Arguably, it is one of the most humbling and vulnerable responses to a question, whether direct or not. Not knowing something made me anxious, especially in a leadership position. We're supposed to have all of the answers. Right? As the responsibilities continue to mount for designers and our skillset evolves and adapts to change, the "I don't know" responses are becoming more common. This is a good thing.
There was nothing I couldn't do when I began my design career, and delivering on time and under budget was a badge of honor on my shirt collar. Damn, the torpedos. Full speed ahead! The vigor and confidence of a junior designer are nothing short of exceptional. (Seriously, hire more junior talent!)
As my confidence followed me throughout my journey, my so-called badge of honor would come to bite me on the arse when certain situations required critical thinking and strategy.
As my responsibilities started to change, my skillset expanded, deepening my understanding of the digital ecosystem. One of my greatest work pleasures was holding court with an architect/developer, product owner, and accessibility designer. Not long ago, these conversations were mainly 1:1, resulting in additional meetings, which typically created more questions than answers. On paper, system architecture and design appear different; however, the more I work with architects, the more I realize how closely our worlds align. Not knowing or understanding said systems created anxiety early on in my career, mainly when tasked with partnering with my designs. However, conversations with non-designers often provided unique solutions and produced a crude roadmap, reinforcing the importance of learning from diverse perspectives. This collaboration with non-designers made me feel part of a larger team, each with their unique contributions, and made 'I don't know' a catalyst for growth.
I formed similar outcomes when partnering with a copywriter. The beauty of copy and design harmoniously complement one another by weaving a story of an intuitive onboarding flow or some other high-level task. Similar to the early Macintosh computers, which had beautifully designed internal components inside the computer case—an area that most users will never see or access. It is there for the curious users who appreciate the beauty of circuit boards, wires, and fans and like to take in the entire design.
These working relationships didn't materialize overnight, and it took years for me to understand how to collaborate with these partners. It was a process of trial and error, of learning to listen and understand their perspectives, and of finding common ground. Not knowing how to effectively and efficiently engage with these partners early in my career created a process bottleneck and many 'I don't know(s).' This bottleneck was equally frustrating because working with new product teams with undefined delivery processes provided additional hiccups. I found myself rushing and omitting essential design decisions to fulfill a delivery deadline when I knew full well that I required a more profound understanding to answer the initial question with certainty. 'Do I need to conduct a card-sorting exercise or a more profound research spike?' When these questions went unanswered, the product and the customer suffered equally.
"Full disclosure: I am still determining the right move. Let me get back to you with an informed decision." Being able to say this publicly was invigorating. It was a moment of personal growth, a recognition of the power of informed decision-making, and a testament to the value of acknowledging uncertainty. It was a turning point in my career, marking the transition from a production designer to a design leader.
This action proved to my team and senior leadership that the additional time needed to review my notes and formulate an understanding for our customers was a critical step in the iterative process, and having the confidence to raise my hand took years to implement. This action is precisely why the hiring manager brought me onto the team. Having the ability to recognize uncertainty and pause to reflect is not a sign of weakness, but of power. It's about being in control and making informed decisions. Don't get me wrong; I still wear that same badge of honor from my early days, but over the years, I have acquired additional badges and am considering buying shirts with oversized collars to display them.
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