I used to shy away from asking questions, even if I was curious about something. I’d rather look for an answer online and pretend to know what I was doing. I didn’t want to be that annoying person that wasn’t on the same page as everyone else, even if I totally wasn’t.

As I gained more experience, I realized that I wasn’t the only designer with imposter syndrome. Many seasoned designers are still figuring out some part of their job.

It’s common for people to feel hesitant or nervous about asking questions, especially if they are in a new or unfamiliar situation. However, asking questions is necessary to learn and grow as a designer.

Asking for help

Asking for help shows that you are open and willing to learn. You can get guidance and input from others who have the knowledge or expertise to help you.

I made the mistake of pretending to know what I was doing even if I didn’t. I could have saved a lot of time when tackling complex or unfamiliar tasks. By getting assistance from someone who knows more about the subject, you can get the job done more efficiently.

Additionally, it can be a great opportunity to learn new techniques and approaches that you can apply to your workflow. By showing that you are willing to seek assistance and collaborate with others, you can foster a sense of trust with your teammates.

Here are some questions that you might ask when seeking help.

1. How have you approached similar problems in the past?
2. What are some best practices that I should be aware of?
3. How can I best gather and analyze user feedback?
4. Can you provide guidance or assistance with user research or usability testing?
5. Can you suggest any helpful tools or resources?
6. How can I ensure that my designs are accessible and inclusive for users with different abilities or needs?
7. How can I effectively communicate and present my design ideas to stakeholders?
8. Can you offer any advice on how to prioritize design decisions?
9. How can I effectively collaborate with other designers or stakeholders?
10. Who else might be able to provide further guidance on this topic?

Why is it important

Regardless of your seniority, even as a senior designer, asking questions shows that you are aware of what you don’t know, and that you are willing to seek out guidance and feedback in order to learn and grow.

Just like the design process, your career will go through iterations each time you gather feedback and build upon your skills.

Asking for clarification

As a designer, asking for clarification allows you to fully understand the needs, goals, and motivations of the users you are designing for. By developing a strong understanding of the problem, you can ensure that your solutions meet the needs of your users.

Asking for clarification can also help you to identify any potential problems or issues that may arise during the design process, and allow you to address them before they become major issues.

Here are some questions that you might ask for clarification.

1. Can you provide more detail or context about the issue at hand?
2. How does this problem or situation impact the users or stakeholders?
3. What are the specific goals or objectives that need to be achieved?
4. What are the constraints or limitations that need to be considered?
5. What are the potential causes or contributing factors to this problem?
6. How has this problem been addressed in the past?
7. What are the potential risks or consequences if this problem is not solved?
8. What resources or support are available to help address this issue?
9. How can we verify or confirm the accuracy of this information?
10. What are the long-term or short-term impacts of this issue?

Why is it important

Communication and alignment are key to successful product development.

If you have any uncertainty with a task, it’s generally better to ask questions upfront and clarify any misunderstandings or ambiguities rather than potentially misinterpreting something.

Following incorrect assumptions can lead to problems or delays later on in the design process, as well as potential frustration with stakeholders.

By asking questions upfront and seeking clarification, you can ensure that you have a clear and accurate understanding of the needs, goals, and motivations of the users you are designing for, as well as any constraints or requirements that need to be considered.

Asking questions during a design critique

Design critiques are meant to give designers a space to be open and transparent with one another about their work. Sometimes, I find that teammates don’t engage in design critique, as they might see it as an optional meeting, or not vital to their work.

However, presenting and asking questions during a design critique can be a helpful way to gather feedback and insights from other designers, and identify areas where your designs can be improved.

Here are some questions that you might ask during a design critique.

1. What are the main goals or objectives of this design?
2. Who are the target users of this design?
3. What are the key features or functionality of this design?
4. What are the strengths of this design?
5. What are the weaknesses of this design?
6. How does this design compare to similar products or solutions?
7. What are the potential challenges or limitations of this design?
8. What are the potential opportunities or benefits of this design?
9. How might this design be improved or refined?
10. What are the next steps or action items for this design?

It’s important to approach a design critique with an open mind and a willingness to consider different perspectives and ideas. A team with diverse perspectives leads to more innovative ideas and better solutions.

No one expects you to know everything

If you feel nervous or hesitant about asking questions, remind yourself that it’s a normal part of the learning process.

Don’t worry about what people think about you. Everyone has different levels of knowledge and experience. At one point, they were in your shoes as well.

I’ve found that the design community has been generally supportive. Most people are happy to help and provide guidance, especially if it means that you will be able to better understand something and contribute back to the team.

Look for a mentor that you can turn to for advice and guidance throughout your career. Most importantly, stay curious and keep asking questions. You may be out of school, but you should never stop learning.