Designing with Vulnerability: How Embracing Imperfection Can Lead to Innovation and Creativity
That day’s still as fresh as ever. As a young student, I was full of boldness and confidence. But all of that was gonna be put to the trial.
It was just a regular day in class until our teacher didn’t show up. My classmates and I, like any other bunch of kids, made noise and mess around. But he eventually showed, and he was steaming. His face was beet red and he was screaming at us for messing up his class.
He made fun of me for wearing glasses and called me a ‘spet’ in the heat of the moment. My face felt like it was on fire from the sheer embarrassment, and I wished I could vanish beneath my desk.
But I could feel something inside of me refusing to stay quiet. I took a deep breath and spoke up, my voice shaking slightly as I corrected him and told him my name was Sundarapandian, not “spect.” It was as if the entire world was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
And then, something incredible happened. My teacher apologized to me. He realized he had made a mistake and hurt me with his words. It was an intense moment, showing me how essential vulnerability and standing up for myself really is.
Looking back on that experience now, I can see how it shaped me into the designer I am today. It taught me to embrace my flaws and imperfections, to be open and honest with myself and others, and to never let fear hold me back.
Growing up in a small town, I was always encouraged to be open and straightforward. But as I entered the professional world and became a UX designer, I realized that vulnerability could be both a strength and a weakness.
We are not always right
As a designer, I have had my fair share of experiences where I felt out of place and vulnerable. One such experience was when I traveled to a customer location and was new to the entire team. I was the outsider who didn’t know the company’s culture or even the area’s customs. It was a lonely feeling, and I felt like I had no one to turn to for help.
To make matters worse, I had to focus on my design deliverables immediately for the customer. I was constantly proposing design options, but it seemed like everything I suggested was getting criticized and rejected. My team managers got frustrated, and they started complaining about my work. I wasn’t able to settle down in the new place or even have proper food. My focus was solely on solving the design, and every day, I proposed a new design.
As a designer, my whole area was focusing on the aesthetic part of how to impress the customer. I had talented business analysts around me, but no one could understand why my designs were getting rejected. I decided to take the matter into my own hands and asked my project manager to set up a call with designers and customers to understand the issue better.
During the meeting, we were with all stakeholders who were experts in the industry knowledge, and they immediately started to complain about our design. They were not able to understand what the content meant, and it was going on for another 15 minutes. During this process, we understood the key problem. Normally, as designers, we use dummy text which starts with “Lorem Ipsum Dollar…”. However, our customer was not a native English speaker, and they couldn’t understand what the content was. They thought we had made some BS design, and they were not worried about any aesthetic part at all.
So later, we sat with our Business analyst team and made contextually meaningful design with actual text and then we presented. Voila, we got great appreciation. This experience was one of my life-changing ones. It was a simple thing. We didn’t know the customer issue, and without expressing our concern and just kept on doing multiple iterations, it would have been better on day one to openly speak to the customer and get the feedback rather than in silos creating the design and not hearing what the actual problem is.
This experience taught me the importance of vulnerability in the design process. As Brené Brown has said, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” And I couldn’t agree more. By being willing to admit our mistakes and listen to feedback, we can create better designs and build stronger relationships with our colleagues and clients.
As I continue on my design journey, I strive to embrace vulnerability as a strength, rather than a weakness. It’s not always easy to put ourselves out there and expose our flaws, but by doing so, we can learn, grow, and create truly impactful work.
Vulnerability is key for not only design, but also personal growth. It’s tempting to stay in our comfort zones, but then we miss out on the chance to explore and develop.
In my experience, being vulnerable has helped me make deeper connections with people, be myself and be more determined to follow my interests. Presenting new designs to my team or telling my friends and family how I feel, vulnerability is like my compass.
Of course, vulnerability is not’t always easy. It’s scary and awkward putting ourselves out there and risking rejection or criticism. But I’m sure it’s worth it to put yourself out there. Being vulnerable gives us a chance to be seen, heard, and get it, plus opens us up to new stuff.
As designers, we have the special chance to let our vulnerability show in designs that really touch our users. Listening to their ideas, understanding where they’re coming from, and taking their views into account can help us make products that are not only useful, but also meaningful and impactful.
So the next time you’re feeling vulnerable or unsure of yoursel’re not alone. We all have our doubts, but how we react to them really tells who we are. If we let ourselves be vulnerable, we can develop designs that really make a difference, as well as become more genuine, understanding and tough.
In the long run, being vulnerable is about being real and letting people know who we really are. It’s about embracing our imperfections and embracing the messiness of life, rather than trying to hit exist.
As Brene Brown reminds us, “Vulnerability is not weakness, and that myth is profoundly dangerous.”
As a designer, it’s tempting to show that we know our stuff and are in control. Brown, though, stresses that being vulnerable is actually strong and that if we accept our imperfections and are willing to take risks, it can spark creativity and innovation. By understanding our boundaries and requesting help when we need it, we can create better designs.
“Shame is the most powerful, master emotion. It’s the fear that we’re not good enough.”
Vulnerability is something I’m still learning, beginning with when my teacher called me a “spect” that day in class. That was when I knew I couldn’t keep hiding behind my glasses. I had to speak out for myself and be honest, even if it meant people judging my accent or opinions.
It was tough, but eventually I got more sure of myself and my voice. I started writing more, speaking out more, and sharing my thoughts and perspectives. It amazed me when people actually started paying attention and responding. I figured out that when I was honest and open; I was connecting with people better and creating more meaningful relationships.
“Empathy is the antidote to shame.”
This lesson has been incredibly useful for a designer. Design is more than just how it looks and what it does. To really understand and bond with our users, we need to be open and put ourselves in their position. We gotta be open to feedback and criticism, and willing to try again and get better based on what we learn.
Let’s all accept our vulnerability, both as designers and people. Let’s be open and genuine, and see what happens. Who knows! We might just come up with something incredible and make a real difference.
