Ever watch the kids at a children’s museum? Their exuberance and energy flow in equal proportions to another valuable trait: curiosity. They rush everywhere, exploring every facet of the exhibits, acting out their fantasies and creating new ones. Ideas bubble forth and immerse their play in carefree discovery. And along the way, they learn.
Curiosity is a treasured attribute for a designer. Given the opportunity to create a brand or ad campaign for a new product, designers need to step back into that childlike mind frame where everything should be explored because anything is possible. Put aside fears and preconceptions. Close your eyes and let your mind’s eye see something new. Visualize. Conceptualize.
Great designers strive to understand a project from a client’s point of view. Gaining a new perspective can be challenging, even uncomfortable. But it’s the best way to find solutions. Ultimately, it isn’t just what you know that sets you apart. It’s what you’re willing to learn.
Children are natural born snoops. They love going off the path and into the woods, peeking into their sibling’s room, taking things apart, digging holes and turning over rocks, all in the name of curiosity. It gives them a better understanding of the world.
There’s a lesson to be learned from these kids. Sometimes we shouldn’t act our age.
