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Eight Principles To Decrease Your Impact

Are you tired of being a successful and well-liked product designer? Sick of being known as a team player who’s always looking to improve and innovate? Well, have no fear, because we’ve got the solution for you! In this post, we’ll show you how to be the worst product designer possible, with tips on how to avoid exploration, ignore feedback, hold your opinions tight, never do anything for others, skip the rationale, stay behind the times, and keep everyone in the dark. So if you’re ready to be the worst, keep reading!

 

*Obviously this is satire

AI-generated illlustration of a lonely person in a room by themselves with a bunch of microphones hanging from the ceiling
Created by John Wayne Hill with Midjourney

Never Explore Anything New

Exploration is so overrated. Who needs new ideas or fresh perspectives when you can just stick with what you know? After all, the status quo is always the best option. Why waste time and energy on something that may not work out? Just sit back and let someone else do the exploring.

The truth is, exploring new ideas is scary. You might fail, or worse, look foolish in front of your colleagues. Why take that risk when you can just keep doing what you’re doing? Plus, who has time for all that experimentation and trial and error? It’s so much easier to just stick to what you already know.

But hey, maybe you’re right. Maybe the tried and true is always the best option. After all, who needs progress anyway?

Created by John Wayne Hill with Midjourney

Ignore Everyone Else’s Feedback

Other people’s opinions? Who cares! You’re the designer, and your ideas are always the best. Why bother with feedback when you can just assume that your work is perfect? Plus, who wants to deal with all those conflicting viewpoints? It’s so much easier to just go it alone.

Sure, getting feedback might help you improve your work, but at what cost? Who wants to deal with all that criticism and critique? It’s much easier to just shut out everyone else and do your own thing. Plus, if you never get any feedback, you’ll never have to deal with the disappointment of realizing that your work isn’t as perfect as you thought it was.

And let’s be real, who wants to collaborate with others anyway? Working alone means never having to compromise or listen to anyone else’s ideas. It’s the best way to ensure that your work is always 100% your own.

 

Hold Your Opinions Tight

Your opinions are your opinions, and they’re not up for debate. You know what you know, and that’s that. Why bother considering other perspectives when you already know everything there is to know? And if someone else disagrees, well, that’s just too bad for them.

Sure, other people might have their own opinions, but who cares? Your opinion is the only one that matters. Why bother listening to anyone else when you’re obviously the expert? Plus, if you never consider other perspectives, you’ll never have to deal with the discomfort of changing your mind.

And let’s be honest, admitting you’re wrong is the worst. It’s much easier to just dig in your heels and refuse to budge. Plus, who wants to be seen as wishy-washy or indecisive? Holding your opinions tight is the best way to show everyone that you know what you’re doing.

AI-generated illustration of a girl sitting alone with a vibrant, abstract background
Created by John Wayne Hill with Midjourney

Don’t Do Anything for Others

Why should you bother helping other people when you have your own work to do? Sure, you could step in and lend a hand, but why bother? It’s not like anyone’s going to notice or appreciate it. So just focus on your own stuff and let everyone else deal with their own problems.

Let’s be real, other people’s problems are just that – their own problems. Why should you have to take time out of your busy day to help them out? It’s not like they’d do the same for you. Plus, if you never help anyone else, you’ll never have to deal with the inconvenience of rearranging your own priorities.

And let’s be honest, helping others is just a distraction. It takes time away from your own work and can even make you look bad if you don’t do a good job. So just keep your head down and focus on your own stuff. It’s the best way to ensure that you get ahead.

Created by John Wayne Hill with Midjourney

Don’t Bother Writing Out Your Rationale

Why should you have to explain yourself to anyone? Your work speaks for itself, and that should be enough. Plus, writing out your rationale takes too much time and effort. Who needs it? You know what you’re doing, and that should be enough for anyone.

And let’s be real, if someone doesn’t understand your work, that’s their problem. It’s not like you have time to explain everything to everyone. Plus, if you never write out your rationale, you’ll never have to deal with the discomfort of realizing that maybe your work isn’t as clear as you thought it was.

And let’s face it, writing is hard. Why bother putting in all that effort when you could be doing something else? After all, who needs to explain their thinking when you’re obviously the smartest person in the room?

Stay Behind the Times

Who needs to stay on top of industry trends when you can just stick with what worked in the past? After all, change is overrated. Why bother keeping up with the latest developments when you can just rely on what’s already worked for you? Plus, who has time for all that research?

Let’s be real, staying up to date with industry trends is just a waste of time. Why bother learning about new tools or technologies when the old ones work just fine? Plus, if you never try anything new, you’ll never have to deal with the frustration of learning something unfamiliar.

And let’s be honest, change is hard. Who wants to deal with all that uncertainty and discomfort? Sticking with what’s worked in the past is the best way to ensure that you don’t have to deal with any of that. After all, why fix something that isn’t broken?

AI-generated illustration of one person standing in a ray of light while others are shrouded in darkness
Created by John Wayne Hill with Midjourney

Keep Everyone in the Dark

Why should you bother keeping other people in the loop? It’s not like they need to know what you’re working on. Plus, it’s easier to just do your own thing without having to worry about anyone else. So just keep quiet and let everyone else figure things out on their own.

Let’s be real, communication is overrated. Why bother keeping people informed when they’ll find out eventually anyway? Plus, if you never keep anyone in the loop, you’ll never have to deal with the inconvenience of changing your plans or updating your progress.

And let’s be honest, dealing with other people can be a real pain. It’s much easier to just keep to yourself and avoid any potential conflict or pushback. After all, who needs to work with other people when you’re obviously the most talented and capable person on the team?

AI-generated illustration of a person throwing garbage on the ground in a park full of garbage
Created by John Wayne Hill with Midjourney

Leave Everything Worse Than You Found It

Why bother trying to make things better when you can just make them worse? After all, why put in effort when you can just be lazy? Who cares about making a positive impact when you can leave things in disarray? So just do the bare minimum and let everyone else deal with the fallout.

Don’t worry about maintaining anything or improving upon what already exists. That’s just a waste of time and energy. Instead, focus on doing the bare minimum and leaving things worse off than they were before. Don’t clean up after yourself, don’t organize anything, and certainly don’t bother fixing any problems that come up.

And let’s be real, why should you care about leaving a positive legacy or making an impact? It’s not like anyone will remember you anyway. Plus, if you never bother to make things better, you’ll never have to deal with the pressure of constantly improving or striving for excellence.

So go ahead, be lazy, be mediocre, and leave everything worse than you found it. Because at the end of the day, who needs a good reputation or a sense of accomplishment when you can just skate by doing the bare minimum?

AI-generated art of a rejected artist surrounded by his artwork
Created by John Wayne Hill with Midjourney

Conclusion

So there you have it, folks! With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming the worst product designer in history. Of course, if you’re looking for actual tips on how to be a successful product designer, you should definitely subscribe to Design Is Hard. We promise we won’t give you any terrible advice like this. Instead, you’ll get access to real insights and actionable tips from experienced designers who know what they’re talking about. So don’t be a bad designer, be a good one by subscribing to Design Is Hard today at https://johnwaynehill.substack.com!”

Design Is Hard mark in white by John Wayne Hill

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