The startup industry has evolved over the years.
On the field, between towering computers, Macbooks and expensive laptops, the technical team has always been hustling to build the next best thing. With the advent of AI and its mainstream adoption, the world is only going to get stranger.
The road to launching a product or service, however, has largely remained the same ever since key methodologies were defined by many in Silicon Valley, and later to the rest of the world.
The Lean Startup methodology and the Designer who make or breaks it
Often used in conjunction with words like agile and scrum, the Lean Startup approach- in theory- put customer needs first. It places great emphasis on building a product that addresses market demand and effectively solves users' problems. A large participant of this methodology is the designer.
The designer- as we know- focuses on creating a seamless and intuitive user experience of the proposed product or service. They also help in improving the overall functionality of the product by reducing the complexity of the interface and making it as user-friendly as humanly possible. It is quite possible to make do without the designer, but most startups can’t afford to lose to the hot on their heels competitors by having an unfriendly interface.
The designer is essential in this way as they bridge the gap between the user and the team who build the product or service.
There are, however, two types of designers which entrepreneurs should be wary of.
The designer is essential in this way as they bridge the gap between the user and the team who build the product or service.
The Graphic Designer
The strengths of a graphic designer lie in their ability to create visually appealing designs and graphics, often with a focus on branding and marketing. They generally have a incredibly strong understanding of colour theory, typography, and composition.
This ability helps them create interfaces that break the mould when they transition into the role of a UI and UX Designer. Forget about templates. Graphic designers thrive in creating beautiful pieces of art that will stand out.
However, this strength comes with a caveat; they may not have the same level of expertise in user research, interaction design, and usability testing as a traditionally trained UX designer.
The UI UX Designer
The ideal UX Designer is one who has learned to code. These designers have an innate understanding of how digital products work on a fundamental level and their ability to translate this into their designs make them a developer’s best friend, because they craft what is feasible, and design what is familiar. The fact that it is all data driven (and this is the bread and butter of many UX Designers) is a gargantuan plus.
UX Designer’s are also very strong digital whiteboard experts. In the whiteboard revolution that has taken place in the last 5 years or so, UX Designers are collaborative enthusiasts.
The actual aesthetic of the designs, however, may be lacklustre as the eye isn’t usually trained for unique compositions. Nor is there a strong attachment to typography or colour. While it is possible to build these muscles, the department to curate these skills are usually found elsewhere.
The Dream Team
Do designers who are graphically inclined AND put the needs of the users first exist?
That’s a tough question. Much of design still lives in the eyes of the beholder and what is good or bad fluctuates with the time, and technology. It is also the reason why the term ‘UI/UX Designer’ is used offhand without care or concern to what is ‘interface’ and what is ‘experience’.
When entrepreneurs or startups decide to invest in a designer for the team, though, it is best to understand the role they expect the slot to fill and always play to the strengths of the desired team member.
Just like developers who specialise in React or Node, designers too are similar creatures who prefer UI or UX. Rarely is it both to beautiful extremes.
