Those who run design studios often struggle with their client relationships. They can change this by taking a client-first viewpoint.

Making things is challenging. Getting them to market is even harder. Finding an audience that cares? Damn-that's a real toughy. So, it's no wonder people often give up. If you're a maker, you know what I'm talking about. Excitement turns to doubt awfully quick.

I was sick of advertising. This presented a sort of problem, as our studio was doing more of this type of work. We first pursued it hoping it would even out our cash flow. As we did, though, I realized how vast the gulf between design and advertising was.

I'm unconvinced of the familiar "designers must code" refrain. Sure, some designers need to code-just to get closer to their materials. (For example, if you create data visualizations, you probably want to turn the knobs for yourself.) That said, this unilateral belief that all designers must code seems simplistic.

He's not a wimp. In fact, anything but. He'll out-lift you, even though he only weighs 140 pounds. He'll out-run you, even though he's in his early 70s. And, he'll burn you out of the sauna, if you care to test him. (I don't recommend trying this.)

If you do services-based design work, certain devices are useful. Research, scenarios, user interviews, and other mechanisms can help you make sense of user behavior. These can also be useful for product-based design, but they're not quite as necessary. This is because you can see for yourself what users do- and they'll tell you.