I have been associated with various companies be it Product based, IT or a design studio. And, being a part of Marketing team, I always got chance to work closely with designers and I suppose my love and fascination for design stems from there.
Over the years, I have been talking to lot of designers across domains and have observed design departments; this is my observation of why a designer is always happier in a dedicated design studio’s.
Industry is still at a nascent stage, but, is booming with a speed of light. The demand for designing digital experiences across industries is becoming critical and is considered as the foundation for business success. The good news is that designing is not domain specific and everyone needs the service who are exploring the digital world; we are sure that in today’s era it’s impossible to not have an online presence, so, basically everyone needs the service. No wonder, UX/ UI designer jobs are ranked among the top 10 hottest job in a survey by LinkedIn.
Almost close to 90% design studios are in their early phase and have cool culture. The teams are small and are closely knit group that work crazy hours along with loads of parties and celebrations. And, if you are working for the renowned ones, you would be extremely lucky to gain design experience in different industries.
This is one place where you would learn and grow like no place and that is a promise. If you are working for product company or IT industry, you are stuck with designing one bit or gain exposure only in one of the steps of designing. But, in a dedicated studio you get different projects from various industries and you would also get involved in complete designing, adding immense value and expertise in your field with hands on experience and you would end up having a portfolio that would be worth million.
Once you begin working in a dedicated studio, you also become a client facing person; so, you understand the client’s requirement, communicate your design and justify them. There is no other way but you end up polishing your overall personality and communication skills.
Every good thing has side effects and here the only one we see is you must take work ownership; because, with power comes responsibility. When you have a project in your basket, you learn to meet deadlines and learn discipline along with timing your efforts, this help two ways, first, you learn to balance the design ideation time with providing substantial result and second, you try to learn new skills and update yourself in the industry as you are surrounded by those crazy heads.
Designers are appreciated for every project and contribution they make. It’s easier to innovate and implement new styles and set new benchmarks. Every form of creativity is appreciated be it your dancing skills or sketching, it fuels your imaginations and improves your skills. Every Stand-Up meeting, individuals are recognized for their efforts. This one is definitely a bonus!
For those who are wondering where did money go? Well, let me be absolutely honest that these studios definitely pay you really well but do not pay an exuberantly high salary as compared to some product company or an IT based company. What they truly provide you with is a career in the field of design and makes you a sought-after face in design industry across the globe.
As a part of Lollypop Design Studio for almost a year now, I can truly vouch that you would have an extremely fat portfolio with amazing brands to flaunt. Now, it is up to you to reflect and think what is your goal? If it is small term goal that offers money and no job satisfaction and curiosity, Design Studios are probably not your cup of tea. But, if you see design as a career and want to have an overall growth and experience, welcome to the designer’s paradise. Many people I have met in the industry would vouch for my words and this is also one of my personal experience. Though, I would love to hear your thoughts on the same, if you are a part of Design Studio.
