A Designer's Narrative: On Design, Writing, and Speech

Design, writing, and speech - three distinct art forms that shape the way we communicate and express ourselves. Following the footsteps of some of my design idols, I try to shape my very own world bit by bit - with mouse clicks and drags, from crafting stakeholders' visions into being, to my playful poster explorations on Instagram. I do all of this while trying to evoke the respective user's emotions. Isn't that what a designer does anyway? When I look back on my work, the projects I cherish the most, are those that the users are able to connect to emotionally. A well-placed curve, a subtle and clever animation, the perfect palette - these details come together to delight users in subtle yet profound ways. While meeting functional needs is of course important, the magic is in going a bit further. In those fleeting moments when a user smiles, laughs, or feels the stir of inspiration, I know I have succeeded in my craft.

I believe that design transcends aesthetics; it encompasses problem-solving, empathy, and strategic thinking. I have discovered that these same principles are integral to writing and speech as well. Just as a designer carefully selects colors, typography, and layout to convey a message, a writer meticulously chooses words and sentence structures to evoke emotions and connect with readers. Similarly, public speakers craft their messages, tone, and gestures to captivate and inspire their audience. In simple terms, they make their content emotive. At their core, design, writing, and speech share a common goal: to stir the emotions of users, readers, and listeners. Of course, this is not their only shared objective, but it is what excites me the most, and I believe it's a superpower.

With writing, though clumsy my pen may be, I get this rush when I read something beautiful - spanning from a clever copy on a website to a line of poetry that strikes a chord, to a random user77834515’s comment on YouTube, Quora, or Reddit. It makes me want to clean my keyboard and draft something new on Notion, in hopes of making someone feel a fraction of what I felt from that line. I marvel at this sorcery—mere taps on keyboards, undoing sadness, increasing sales, mending broken hearts, and putting smiles on beloved faces. Mere scratches of graphite or clicks of keys, uniting millions through unseen threads of empathy and imagination. What a wonder such frail traces can achieve, if their resonances catch at just the right frequency.

Although not an orator, I am able to grasp the power of impassioned speech. Words that stirred men to lay down their lives in war, or moved a company towards historic change - like Steve Jobs's speech of unveiling the iPhone. The influence of such speeches cannot be overemphasized. If granted a wish, I'd be an emoter's apprentice - learning to uplift, inspire, and ignite minds. I’d wish for my hands to design joy, my words dispel pain, and my voice help hearts harmonize. Not with grand lecterns or crowds, but in subtle moments. A line of copy kindling curiosity, a written musing easing solitude, a conversation dissolving tensions between strangers.

Small seeds of speech, planting human ties. If my clumsy tongue could cultivate but a few such moments, I would count my life well-spent. A silent whisper in one heart that ripples outward, changing worlds. The emoter's way is a humble one - but humble roots can lift mighty dreams.

Design, writing, and speaking may seem like separate entities, but they seem to be intrinsically connected by their ability to stir emotion. They are threads woven together. Just as a well-designed piece elicits an emotional response, so too does a beautifully written story or a captivating speech.

To look at these skills individually is to miss out on their full potential. Embracing them as a whole allows one to unlock the true power they possess. Each skill complements the other to create an experience that is both visually appealing and intellectually stimulating.