AU Blogspot

People are e-mailing me with all kinds of questions. One of the recurring questions is about how I started my own business and if I could spare a few tips. In this article I’ll share my experience and what I’ve learned together with some tips and advice. Hopefully this will give people who are about to start freelancing some guidance in this big step.

Be motivated and be passionate in what you do

The very first question I would ask myself is: Am I motivated to work long days and to go all the way to get jobs done, seek new clients and work? Am I willing to go the extra mile to achieve what I want? If this answer is yes, than this is a start and it also means that you’re probably passionate in what you do. This is very important, if not maybe the most important question at all. A doubtful answer is not allowed here, you would make the wrong decision already.

Believe in yourself

The other question is that is related to the one we’ve just asked is: Do I believe in myself? Of course you’ll say yes to that, but I mean when things are going though, will I still have the courage to stick it out and fight for it? Will I put all my efforts, energy and courage into this to bridge this period without even considering giving up? Some healthy stubbornness is needed when things are not going as planned. (more…)

Ah, so the luxury of excess creates the poverty of perspective. Chris

This single line comment left on a blog succinctly captures the dismal situation around the design and development of products for the other 90%. Here the author, of the being commented on, says,

An African can learn design thinking and creative problem solving as well as anyone else. So why not teach design in developing countries? Then we can set up design consultants in Uganda who are local and have the design talent, and have them design for the East African market. What would an East African designed mobile phone look like? I don’t know. But I’d love to see one.

So why not teach design in developing countries indeed? (more…)

Design is first and foremost a philosophy, based on a system of values, which seeks to solve problems. What are we creating? Why and for whom? Are we correctly framing the problem to be solved? These are the questions to which the answers are then manifested tangibly in the form of a new product, service or business model.

Human-centered design approaches the task of problem solving by always seeking to understand the end-user’s needs and aspirations, goals and the environmental conditions and constraints in which they live. When we can design a product or solution that meets an unmet need or challenge successfully that becomes good design. (more…)

Picture this: you are sitting along the river in beautiful surroundings creating what’s bound to be your best work yet and you aren’t feeling pressured. Sounds lovely, isn’t it? Too bad it isn’t reality. Now there seems to be an almost impossible deadline around every corner.

Deadlines

I sometimes feel that as a designer we are the last one in the chain and we have to make up for all other delays that were created along the way. (more…)