Don’t Panic If You Panic
There is a considerable difference between healthy fear and panic. Panic can cripple you; healthy fear can inspire great things and stretch you to new limits. Ironically, both can serve you well if kept in the proper perspective. As a designer, you will be asked to complete projects that range from the routine to the totally unfamiliar. I encourage you to stretch and go for the unfamiliar as often as possible. The dirty little secret is that also means asking you to experience both panic and healthy fear. When you get rid of the first, you will be able to make the most of the second.
When you are challenged to do something totally unfamiliar, you are euphoric that someone trusts you to complete the project, and complete it well. It means they not only recognize your skill, but also trust in your potential. You are one happy designer. But – wait for it now – after you tell your friends and family how excited you are, and they tell you how great it is and how proud they are, you go home, open a beer or a bottle of wine and unexpectedly break out in a cold sweat. What the heck have you done? What are you, crazy? How are you going to do this – you don’t know anything about widgets! That, my friend, is sheer panic. Why would I be a fan of such a thing? Since you asked, let me explain.
Sheer panic stops you cold. There is, other than to pass out, nothing left to do but regroup. Panic makes us think of worse case scenarios. And once worse case scenarios are on the table, there is no place to go but “up.” The panic subsides as you slowly move into the rational mode of figuring things out and making a plan. And here’s the real secret: the absence of panic is the beginning of progress. It might be more accurate to say “the banishment of panic is the beginning of progress,” but “absence of panic” is what I came up with when I was in a panic over writing an article on an unfamiliar topic. I have the saying printed out in a big bold font and taped to my office wall. It’s my mantra: The Absence of Panic Is The Beginning of Progress.
Once you have taken a deep breath and banished the panic, you are left with the burning desire to do well. You just need to figure out how. After all, everyone else believes in you! If you’re smart, you’ll go back to basics. Works for golfers. Big tournament coming up? Even the pros get out on the range and practice the basics. In my mind, “basics” refers to goal, structure, content, and accuracy of purpose. Once you get the basics in place, the rest will follow.
Specifically, ask yourself what the client wants. What is the purpose of the project? Is it to introduce a new product? Differentiate the product from its competitors? Explain how it solves a specific problem? Enhance the company’s image? With whom? Exactly what is the purpose?
Once you know your purpose, ask yourself what you have to design to get that point across.
Obviously it’s no good to pitch denture cream to fifteen year olds. Who exactly does your client want to reach? What are they like? Do they appreciate risks or safety? Do they like to live vicariously? Do they have money to spend? Are they looking for something to make them feel good, or simply to get by in the most inexpensive way possible? Now you’ve defined your goal, and you’re beginning to have a sense of how to get there.
Next you need a plan. And the more you plan, the more confident you become, because you have the healthy fear of failure that drives you to make sure you know what you’re doing. But – good news – there is no more panic because you are feeling in control. Perhaps a bit nervous, but in control. To reach the goal you’ve identified, however, that goal has to be measurable. What research into the marketplace and the competition has to be done? How much do you have to do each day to be finished by your deadline? Figure out what you have to do, and mentally plug it into your plan. Then write it down. Having it in writing keeps you honest and helps avoid surprises.
When your first draft is finished, look at it with a critical eye. Does it convey the message you thought it would? Is it comprehensive enough? Simple enough? Is the design strong or weak? Is it too bland, too over-the-top, or perhaps (hallelujah) just right? Do not be afraid of the healthy fear here – does a trusted colleague think it works? How about a trusted outsider with fresh eyes? Maybe you see things that you thought worked when you were creating them, but now as part of the whole, they simply don’t. Maybe you suddenly know for sure that you need to move in a different direction, either slightly or entirely. If so, don’t be afraid. Just do it.
So what’s the moral of this story? Banish the panic and work the healthy fear to your advantage. It’s a good thing. But once it guides you and you have your answers, banish the fear as well and confidently complete the project. Trust me, healthy fear will be back for the next project. Welcome it. Just keep it in its place.