A present I got for my birthday many months ago was Mathis’ book Designed for Use: Create Usable Interfaces for Applications and the Web. I started reading it recently and can’t believe I didn’t start earlier. It’s a great resource and has taught me immensely.
This is another great piece from him called Unsolicited Redesigns. Of all the excellent points made, here’s my takeaway:
1) Walk in humility
Humility is an act of respect. Instead of seeking to be right, strive for what IS right. Pose your critique more along the lines of a question, not a statement.
“Being brilliant is not a great feat if you respect nothing.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
2) Seek to learn
Don’t let your arrogance get in the way of learning the what, where, when, why how. Take pride in your work, but be open and receptive to the feedback. The more you listen and the less you talk, the more you will gain. Communication has a purpose – use it for what’s meaningful.
“Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.” – Benjamin Franklin
© 2013 Joshua Tucker
The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…to leave the world a better place…to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
There isn’t a person anywhere who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can.
