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(Time to borrow your watch to tell you the time, as the quip goes). Designers are specialists and perfectionists. Common enough in designers, I hear you say - necessary, in fact! In our 1996 graphic design industry study clients said, "attention to detail," is an attribute of successful designers. This response reflects recognition of both specialisation and perfectionism. So where's the problem, then? I think it's easier to understand the issues by looking at some of the common assumptions within these mindsets and then looking at the implications for interactions with individuals who are neither specialists nor perfectionists...

Designers are specialists

For the purpose of this discussion, I define specialists as people who have consciously chosen to build up, through education and experience, knowledge and expertise in a functional field.

Assumption no. 1: the whole world 'works' this way, ie. most other people are specialists too.

This is incorrect. Most people have not chosen a vocation. Managers, in particular, are generalists charged with the responsibility of looking after an entire business process which involving both specialists and non-specialists. Their job is to maintain a team and its focus on the 'big picture'. In fact, diversity of experience is an asset when you are a manager as it broadens your problem-solving capabilities! Funnily enough, these people often end up being clients of designers.

Assumption no 2: everyone 'understands' that designers are specialists and, that I wouldn't have the gall to call myself a designer if I weren't a specialist.

Well, if assumption no.1 is incorrect, why would no.2 follow? Many managers progressed through a series of upward and lateral career moves, so the one thing they do know is that you can learn how manage many different types of businesses. While non-specialists may recognise a degree of expertise in the designer, they may not fully appreciate the passion behind the original decision to become a designer and therefore can easily and inadvertently step on the toes of someone who takes great pride in calling themselves a designer.

Assumption no.3: my job as a specialist is to focus on my part of the process.

The problem with this assumption is that it is true, but only partly. A specialist is always going to be part of some larger team, with a larger purpose. This is very true of graphic designers, as they work within the marketing process. When a specialist demonstrates apparent disinterest in a discussion of the larger process, the only thing the manager do is likely to do is make a note to double-check the final design to ensure it supports the larger objective. You can understand why clients in the AGDA Industry Study said that they prefer, and look for, designers who have "strategic vision" and who "understand the internal and external constraints we work within."

Assumption no. 4: I will treat other specialists the way I want to be treated.

Usually, the way it goes is, "I am a designer, you are a marketing manager, therefore I will do the design, and you do your marketing stuff (whatever that is--I wouldn't know, I'm not marketing specialist)." This scenario is where all hell can break loose. The designer presents; the client asks some good questions; the designer is wounded and then gets defensive; the client perceives the designer as uncooperative; and finally the client goes into over-control mode because they are, of course, the client. This all started with the best intentions, mind you.

Are you dismayed yet? As they say in those awful commercials, "but that's not all..."

Designers are perfectionists

Perfectionism is a good thing in designers. It means they'll sweat and slave over the most extraordinary details in order to 'get it right.' Packaging designers wander up and down supermarket aisles, trying to understand the impact of different colours and typefaces at different shelf heights. Publication designers collect vast libraries of brochures and coffee-table books, and corporate identity designers carefully study the way a bank's symbol has been adapted into the security pattern on cheques. And if you catch someone looking a street poster from 10 centimetres away, that's a designer trying to work out how it was printed. However, when designers take this passion out of their work and into the business world...

Assumption no. 5: the 'right' way is the only way.

Perfectionism can be so close to arrogance, it's frightening, especially if the client gets the impression that the designer is also quietly saying, "and it goes without saying that you hired me because only I come up with the 'right' way."

Within the business of design, perfectionism is a disaster because it is a recipe for paralysis - you endlessly put off making important decisions because: you don't know enough; or you are a bit uncertain; or (here's my personal favourite) "there are other options I think." Hey guys! Get used to it! Most people in business are taking educated guesses - that's why some win and some lose. Risk comes with the territory when you are in business. What you do know is that standing still is a great way to get run over by reality.

Assumption no. 6: 'God is in the details.'

This goes without saying. The problem lies in getting non-specialists to understand what you mean with that innocent term, 'detail.' If you have just spent three days agonising between Frutiger and Helvetica Neue, an innocent comment like, "I'm not sure that a modern typeface is what we need" can be pretty explosive. The client was probably just looking for something innocuous to get the discussion going.

Assumption no. 7: everything is either 'fabulous,' 'ordinary' or 'truly [insert expletive of your choice] awful.'

In the world of a pragmatic manager who is trying to achieve the best possible compromise within a myriad of constraints, this can come across as extreme, dogmatic judgement. At which point, the manager is extremely worried about how to make this obviously non-cooperative person get with the program (see assumption no. 4).

And so it goes...

Australian designers are a seriously talented, intelligent and passionate lot. But it is easy to let your world collapse down to just your studio, and forget that the rest of the world doesn't think and feel with quite the same the passion you do. Give them a break and they'll probably return the courtesy.

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andrew@lam-po-tangcom