I’ve been in the marketing design space for over a decade, and in that time I’ve found that the designers that are most successful have one thing in common: they can read minds.

Ok, so not reading minds in the x-men or crystal ball sense, more of a deep understanding when it comes to criticism and it’s underlying source. Unlike with designers in the more liberal, art industry, marketing designers need to be able to accept and adapt based on criticism. We are designing art with a purpose, and a message to clearly communicate, therefore outside opinions are vitally important to ensure that message is conveyed effectively.

I was thinking of this ability that I’ve developed over the years recently, as I was interpreting a suggested revision from a team member. They wanted a section of text changed from blue to bright red. This concerned me, as this change would negatively impact the text’s contrast with the background and make it harder to read for vision impaired individuals.

So, instead of making the change as requested, I decided to consider why they asked for the change in the first place. I came to the determination that their request was rooted in a desire to make those sections stand out more; they felt those sections of the message were more important and needed to be highlighted. I added a frame with a high contrast background to break up the message, and highlight the intended portions. Turns out, I was right! The team member loved the revised artwork and gave their stamp of approval.

Communication is the core skill that marketing designers need to hone, if they want to be successful in this industry, along with thick skin. The revision I explained above is one of the more tame versions I’ve seen throughout the years. As designers, it’s our job to determine what critiques are valid and what are more opinion based. If you mindlessly accept every revision that comes across your desk, your art will loose effectiveness and your brand will suffer from inconsistency. If you reject every revision and insist on your own design brilliance, then you risk exposing yourself to a myopic mindset that effects the effectiveness of your work and prevents your brand from evolving. In order to be successful, we as designers need to walk this fine tightrope and learn the correct moments to fight or adapt.

I love this industry, this work, because of the mass amount of critical thinking that goes into it. I love having to decipher feedback, and every new job is like a new complex puzzle I get the pleasure of putting together. I think I’ve been able to survive so long with this passion because of my distanced approach to my work. I see every job as something separate from myself, keeping that distance allows me to have leveled discussions with team members to improve the artwork, and in turn the effectiveness of the piece.

This mindset is something not all designers are able to develop, it’s a difficult skill that can only grow if you are willing to accept outside opinions and thoughts. As much as I feel I have become extremely adapt at “reading minds” I know there is a lot I can still learn when it comes to deciphering vague or confusing feedback.

To all you designers out there, good luck, and may your mind reading abilities continue to improve!