Growth on Victor42

When Confidence Outpaces Competence

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:42:00 +0000

Typically, confidence grows alongside competence, and often lags behind it. You need a solid foundation of skills before feeling confident. But sometimes, your confidence outstrips your competence, making you fearless in new situations. I’ve experienced this twice since graduating:

First, a few years back, I took adult spoken English classes at New Oriental. It was awesome. My English education in school was decent, giving me a good base. I passed CET-6 in college without studying, scoring 504. But test scores don’t equal confidence. I mostly used Chinese, and my English was limited to reading and writing. Reading English news felt like a major undertaking.

At New Oriental, I spent over six months chatting with teachers and classmates in English, covering all sorts of topics. Most of the grammar was review, and I’d forgotten much of the vocabulary. I probably haven’t retained much of the actual English learned. However, my confidence skyrocketed. I could effortlessly type in English to search for information and read long articles without feeling overwhelmed. It wasn’t about understanding everything perfectly; I still needed a dictionary, but it felt natural. As a direct result, my English improved significantly after the course.

Second, when I started working with AI. My coding skills were mediocre. I’m a designer, not a coder. At a friend’s suggestion, I learned HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (though my JavaScript was basic) to build my website. Once the site was live, I didn’t consider using code for other problems. I’d search for existing tools, and if none existed, I’d give up.

After learning basic Python with AI’s help, my confidence soared again. I became bolder. Now, when facing a problem, my first thought is often: “Let’s write a program with AI to solve this.”

Today, I was organizing prompt words for AI image generation. I have categorized notes. Terms like “knolling,” “isometric drawing,” and “Dutch shot” describe specific effects, which are key for getting the desired results from AI. But sometimes, I want a visual comparison of these effects. This meant searching for each term individually.

Today, I tackled this. The goal: combine the terms, separated by commas, and with one click, open multiple browser tabs for image searches of each term.

With AI’s assistance, I wrote a working script in 2 minutes. Another 10 minutes went into refining it, handling edge cases, and improving extensibility. From problem to solution, it took under 15 minutes. Crucially, this was outside my competence zone.

When your confidence exceeds your competence, your skills quickly catch up, because knowledge and action are intertwined. In learning, building confidence is more vital than the amount learned.

It’s an exciting time to be alive. There are countless ways to boost your confidence beyond your competence and solve real-world problems. I’m not just referring to AI; seeking professional help or even purchasing services (with careful selection) can work, provided you’re willing to take that initial step.

Level Up as a Designer

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 13:45:47 +0000

I’ve had a reflective year. Being a designer is hard, and I felt stagnant, which was disheartening. But I also learned some key lessons about self-improvement. This year, I’m acting on them to break through. And I’m sharing them with fellow design enthusiasts:

Sharing is the first step. Explaining what you know is a review process. It doesn’t instantly grant new skills, but it lets you slow down and truly grasp the core concepts.

A friend asked how to improve color sense and matching. I was initially stumped. Color is tricky. Finally, I suggested paying attention to everyday colors – packaging, cookbooks, clothes, ads. Try recalling them; the details will fade, leaving only the key colors. That’s the essence of color matching. Also, study photography and monochromatic designs. Same idea. I surprised myself with that answer. Had I used these methods? On reflection, I had, but I’d only just realized it.

Answering her question helped me summarize a key design skill. The benefits of sharing are often subtle, things you won’t find in books. Don’t miss them.

2. Work Hard, Network Harder

I’m not overly talkative, but I’m not an introvert either. I make friends, but I don’t actively expand my circle. I value my close friends, but I’m not driven to meet new people. This is a drawback for a designer. Design isn’t solitary; it’s about understanding others. Designers need to connect, especially with peers.

After my article, “How I Became a Designer”, gained traction, my blog became less isolated. Designers and enthusiasts I’d never met reached out, shared experiences, asked for advice, discussed careers, offered projects, invited me to join startups, or just sought encouragement. I was overwhelmed but also touched. After three years of working mostly alone, I found a design family, a sense of belonging. These were real people, not just a forum. Everyone had unique experiences and passion. Most importantly, they were good people, worth knowing.

Cultivate your design network. Beyond the information you’ll gain, the mutual support is invaluable.

3. Every Field is a New Challenge, Embrace It

I did graphic design for six months and then moved to web design. I can confidently discuss web structures, resolutions, browser engines, and common hex codes, but should I stop there?

No way. I can’t ignore the mobile boom. I created a mobile version of my blog early on, and even though I was still in a PC mindset, it showed me mobile is a different beast. Shifting screen sizes, different units, touch interactions – there’s much to learn. For Apple’s Retina screens, you double background image sizes and then compress them with CSS. You only learn this by diving in.

And “design” is broadening. App animations are becoming crucial. Button vibrations and sound effects are now design considerations. Design is no longer purely visual.

The more media you explore, the broader design becomes. How do you design for a colorless e-reader? What’s the difference between a smart TV interface and PC software? How should a blind person use a phone? Open your eyes, and the hidden depths of design emerge.

4. Build Willpower, Cultivate Habits

I was a gaming addict in college, playing World of Warcraft constantly for almost two years. While I gained something (understanding good game design), three months would have sufficed. I uninstalled and reinstalled it several times before finally quitting, even though I enjoyed it.

If breaking a habit is tough, forming one is even harder. You need subconscious actions to train willpower.

Since my student days, I’ve consistently written – about life, movies, even weird dreams. Maybe that showed me the value of habits. Whether the habit is useful or not, forming it builds willpower.

I decided to do something meaningful, long-term, anything. I had a great idea: translate a foreign design article weekly and create a WeChat account, “Me,” to share them. I love English and wanted a long-term way to use it. I’m a designer, and foreign articles are helpful. I enjoy writing, and translation is creative, plus it enriches my blog. So, I’ve kept up this habit, hitting multiple goals, for seven months. If there’s anything else I want to do long-term, I’m confident I can.

5. Happiness First

The previous points indirectly improve skills, but this one directly impacts your work. An unhappy designer struggles to inspire, and their skills rarely grow. I know this from experience, having had several miserable jobs.

Knowing some front-end, and mostly working in startups, I naturally did two people’s jobs. But front-end developers are scarcer than designers. My coding work increased, and eventually, the company hired another designer and had me focus on slicing. My front-end skills improved, but that wasn’t my aim. I should have said no, but it happened, and it soured my mood. The physical toll of overtime and the anxiety of wanting out drained me, leaving no energy for design. It ended with me quitting and starting fresh.

When you’re happy, a designer’s mind is supercharged. Amazing ideas flow, and you create interesting things in your spare time. Party posters, crafts, concept designs – practice is vital for growth.

Conclusion

Being a good designer isn’t easy. But the charm lies in the breakthrough after the struggle. It’s like Neo flying his ship towards the Machine City in The Matrix. Under attack, he bursts through the clouds and sees the warm, bright skyline.

So, for the sunshine in your hearts, designers, full speed ahead in 2014!

How I Became a Designer

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 14:59:42 +0000

People often ask me why and how I became a designer, given my electronics background. In interviews, I have plenty of answers for “why.” But with friends, I’m stumped, because they’re asking “how.” Recently, a UISDC editor asked me the same thing. I couldn’t answer immediately, so here’s my attempt, at least to clarify it for myself.

First, a disclaimer: this isn’t a how-to. It won’t make you a designer. It’s just my story.

I think most people feel their lives really begin in college. We’re asked what we want to be, but it takes a decade to truly answer. Dreams and college, however, are different beasts. My reason for choosing electronics was simple: I disliked my city. The easiest escape? A so-so major at a so-so university elsewhere. My application became about picking a city, which simplified things.

Electronics was duller than expected, at least initially. It was clear this major, focused on capacitors, resistors, and circuits, wasn’t for a right-brained person like me. After failing to switch to English, I knew I had to do something.

The library was full of options. After some novels, my first turning point came: an advertising magazine. Advertising was a lifeline for many confused young people – inspiring, passionate, individualistic. But I got sidetracked. I grew to dislike the clever marketing and focused on the beautiful visuals. This might have been my first encounter with “design.”

Photoshop seemed like the answer. Luckily, I’d dabbled before, so it was easy to pick up. But I fell into a trap. I spent six months on videos and tutorials, learning all sorts of effects, yet I couldn’t design a simple book cover.

In my sophomore year, I interned at a graphic design company. That’s where I got on track. After learning some software, I was tasked with designing a business card. The result was predictable, but some details were praised – thanks to imitating good designs, not Photoshop tricks. Imitation is key initially, as my boss later confirmed. I spent a long time copying flyers, brochures, and real estate pamphlets, which made color matching and composition my strengths. By graduation, my boss said I was at a senior graphic design major’s level, and he wasn’t wrong.

So, I started in graphic design, on par with design majors. But that became irrelevant. My first job showed me that a typical graduate’s skills aren’t enough. I struggled with an 8-page brochure for a month, needing help from an experienced colleague to finish. Simultaneously, the company’s website development needs were huge, so I assisted the front-end developer, beginning my journey into front-end tech.

On-the-job learning is incredibly effective. I learned by doing, and within two months, I was comfortable with HTML and CSS, creating pages without animations. Later, I realized front-end skills are valuable for designers. I recommend learning them quietly, or at least understanding the principles. Why quietly? We’ll get there. The company finally found a use for me. I handled daily news feature pages. Initially, senior designers designed, and I built. Gradually, I could create decent pages myself, and my work stabilized.

Once, with free time, I was sent to the advertising department to create brochures. My first client project, and a government one at that. I couldn’t communicate directly with the requester, leading to endless overtime and revisions. The contact was a short-tempered, harsh guy who’d also studied design, so I was bossed around and mocked for two months. I don’t know how I survived. Though we were never going to be friends, I learned some design from him. And one more thing: don’t get angry needlessly.

I’ve changed jobs, but always stayed within the Internet. I also built and redesigned my personal website several times, improving my design and front-end skills, and giving me a broader perspective on products. So far, my work has been mainly web design, sometimes front-end. However, holding two roles isn’t a badge of honor, but the start of a vicious cycle. I realized this late, and it was hard to reverse.

Specialization is crucial. Design and development are distinct mindsets. Switching constantly hurts efficiency. Limited time and energy are split, reducing output. I feel this with every job change and my thin portfolio. So, learn front-end, but discreetly. Don’t flaunt it, unless you’re in an early-stage startup. Some may disagree, but for designers, personal growth trumps company tasks.

Is that all it takes to be a good designer? I thought so until I joined a PC software company. My first encounter with software products. Their complexity far exceeded regular websites. Function trumped content. Four interfaces spawned dozens of PSDs. Fortunately, I led the design from start to finish. Unfortunately, massive layoffs killed the project.

This made me rethink the definition, or categories, of designers. Design has two mindsets: content and product. Print, banners, event pages, and some corporate sites are the former; social products, e-commerce, management systems, and most apps are the latter. They overlap, but the former emphasizes visuals, the latter usability. A great designer needs both, but for me, “warped” by front-end, the latter is a better entry. This doesn’t mean narrowing your focus. Broad exposure is vital, mastering trends in graphic, web, UI – all are welcome.

The direction became clear. As tech deepens its reach, product thinking will become increasingly important. User experience is now a must-have for designers. Learning resources aren’t structured. What matters is a love for technology and life, and a “no compromise” approach.

Before I finish, one question remains: Do I really like design? Well… it’s my favorite among all professions I know. The brainstorming and inspiration phase is the most fun, and the focused execution the most rewarding. Though progress becomes harder to see with time, looking back at my work sometimes surprises me – I actually created that.

Once a designer, it’s a lifelong commitment. Even if I stop designing professionally, I can’t stay away.

It’s become my worldview.