Confessions of a Software Design Team

We asked our SAS designers to complete a series of fill-in-the-blank prompts about their work, habits, and creative mindset. No overthinking — just honest, off-the-cuff responses.

The answers reveal how different (and sometimes surprisingly similar) our approaches can be. Use them as inspiration, a gut check, or just a quick break from your own process!

Here’s what they had to say:

“The best design advice I ever received was…”

• “Good artists copy; great artists steal.” — Pablo Picasso
• To keep asking “What is the problem we are trying to solve and who are we solving it for?”
• Know that there are two types of questions. The first type of question is asked by someone who genuinely wants to know the answer. The second type of question comes from someone who just wants you to know how much they know. Knowing the difference can change everything.
• However long you think it will take, multiply it by 3x.

“When I feel stuck, I remind myself to…”

• Come up with bad ideas. When the pressure is off to come up with a good idea, it often releases the creative juices.
• Take a break to clear my mind.
• Breathe, get out of your head, go for a walk, take a break — good ideas come when you aren’t expecting it.
• Ask for feedback, get others to weigh in. You need more than just your perspective.

“The moment I knew I wanted to become a designer was when…”

• I was first hired as a “layout artist” for a newspaper. After that, a career in Mathematics didn’t seem quite as charming.
• I saw the potential to bridge the gap between art and technology.
• I went to the natural history museum and realized that graphic designers have a hand in curating the exhibits and determining how to display information in a way that helps people learn something new.

“One thing I’ve learned from a design challenge is…”

• Listen, really listen, to others instead of thinking about what I should say or contribute next. Let things happen organically.
• Your first design is usually never the correct one
• Design for a product is never done. There will always be improvements, iterations, and new features to design.

“If I could tell my younger designer self one thing, it would be…”

• Believe in your abilities and talent. You are not an imposter.
• A good designer doesn’t just do what they are told. A good designer asks questions.
• Everyone is broken in some way and trying their best. Things that seem to be directed at you are not about you. Breathe and approach with grace.
• Those all-nighters in university were actually pretty fun!
• Don’t present an option if you don’t like it yourself, because that’s the one your client will pick.

“A great design is one that…”

• Is invisible. (for software, that is). A user should be able to complete their task so efficiently and effortlessly that they don’t even notice the design of the UI.
• Makes a task easier for the user and does so in a clear and consistent manner.
• Allows a user to accomplish something and leaves them with a feeling of “oh, that was cool”.
• Makes you smile with delight :)
• Is timeless
• Seems obvious
• Goes unnoticed. When it fits so seamlessly into your life that you don’t even think twice…unless you are a designer and then you notice :)

“The most surprising thing about the design process is…”

• How long it can sometimes take to get a concept from design to production.
• How hard it is to design “simple.”

“When I look at a finished project, I feel…”

• Somewhat satisfied, but almost always see something that could be better.
• “Oooohhh, I should have done this…”
• The urge to change the things I’ve noticed after completing it.

“Creativity is like…”

• Any random muscle in your body…use it or atrophy.
• A constant battle of highs and lows

“One way to find inspiration is to…”

• Go for a walk outside in nature, clear your mind, take a shower, and/or listen to some great music that fits your mood.
• Look at nature.
• Go outside! Look around you and see what others are doing. Think about what is working and what is not working.

“My favorite part of the design process is…”

• Taking abstract ideas and descriptions and making them real.
• The part right after the anxiety when nothing is working and I feel like a fraud. The part when I move one thing (design element, word, thought, etc.) and then things start falling in place. Then, all of a sudden, I look at what I am creating and I’m like “Hey, this is something!”

“The quickest way to ruin a great design is to…”

• Over-design, over-complicate, or make something too busy.
• Assume.
• Use a terrible typeface.
• Design by committee.

“Every designer secretly loves…”

• Spreadsheets, math, and when a problem has a singular, correct answer (which is never the case when designing).
• The golden ratio.
• Really specific guidelines.
• Critiquing other apps, websites, and logos they come across in their daily lives.

“The biggest misconception about designers is…”

• That we have encyclopedic knowledge of how every product and every feature should be designed when, instead, design is about a process of understanding the problem and trying to find a solution.
• That our contribution is just making things pretty.
• We know every font.

FINAL THOUGHTS

These responses offer a quick look into how different designers think, work, and stay inspired. While no two answers are the same, they all reflect the shared challenges and creativity that define our field. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t — and maybe even try answering the prompts yourself!