August 4, 20244 min de lectura

🔑 3 Design Truths I Wish I had Known Sooner · The Bunker #96

Hi friend 👋🏻!

A Newsletter in which we talk about UX Design and the Freelance Journey, dedicated to those who are starting out in both worlds and who feel identified.

From The Bunker, we accompany you on the way.

Hello everyone!

Another week, welcome to The Bunker! We’re about to reach 100, and maybe we’ll do something special with a brand to celebrate it. What do you think?

Well, this week I’m here to talk to you about some aspects that I consider super important, which will help you become a better designer. More specifically, they’ll help you avoid wasting time and deliver a higher quality product.

Be Careful with Wireframes

As we have always said, one of the things to keep in mind is that each designer is different from the other, so consequently, some things will work better for some than for others.

Wireframes are great for outlining ideas and creating structures quickly, things that you need to validate in a short amount of time when you know that creating a structure or presenting an idea in high fidelity will take a long time.

However, there are times when it is much better to go directly to high fidelity because sometimes the product is not well understood until you consider almost perfect measurements.

In general, I like to do both: save time with layout and quickly structure ideas with wireframes without losing the quality that allows you to envision the product.

That's why I use libraries like koalaui.com, which help me to present ideas and structures quickly in very high fidelity.

Once I have the structure clear, I then change, adapt, and create more unique styles for each project. But it serves me as a tool from the initial point.

Something I would recommend to my past self is not to waste time on wireframes and to use pre-made libraries that allow me to layout quickly, so I only have to focus on the styles.

Focus on a Portfolio That Converts

When I started, I spent a lot of time trying to make my website as cool as possible, with a unique structure, unique visuals, and cool animations. This is ultimately a waste of time. The goal of the portfolio is to convert your visitors into new clients so you can continue bringing food to the table.

Just as you treat a landing page strategically with its logical conversion structure, taking into account SEO, retention, conversion, etc., all this must also be reflected in the portfolio.

It is true that it is important to focus on the visual part and animations, as it is important for your portfolio to be remarkable and not ordinary but extraordinary. However, don’t dedicate too much time to this; it can come later.

Focus on making your portfolio convert.

Over time, you will make it more personal and unique. (We usually spend a lot of time on this second part and forget about the first one, losing focus.)

Get Focus

I think focus is the most important thing of all. There are very important things like consistency, perseverance, discipline, and others, but especially focus.

You have to learn to be patient. You can’t choose to do something and do it for only 3 months; you need to maintain it for a long time.

Nothing worthwhile is easy or quick. Everything comes in the long term. Focus on one thing and become the best at it.

Do you want to make templates? Don’t stop making templates, don’t stop doing it. It is important that you learn to focus on a few things and give your best in those things.

We waste time on very superficial things and lose focus on what is truly important, which is basically what you know will bring bread to the table.

Until next time,

Jordi Espinosa.

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