to Hit Me Up!
I always enjoyed product discussions and If you’re a startup founder or PM/Growth person and interested to chat! Hit me up on any social media platforms.
Crafted with ❤️ on Framer, All Rights Reserved © 2025 Guruprakash.
Let's Be Friends
Feel Free to Hit Me Up!
I always enjoyed product discussions and If you’re a startup founder or PM/Growth person and interested to chat! Hit me up on any social media platforms.
Crafted with ❤️ on Framer
All Rights Reserved © 2025 Guruprakash.