Try not to become a man of success.
Rather become a man of value.
Albert Einstein
Value is an attribute that defines how much something is worth.
People tend to make decisions by assessing value, such as Should I buy that product?
Value is not something a designer can simply assign themselves and have a potential client automatically recognize it.
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What do businesses and brands value the most?
In other words, clients value a designers problem-solving skills more than their ability to deliver pretty-looking designs alone.
The value designers can deliver is directly proportional to how valuable they are perceived.
A quote from Design Talks: The Pursuit of Value-based Design with Nick Disabato.
There is a well-known saying that may help illustrate this concept: Show, dont tell.
Amateurs give advice, experts diagnose.
Value-driven designers understand the clients problems before they suggest a solution.
How can a solution be offered if the problem has not been understood?
How can trust be built while there is a lack of empathy with the client?
The reason why industrial machinery became so reliable was consistency.
Companies realized that by using industrial machines to produce goods, they could achieve consistent results faster.
Sharing a specificdesign processwith clients can break down barriers and instill trust.
Developing a well-thought-out communication strategy will increase the chances of being able to deliver a convincing presentation.
However, the right kind of value needs to be communicated.
Not everything outlined by a designer may be perceived as valuable, and may not excite the listener.
Being selective about what to impart can serve the designer better and make a more significant impact.
Competition is fierce among designers looking to be selected as the winning candidate for a project.
Value-based design is an expansion of the design process that also considers specific business needs.
Combining this set of skills may take some time, but its well worth the investment.
