I asked ChatGPT what it takes to be a Senior Designer and here are 7 things it told me
P.S. This is a personal appreciation post.
Earlier this week, I got a question from a designer: “What makes one a Senior Designer?” It was a question I could answer confidently, knowing that I considered myself one, yet it made me scratch my head. Do I really have what it takes to be considered one?
Curiously, I consulted my friend — ChatGPT — and it gave me 7 tips. Here’s a snippet of our conversation.
Based on the response, and since I mentioned that I consider myself a Senior Designer, here’s how I measure up:
Experience
When people ask how long I’ve been a Designer, I usually have two answers — professionally and otherwise. Professionally, I’ve been designing since 2016, making it 8 years now: 4 years in Graphic Design and 4 years in UI/UX Design. Otherwise, I’ve been designing since I could pick up a mouse. (Fun fact: My mom owned a Graphic Design shop when we were kids. She still does, by the way 😉).
Design mastery
I have a solid understanding of design principles — from contrast to hierarchy, layout to structure, and typography. In my design arsenal, you will find Adobe Creative Suite (the whole pack), Figma, Rive, LottieFiles — you name it. And oh, you might want to see me work, but you’re most certainly a random stranger on the internet 🤭
Still in doubt? Check out my work on Behance, and Dribbble.
Strategic thinking
Is there a better way to demonstrate strategic thinking than being part of a team that launched a product in 5 days, where I contributed by defining core features, streamlining the design process to meet tight deadlines, and ensuring alignment between design and business objectives? Or co-founding a successful design agency with a small team, where I’m involved in everything from client conversations to design execution?
I don’t think so.
Find out more about the 5-day product launch here.
Mentorship and leadership
I run FigMagik, a design community of young industry professionals. We hold virtual sessions every Saturday, and members have access to a repository of information, work on real-world projects, and are encouraged to ask a lot of questions. You can also check out our YouTube channel.
Interested in joining? Shoot me an email. You can read our community guidelines here. It’s not free, but don’t worry, it won’t cost you an arm.
Problem-solving skills
Beyond solving business and product challenges with design, I’ve tried to address real-world problems too. ColoSach, Resource Kit and ClimateAware are great examples.
ColoSach is an Afrocentric image repository that showcases Africa in a positive light while offering print-on-demand services powered by the Solana blockchain. Resource Kit provides premium, affordable templates for business owners to get started quickly. ClimateAware is a web app that leverages NASA’s open data to educate individuals and groups on climate change and how they can make a difference.
Cross-functional collaboration
I have worked closely with Product Managers, Software Engineers, Marketers and Product Owners to ensure that the business goals are understood and implemented. I would have said communication is my forte if I hadn’t read Marshall B. Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication — a book that highlights the importance of compassionate and empathetic dialogue by teaching us how to connect authentically, avoid judgment, and collaborate toward solutions that benefit everyone. But hey, I’m learning upwards.
Ownership and accountability
You’d have to ask others about that. But hey, I’ve got a few good recommendations from people I’ve worked with. You can find them on my LinkedIn profile. Simply navigate to the Recommendations section.
Question of the day
Having said all this, I sure am a Senior Designer. But do I parade myself as one? Nah, you probably won’t find that title in any of my bios. I’m just the guy who makes things — and beautifully too.
Permit me to end with this:
“If you can’t see yourself as a success, you won’t be one.” — Unknown author”
