is a perception problem. From the perspective of a designer:
I have trained and I worked hard gaining experience and struggled through my career to become an expert. How can you say everyone has done this when clearly they haven’t?
From the perspective of an outsider:
Designers solve problems. I can solve problems too. A job title doesn’t give you a monopoly on the ability to solve problems.
Ratatouille is the second best Pixar movie. Don’t deny it. The theme that runs throughout the movie is that anyone can cook. Yes, even a rat. But the counter argument is that there are expert chefs, home cooks, and those who actually can’t cook and can’t even make a pbj sandwich. So not everyone can cook. In the end Egon comes to the conclusion that yes anyone can cook and that preconceptions often cloud our ability to accept other people and rodents but just because ANYONE can cook, that doesn’t automatically make EVERYONE a chef. If the argument was everyone is a chef it would rightfully be dismissed out of hand because the argument is easily disproven through logic.
Let’s assume Everyone is a chef is true. If it is true then No one is not a chef is also true. Therefore if we find anyone who is not a chef then we can prove through logic that the argument is not true. Think of everyone you know. Are any of them not a chef? Then the argument is false. Or if you are living in a circle of friends where every person you know is a chef then… I am jealous of you. But if anyone on the planet is not a chef then you can prove the argument as false. Plus I am not a chef so I know this argument is false.
I said it’s a perception problem but it is actually closer to a semantics problem. If the argument was, designers solve problems, some designers are expert problem solvers and there are also ‘home’ (or untrained) problem solvers, and also those who actually make things worse when trying to solve a problem, then I don’t think there would even be an argument. But that doesn’t fit neatly into a tweet or in a headline on a linkedin post or in the title of this post.
Diving into the heart of the “everyone is a designer” debate is like peeling an onion with layers upon layers of creativity, sweat, and a dash of existential crisis, especially if you’ve ever doodled 400 logo ideas in a sketchbook or agonized over the perfect font for hours. It’s a cocktail of perception and, let’s be honest, a bit of a squabble over words that means a lot to those in the trenches of design and those cheering from the sidelines.
Through the Designer’s Lens:
Picture this: You’ve spent years mastering the craft of design, from the dizzying highs of your first successful project to the lows of client feedback that made you want to switch careers… or worse. You’ve wrestled with Adobe’s updates, felt the thrill of nailing a user interface on the first try, and faced the existential dread of a blank canvas. Then, someone breezes in and says, “Hey, everyone’s a designer!” It’s enough to make you do ‘or worse’: throw your mouse at their head.
Blood, Sweat, and Pixels:
Becoming a bonafide designer isn’t just about having a knack for making things look pretty; it’s an odyssey through design hell and back. You’re not just picking colors that go well together; you’re translating human needs into visual solutions, one painstaking revision at a time. To suggest that this journey is the same as anyone who’s ever arranged furniture in a living room feels a bit like a slap in the face with a hot fish.
From the Outsider’s Point of View:
Flip the script, and there’s a whole world out there where design is democratized, tools are accessible, and creativity flows like free snacks at a startup. In this brave new world, solving problems with a dash of creativity is something we all do, whether it’s figuring out the best layout for your tiny apartment or designing a killer PowerPoint for school.
The Universal Creative Spark:
This angle champions the idea that there’s a little bit of designer in all of us, fighting to get out. It’s not about owning the title but embracing the mindset that whether you’re a seasoned pro or a weekend warrior, creativity doesn’t care about your job description. It’s an open invitation to the design party, no RSVP required.
The “Ratatouille” Philosophy:
“Ratatouille” isn’t just a movie about a cooking rat; it’s a metaphorical feast for this debate. It whispers the seductive idea that greatness can come from anywhere, even the most unlikely places. But, it’s also pretty clear that whipping up a gourmet meal doesn’t make you a Michelin-star chef any more than applying a Instagram filter makes you a designer.
A Culinary Journey from Amateur to Chef:
Just like in the culinary world, there’s a spectrum of design prowess. Recognizing that anyone can have a go at being creative doesn’t diminish the years of blood, sweat, and JPEGs that professional designers have invested. It’s more about celebrating all flavors of creativity, from the five-star chefs to those of us who can barely boil water without causing a kitchen disaster.
Wrapping It Up: It’s All About the Words
At its heart, saying “everyone is a designer” is kind of like arguing over the last slice of pizza—intense, but maybe we’re just hungry for validation. It’s not so much about who gets to call themselves a designer but celebrating the spark of creativity that lives in us all. By acknowledging the wide world of design skills—from the pros to the enthusiastic amateurs—we keep the door open to all sorts of creative magic. It’s about embracing the mess, the beauty, and the sheer joy of making things, one pixel at a time.
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