The nine hardest situations designers face

Instead of avoiding them, learn to reframe them

Reminder: join me this and every Thursday at 9am PST for Zoom office hours (register here). Show up with a question or situation on anything to do with UX and I’ll give you my best advice, or at least make you laugh.

In April, I posted a poll on the hardest situations you face. Thanks to everyone who voted and commented. Having decisions made without you came in first place. Here is the rest of the list:

• Decisions are made without you (48%)

• You’re told there isn’t time for good UX (20%)

• No one knows what you can do (15%)

• No one listens to your suggestions (12%)

• They think a tool can replace you (4%)

The book Why Design Is Hard advocates that whatever frustrates you can be reframed as a design problem. This makes it easy for all of your design skills to help you solve your real problems. Instead of hoping these frustrations won’t happen, I believe we should assume they will and be ready for them. The skill of reframing problems is one of the most important for any designer to master.

Based in part on your input, how to overcome these nine situations are at the heart of Part 5 of the book:

1. No one knows what you do or what value you add

2. You’re told there isn’t time

3. Decisions are made without you

4. You’re struggling to find good ideas

5. No one listens to your suggestions

6. People challenge you on basic UX knowledge

7. They think they can replace you with a tool

8. You got a seat at the table, but the table is filled with fools

9. The resources you were promised disappear

Can you imagine being a designer where these issues happened less or were not as frustrating? I can. It makes being a good designer much easier. If you agree, you’re going to love reading Why Design Is Hard.