Are we all designers?

If design was seen as a profession, or a specific something someone did, for a specific reason, then no, we can’t all be designers.  

But….

Did you get up this morning and pick your outfit for the day?

Did you put together your breakfast and arrange your lunch?

Did you map out your drive to work, or your bus route to your destination?

Did you arrange your daily schedule, and align it to others schedule’s?

Did you decide what items on your ‘to do’ list needed priority, and which could be delegated, or held over to the next day?

Did you get home and plan, and prepare a meal?

Decide how you wanted to spend your evening, watching television, or catch-up on social media, or pursuing a hobby?

If you answered yes to just one of these questions you are a designer.  In your small and personal way, you contributed to the ‘design’ of your day.  Those small project planning and problem-solving decisions you made through the journey of your day showed that you have the ability to design.  If only on a small and limited scale, a series of problems arose, and you dealt with them, presented solutions, alternatives, possible options, definite outcome solutions and you might also have learnt from mistakes you made along the way.  Things you wouldn’t repeat in the future, because presented in the journey through your day proved them to be unproductive, or ineffective. 

Its ok – take a moment, this is all new to you and possibly, your day has now taken on a whole new meaning.  Even if you are already a designer, this might give your day a whole new perspective.  Understanding that our everyday activities are systems within which we have planned procedures and routed outcomes is an interesting way to think about what it is we do every day, naturally. 

Did you enjoy it?  Your successful day!  Where you productive and efficient?  Chances are you’d be a good designer, but your day is all about you right?  So, what if you were responsible for more than you, would you still be as effective and in control?

There are people that are more creative than you, visually express themselves better than you, but those are only part of the ways in which we visually or creatively communicate.  There are other ways to communicate using design as a premise. Take your engagement through your own day as an example. 

Whether you are making a small difference in your day or making difference in the world, solving greater problems than our own daily grind, or supplying a small home-based company with a design solution you can count design as one of your talents.  To hone those skills and make a profound difference in our design skills, I believe you can be taught the skills needed to be a creative design thinker and master problem solver. 

If you are keen to make a difference in the world, no matter how big or small, no matter what area of expertise your passion, design in an opportunity for everyone to contribute in some way and can be both financially and personally rewarding. 

Yes, we are all designers, in our own way, whether we make a difference in our own lives daily or chose to make a difference in the lives of others.