Thanksgiving is finally upon us!
It’s that time of year where we collectively take a step back and reflect on the things that we’re grateful for. In an attempt to share the spirit of gratitude, we asked the incredible InVision community to share with us the things that they are most grateful for as designers, but also as humans. Grab a mug of hot cider, sit back, and prepare yourself for some warm fuzzies.
Image by Tim Sackton. CC BY-SA 2.0
“I’m thankful for the community we’re all part of. Despite its flaws, it’s made up of helpful, caring people who want to share their knowledge and make themselves and what they create better. I can’t think of many other industries that hold a clear openness and desire to share knowledge so close to their hearts.
I’m thankful that when I was a young man trying to get somewhere I was able to get help and advice from people who inspired me the most. I’m even more thankful that I can still do this a decade later.”
–Luke Jones, UI Designer and Researcher
“I’m thankful that we live in a time when it’s never been easier for someone with a great product idea to test it out and launch it.”
–Dan Olsen, author of The Lean Product Playbook
“I’m thankful that through design, I can make life a little bit easier for our customers who are changing the world for good.”
–Joe Callahan, Co-founder and VP of Design at Classy.org
“I’m thankful for clients who listen and appreciate our research and ideas.”
–Jorunn Aasen, UX Designer at Crowd Favorite
“I’m grateful to be a designer in the greatest time in history to be a designer.
I’m grateful that being a designer allows me to take client work only 2 days a week and focus the rest of my time on self-initiated projects and development. I don’t think this was ever possible before the internet and the rise in the value of design.”
–Ran Segall, Co-founder and Product at The nuSchool
“I’m thankful for the amazing learning journey that’s been going on for years. These years of experience are my most precious treasure. One should never stop learning—not just design, but also all the relevant business skills. And the most exciting lessons are still waiting around the corner.”
–Jane Portman, UI/UX consulting and training at UI Breakfast
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“As a designer and a human, I’m thankful for the incredible amounts of love and kindness within the design community. Although it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, the community as a whole is a marvelous environment to be a part of.
People look out for you, offer feedback and support, and are genuinely interested in helping you grow and learn (as both humans and designers). Most people aren’t designers for personal gain—most people are designers because they love what they do, and the support they offer newcomers to the industry is unparalleled.
If you’re ever lost, stuck, or need advice, ask the community for a hand—they’ve always got your back.
Every single day, I’m grateful to be a part of the community and to the wonderful friends, and mentors I’ve found through it. “
–Cassius Kiani, Partner at Mikleo
“I’m thankful that I have a job where I can create and be intuitive and artistic while yielding a result that delights people. I’m also thankful for a workplace that’s full of goodwill, where we all genuinely want what is best for the client and users, and all decisions are made with that as our north star. As a result, we’re given autonomy and flexibility with the expectation that we’ll own our work. I feel very fulfilled as a designer, and for that I am grateful.”
–MK Cook, UX/UI Designer at Digital Telepathy
“I’m thankful that I work for a company that values design.”
–Michelle Haft, Creative Lead at Quore
“Collaborating with, and learning from, my dynamic team! I’m thankful every day for the interesting research and projects we get to work on, and for learning from different perspectives to deliver richer, more human experiences centered on our customers’ needs.”
–Roshan James, Business Consultant, Digital Strategic Initiatives at Manulife
“I’m thankful for our users. Every morning I wake up feeling excited to deliver them a better experience—they’re the reason we’ve gotten to where we are now. Even their (what seems to be the) most impossible feedback can sometimes lead us to the greatest improvement.”
–Betria Silvana Rossa, Web Developer at Tenso, Inc.
“I’m thankful for the excitement I see on clients’ faces when they see their vision come to life via UX/UI design. It’s especially gratifying when they’ve operated without a clear UX champion in the past, and now understand the value it brings to their organization and product.”
–Kevin Tomasso, author of ‘Designing with Your Developer in Mind’
“A few things I’m thankful for: an office space that allows dogs, a mild fall, the abundance of chip varieties at our Thursday night get-togethers…
But I guess the thing I’m most thankful for is the culture I’m in. Not just at Myplanet (though that’s something I’m very proud to be a part of), but more generally. I’m enormously grateful to be given the chance, every single day, to take another step towards my goals in a workplace, city, community, and country that supports and encourages innovation, self-expression, diversity and personal growth.”
–Leigh Bryant, Content Management at Myplanet
“I’m thankful for all the programs, information, and resources that are so easily accessible in this era. What a wonderful time we live in.”
–Petra Fon, Creative Director at ABC Accelerator
And lastly, all of us on the InVision team are so thankful for you, our beautiful friends of the design community. Happy Thanksgiving!
What are you thankful for? Share it with us on Twitter!
Shakti is the Head of Content at Blueprint Registry. Before Blueprint Registry, she led social media marketing at InVision and is a trained chef. She loves space stuff, dogs, memes, chicken nuggets, and words.
