The Upside and The Challenges of the Design Profession
The design profession is one of the sectors that require constant updating and learning. It also gives designers a level of freedom of creativity, helping them create fresh looks to buildings, houses, and specific rooms of all sorts. However, working as a designer means having to bring satisfaction and fulfill all the needs of different clients. Designers, in fact, need to acquire a lot of information and know architectural elements, building codes, ergonomics, and many more. Being a designer also means dealing with new challenges, new people, new spaces and every other thing that can be associated with designing. Even though some projects may give designers complete design freedom, the design profession still presents a few challenges and has pros and cons in some instances.
Here are some of the pros and cons of the design profession:
Pros:
1.Wide scope and flexibility: The scope of work for design services is quite large. Experienced designers can provide very high-quality designs and incorporate all the latest trends in this fast-moving industry. Designers cover various projects in many areas and industries, such as residential, commercial, hospitality, and many more. They are also responsible for forming the layout, themes, and appearance of rooms, buildings, and even public and open spaces. On the other hand, many of the careers in the design sector offer a certain amount of flexibility when it comes to performing daily tasks, executing projects, and determining work hours. With design jobs, designers will also have more than one project on the go, which will allow designers to work with different clients and different departments, and keep things fresh and exciting on a daily basis.
2.Unleashed creativity: Design careers give designers the chance to use their creative skills as much as their technical knowledge. Designers can help transform spaces, buildings, and rooms into works of art, allowing them to do what they love and showcase signature designs that will be appreciated by a great many. Designers also get to enjoy the moments in which clients appreciate what they have created for them. And while designers have to deal with more tasks, such as balancing budgets and arranging installation schedules, their workload requires them to be visionary individuals who can see beyond and interpret the décor that already exists in a space.
3.Career development and advancement: Advancement and career development in the design industry relies on each designer. In fact, each designer who is self-employed has the sole power to move up in the design industry without having to impress a boss, as their clients are the only people that they have to worry about pleasing. Career development and advancement also depends on talent and experience, where designers can become supervisors in design studios, manufacturing firms, or design firms.
4.Better interaction: The design sector grants designers the opportunity to meet and interact with a variety of people, where designers will have the privilege of designing various designs for multiple clients, all while learning and getting to know their clients and creating something specifically for them.
5.Introducing trends: One of the best roles of designers is being able to introduce or create new trends, through which they can maintain a sense of timeless style. Designers don’t want their clients to feel that their space is outdated after a few months of settling in. Staying up to date, creating new trends and being able to tastefully introduce them is one of the greatest skills for designers to master.
6.Freelance or in-house: Choosing a career in the design field often gives the designer the luxury of choosing when and where they want to work. Designers who can work well without the structure of an office might really enjoy working as freelancers, where they would be able to set their own schedule and manage their own clients. However, designers can also work at agencies or in-house if they lean toward the more structured side of things. On the other hand, designers also have the option to combine the two, working from home or a coffee shop on some days, and going to the office on other days.
7.Fun and recreation: The work in the life of a designer is always fun. Shopping for new items and furnishings, planning for an already designed space, modifying the spaces so as to suit the clients needs, playing with colors, designing demos and designing someone’s dream house is what the job is all about.
8.Challenging clients: Working with people is considered a major part of the design field. Designers will always encounter difficult clients from all lifestyles and with various personalities who will push them to challenge themselves in order to deliver to the clients expectations. Designers must learn good people skills in order to succeed in the business and make difficult people happy. Some clients can also be easy-going, giving designers freedom and complete control over the project.
Cons:
1.Payments: Designers, especially those working as freelancers, set their own prices. Sometimes, designers will need to start small if they are not known in the market. This is why, until designers make a name for themselves, they might not be able to make much of a profit from the business, especially since the design business is a very competitive field.
2.Limited materials and budget: Materials are a very big part of the designing process. Sometimes, designers might find themselves limited by design materials and supplies, depending on the project’s location and the client’s budget. Designers have to stick with the client’s own personal project budget when planning what to purchase and the supplies that need to be used.
3.Stress: The design profession involves working long hours. Designers, although doing what they love, have to deal with challenging clients, deadlines, and exhaustion, which can prove to be a very stressful experience, as designers may need to shuffle their own tasks to complete the project in a timely manner. Additionally, coming up with new ideas for each client is no easy task either, as it will require a good deal of self-belief and self-confidence too.
As with all professions around the world, the career scope of designing is looking extremely promising for the future of designers, but the trick lies in the right practical exposure. However, just like all fields of work, the design profession has its own pros, including the ability to achieve career development, while interacting with clients and having fun, and cons, including dealing with stress and challenging clients.
