How To Rethink Your Own Identity as a Designer
We, as designers, excel at shaping visual identities for others, but often our own didn’t live up to the standard. I also had this happen to me. To mend this, I recently redesigned my visual identity. I want to share my processes here.
Different artists and designers solve this in various ways. From signatures and monograms to logos and self-portraits, they employed diverse methods. Color palettes, graphics, typography, illustrations, and even content convey our identity. Ultimately, our virtual identity should reflect our values and personality as humans, transcending our professional work.
With this newfound understanding, I embarked on a self-exploration journey in three steps:
1. Finding My Values
These are some of the key questions guided me.
What does design mean to me beyond textbooks and trends, after years of experience?
When tackling a project, what sparks my imagination first? Is it the central concept, the visual language, or the message it carries? Or do I dive head first and think later?
What element defines my work? Is it the way colors feel, the treatment of imagery, the illustration, the harmony in typography, or the thought behind the overall concept?
What aspect of the design process do I feel most confident in, yet also dedicate the most time to perfecting?
Do I pour my energy into every stage of a project, or do I find myself drawn to certain parts more than others?
Is my energy spent more on thinking or finding action more valuable?
Which design philosophies resonate with my core values—system thinking, freedom of self-expression, the "job to be done" approach, or thriving in agile and lean environments?
I also ask questions about the good, the bad, and life philosophy.
Finally, even if what I discover isn't what I expected, I acknowledge it. I believe it’s the first step toward bigger change.
There were many more, of course. It’s fine to not touch some topics hurt enough to question. My final answers are
II find myself most energized by tasks that offer a clear purpose, be it personal growth, social impact, or tangible reward. Conversely, I struggle with activities lacking intrinsic value.
I'm drawn to designs that radiate energy and evoke emotion through vibrant colors, dynamic compositions, or unexpected storytelling. I'm less enthusiastic about styles that feel manipulative or overtly commercial, even though I've dabbled in those myself.
I resonate with system thinking and its emphasis on interconnectedness, as well as possibilism. In practice, I find the 'job-to-be-done' framework particularly helpful, and I'm fascinated by the power of model thinking. I have a natural tendency to overthink.
2. Replace with better versions
Now that I know myself better, it's time to change for the better. This isn't about tricking myself but stating my commitments. If I am obsessed with the final results, then I will prioritize outcomes in everything I do first. If I dislike straightforward design, I will introduce flow and rhetoric appeal to it. I will collect mental models that work to make the best use of my time. To avoid overthinking, I must time-box most of the work I do.
Translating into something better didn't help yet. I have to change into short and concrete sentences to avoid forgetfulness and ensure reusability in creating a virtual identity. These are what I settled on:
Outcome Architect: Prioritizing achieving impactful results in everything I undertake.
Systems Weaver: Seeing connections and valuing interconnectedness in design and life.
Ikigai Seeker: Striving to align my way of craft and skills to live a fulfilling life.
3. Distill into My Identity
Before diving into the next step, check out Abby Covert's latest article on “Leading from Your Values”. Her ‘Hell, No! and Hell, Yes!’ list is a powerful tool for living and leading by your values. It can guide the following process well. Now, let's dive into designing my visual identity.
Choose the values I want to represent in my visual identity, emphasizing ikigai.
Find images, colors, or elements that embody my chosen values for me.
Define the ‘Hell, No! Hell, Yes!’ list. It restrain my visual metaphors.
Design the environment first. Don't jump straight to the logo. Craft the overall visual tone and atmosphere where my logo will live first. Design wallpaper for phones and computers, among other things.
With the visual direction clear, I can design the logo.
Ask other people what they see in the logo and visuals. See if they pick up any of the value.
I believe the logo is the anchor or compact visual metaphor. If I achieve just that, I nail it.
