Tech Job (Sans Coding) Spotlight - Graphic Designer

If you think that a graphic designer isn't a tech job, then your mind will definitely be changed by the end of this post. After all, designers work on all sorts of tech-related things from digital logos, animations, websites, and individual assets. Additionally, the industry requires the use of advanced tech software and hardware too. Although coding, you will be pleased to discover, is not a necessity for success. Keep reading to find out more detail about the role of a graphic designer. 


What is a graphic designer?


Someone that graphically designs, of course, or to put it another way graphic designers convey a message visually. A task that is pretty central to a great deal of the tech industry right now. 


In fact, many graphic designers go behind just to convey a message, but actually use their craft to engage users, and even tell a story. Something that can make the interactions we humans have with tech a lot more user friendly. 


What does a graphic designer do?


There are a lot of tasks that a graphic designer may be engaged in. Some of these will be working on a smaller scale, designing things like assets and vectors that can be used in larger pieces of work. 


While others will involve directing an entire project and bringing all the disparate parts together in line with the client's wishes. Examples of these being things like websites and graphical elements of marketing campaigns. 


Some designers will even spend their time creating online resources like this free menu template or simple website templates. Things that can allow non-specialists to create a professional-looking product that serves their business well. 


What are the typical tasks a graphic designer does in a day?


What you will do on a typical day will depend on a range of things. The first is the type of graphic design job you have. After all, if you work for an agency with a physical office, your routine will look a lot different from someone that can set their own schedule as a freelancer. 


Additionally, your specialism will come into play here. This is because logo designers may spend a lot of their time working with paper and ink while researching shapes and concepts. However, designers that are focusing on creating websites may choose to jump straight onto their computers and check for digital inspirations. Something that also allows them to interact with some of the most powerful software around like Adobe Creative Cloud. Not to mention some of the most fun hardware (I'm looking at you Apple Ipad pro and pencil!) 


Collaboration over coding 


While you may not need to know how to code to be a successful graphic designer, there is another skill you will need to have. It is collaboration with other designers and clients. After all, the product you create will be the sum of this. 


Of course, the primary way in which you will be collaborating in this day and age is online. Perhaps via email, messenger, or even through video presentations. Therefore, you need to make sure you have a good working understanding of the technology that will; allow you to interact with the most important people in your world. Your clients.