Seth Godin’s latest blog post paints a depressing picture of architectural design and engineering, but lands on two questions to ask if you want to do well:
“Give me constraints” and “Measure my performance” are rarely heard, except when talented and passionate designers go to work.
I’d extend that note further to say this:
To become a talented and passionate designer, ask “Give me constraints” and “Measure my performance”.
When you’re a newbie to a profession, having an expert (i.e. your boss) outline your operational constraints teaches you where the challenge is. And asking for someone (i.e. your client) to measure your performance teaches you what elements of what you do are actually important.
And when you are getting continuous feedback, (at least) two things will happen:
You’ll get better. You’ll become “talented”.
You’ll stay (or become) passionate because you’ll see how your work matters.
Getting better at work that matters is a worthy goal. And asking two simple questions could help all of us get there.