Beyond pixels: The skills needed outside of Figma

As you start to progress in your career you soon learn that product design isn’t all about creating beautiful and functional products, it’s also about the tricky stuff in between.

As you sharpen your hard skills, it’s your soft skills that will distinguish you and make you an exceptional product designer. And although it may be tempting to hide in Figma, each challenging situation is an opportunity for growth, both as a designer and a leader.

Having managed and coached designers over the years, and currently running Therapy for Designers, where we discuss challenges in monthly face-to-face sessions, here are some of the soft skills I encourage designers to focus on:

Patiently advocating for the user

Whether you’re the sole designer in a startup or working in a large organization, it can feel like you’re the only one who understands the design process and its value when collaborating with non-designers. Keep presenting your rationale and support it with research. You may feel like you’re repeating yourself, but eventually, your message will get through.

Managing and communicating timelines

When working with a client, manager, PM, or engineer, building trust requires consistent communication about project goals, timelines, and processes. People have different priorities, and things can be forgotten, so it’s important to send weekly updates to keep them abreast of where you’re at. Don’t be afraid to over-communicate.

Comfortably giving feedback

For many, receiving feedback is easier than giving it. It may feel safer to avoid conflict or rely on your manager to diffuse a situation, however, you can build and rebuild relationships by delivering feedback yourself. If giving feedback doesn’t come naturally to you, try writing it down and reviewing it with your manager before sharing it. It’s a muscle that just needs to be flexed.

Balancing conflicting stakeholder priorities

The more collaborative you are, the more exposed you are to different opinions and priorities. Expect conflicting feedback and priorities, and be comfortable negotiating and finding compromises that benefit both users and the business. Design would be a breeze if everyone were on the same page!

Setting boundaries and pushing back

As you grow into your role, more people will make requests of you. It’s important to remember that you can’t do everything, and you shouldn’t try to. Prioritize what’s important and be prepared to push back on requests that don’t align with your priorities or bandwidth. Great leaders don’t fulfill every request that comes their way.

Being ready for change

Let’s face it, nothing ever follows the process you set out to achieve. Roadblocks, curveballs, and unexpected challenges may arise, and it’s how you deal with them with a positive outlook that makes a difference. Be ready to adapt your approach and make changes that are right for the business and your users.

Separating yourself from the work:

At the end of the day, don’t let these challenges get in the way of your priority, life. Your job is that, a job. Keeping a healthy balance between your work and life will set you up for handling any situation.

The stereotype of designers peacefully designing away at their desks all day needs to be debunked. Today, designers are managing multiple stakeholders and timelines, humbly receiving feedback while also aiming to grow in their careers, find their voice and build their confidence. Design is the easy part!

Facing any of these challenges and want to talk about it? Join the Therapy for Designers community where we provide a safe space to discuss it all in an open forum.

Illustrations courtesy of Parth Atara.