me in 2006. i still have that nightshirt o0
10. Get comfortable arguing
Remember when I said half the communication you’d be doing would be in writing? Well, here’s the other half. You’re going to spend a lot of time this year (Mayan apocalypse notwithstanding) presenting your work to people. They will ask you questions about your work. Questions it’s your job to know how to answer. At some point they may ask you to make changes to the work that you feel are detrimental. You’ll stand your ground. You’ll be amazed how many times people are just looking for a solid justification. Stop giving away the farm just because someone asked for clarification. Just calmly tell them why you think your solution is right. You’re the line of defense for design. It’s your job to protect good design. No one else’s. Sometimes you’ll win, sometimes you’ll lose. But you will always do your job.
Above all, remember that you have more power over situations you find yourself in than you’ve been giving yourself credit for. Start using it.
