We have very high hopes for 2017 within the creative industry, with significant investments in 2016 – the year ahead looks buoyant and full of opportunity for designers! However, you should know better than sit back and wait for the opportunities to come to you, there are millions of talented creatives across the world who are fighting for the top roles and projects, so make sure your skill-set stands out.
So what should you be learning? The skill-sets required by designers have huge variations depending on the roles and businesses you wish to work in, but here are some key areas to explore when it comes to up-skilling:
User Experience
Even if you are not a digital designer by trade, developing an understanding for Digital Design, UX, UI, Interactive is really helpful. We live and work in a digital world with products and platforms relying on a plethora of devices. A strong knowledge of UX will improve your overall understanding of how to simplify the user journey and balance beautiful design with practical design.
Virtual Reality
No longer the stuff of science-fiction, VR is fully immersed into our lives. In 2017 Ad agencies, production companies, creative studios and post-production houses will be using VR in their products and designs so having a knowledge of VR will place you above the competition. As a designer you will know all about physical boundaries within design, however what you will learn in VR is that there are no boundaries at all – opening up a whole new way of thinking.
Coding
Coding should not just be saved for developers – it’s a skill that would benefit any individual in the digital and design industry. You will become a better designer if you have a basic understanding of how the development process works, and you’ll be able to communicate far better with the development teams. Most designers know the basics of wireframes and mock-ups, but taking this knowledge one step further will help you to create more effective design with efficient collaboration.
Photography
Anyone with a smartphone these days can snap cool images, but when it comes to capturing spectacular shots, you need some extra help. As a designer you will naturally have a good eye for art direction and Photoshop editing, but if you could tie this existing knowledge in with an understanding of depth, exposure, angles and composition you can not only offer a client bespoke images (so they can wave goodbye to awful stock shots), but it will also help to improve you understanding of colour theory.
Design can take your career in a million different ways. While we always believe becoming an expert in one area before exploring others, with technology developing at the rate that it is, upskilling your knowledge to accommodate new developments will help you skip to the front of the opportunities queue. The more influences you are open to, the bigger the possibilities your designs and creations will have.
If you’re looking for a new design challenge in 2017 explore our live opportunities or talk to the design team today.
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