Taste for Makers: Summary

1. Introduction to Taste: Many professions, from mathematicians to writers, regard good work as "beautiful". Having a sense of "taste" is crucial for creators and designers.
2. Subjectivity vs Objectivity: While many claim "taste" is subjective, designers recognize the importance of universally appealing beauty, challenging the idea that everyone's taste is perfect.
3. Principles of Good Design:
• Simplicity: Reducing to essentials and avoiding unnecessary complexity.
• Timelessness: Creating designs that remain relevant and appealing over time.
• Solving the Right Problem: Addressing the primary concern rather than secondary issues.
• Suggestiveness: Allowing the user or observer to fill in details, leading to deeper engagement.
• Humor: The best designs have an element of strength and lightness, making them seem slightly humorous.
• Hard Work: Great design requires dedication and effort.
• Symmetry: Repetition and recursion offer simplicity and elegance.
• Nature Resemblance: Emulating natural forms or methods often results in good design.
• Redesign: Improvement often comes through iteration.
• Copying: Using existing good designs as a starting point is acceptable.
• Strangeness: Great designs sometimes have an uncanny or novel quality.
• Chunk Creation: Innovations often occur in specific communities or hotspots.
• Daring: Challenging existing norms can lead to groundbreaking designs.
4. Conclusion: To produce great work, one must have a keen sense of taste and the ability to act upon it, striving always for beauty and functionality.

Taste: An Overview

1. Subjectivity vs Objectivity: While many perceive taste as subjective, designers see it as an intersection with quality. Exploring taste can offer a more objective understanding of design.
2. Identifying Quality: Taste isn't just personal preference. It involves recognizing materials' appropriateness, ergonomics, usability, aesthetic choices, and more. Quality lies in the object, while taste lies in the observer.
3. Taste as Curation: Taste involves selecting from numerous options with a keen focus. It's not just for creators but can be seen in brands or studios that choose quality over quantity.
4. Developing Taste: Like any skill, taste can be honed through practice, exploration, risk-taking, and learning from mistakes.
5. Beyond Personal Preference: In design, personal aesthetic preferences might differ from the target audience or brand aesthetic. It's about achieving a specific design goal rather than just personal likes.
6. Timelessness of Taste: While visual trends evolve, genuine taste appreciates quality beyond fleeting fashions.
7. Human vs Machine: In an age of AI, while machines can produce well-executed designs quickly, human taste dictates what should be created.
8. Guarding Against Gatekeeping: Taste shouldn't be an elitist or exclusionary concept. It's essential to avoid vague terminologies that might exclude individuals or ideas.
9. Demystifying Taste: For a clearer understanding of design, it's crucial to define quality objectively, focusing on shared goals rather than individual subjective measures.

In essence, taste goes beyond personal preferences and involves a deep understanding of quality, curation, and objective design principles. It's a skill that can be developed and should be employed inclusively rather than exclusively.

• Tobias van Schneider initially believed designers were not artists.
• Common view: design is objective and solves problems, while art is subjective and evokes feelings.
• Perspective has changed: not all designers are artists, but the best ones have an artistic touch.
• Artistic element in design gives it a unique personality and distinction.
• Even among top designs solving the same problem, one might resonate more because of its art.
• Designers inherently bring their personal experiences and tastes into their work.
• Infusing personal touch in design is not a drawback but an advantage.
• Best designers seamlessly blend design with art for more impactful creations.

Establishing Your Identity as a Designer

1. Conflict in Identity: Designers often face the challenge of establishing a unique identity in their early career while also meeting the goals and aesthetics of their clients.
2. Voice, Style, and Identity:
• Voice is the designer's unique perspective.
• Style refers to the technical choices made, which may vary by project.
• Identity is the public perception of a designer, a blend of voice and style.
3. Finding Your Voice:
• Trust Your Instincts: Rely on your intuition, backed by education and experiences.
• Play to Your Strengths: Embrace unique attributes and seek projects that align with them.
• Absorb Everything: Continually learn from diverse sources beyond design, from art to movies.
• Don't Disregard Self-expression: Design is an artistic reflection of oneself.
4. Shaping Identity: Unlike the passive act of "finding," shaping identity is an active process. It involves conscious choices in projects, clients, and self-presentation, especially in portfolios.
5. Continuous Evolution: A designer's identity is not static. Tastes, interests, and strengths evolve, leading to continuous learning and growth.

In essence, a designer's identity is an amalgamation of their unique voice and chosen style. It evolves over time and is crafted consciously through experiences, choices, and self-reflection.