Three good design principles

1. Respect your audience

Manipulation brings only short-lived success. People recognize when they matter to you. Whatever path you take builds a relationship. Make it a good one.

2. Respect the medium

Digital can do things print cannot, both technically and tactically. The same goes for textiles, wood, the multiplying flavors of digital, etc. Learn everything you can about where your work will end up, and mock it up as closely as you can, in the same (or a very, very similar) medium. I screwed this up big time recently because I blindly followed a major agency’s specs.

3. Listen

… to your customer and your market—before, during, and after a project is designed and launched. Active listening means asking clarifying questions. It also means being willing to abandon previously held beliefs and to learn something completely new.