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Non-design degrees that can benefit you as a designer
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Computer Science
Goes without saying, having a CS background can expand your job opportunities and help you succeed as a digital designer. Code is the medium we are designing with, even if pixels and vectors are how we convey it. Understanding the systems, foundations, and principles that guide how our designs are translated to the screen helps (and in my experience, doesn't hinder) your creativity... See more
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Economics
At its core, economics is the study of systems. My degree gave me foundation to understand incentive structures, institutional and cognitive bias, feedback loops, behavioral psychology, and to use qualitative and quantitative research to understand trends. It's basically a CS degree for liberal arts majors and a great primer for understanding how design impacts and can be impacted by the world.... See more
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Film studies, architecture, industrial design
As digital design leaves the screen behind through technologies like AR and VR, the traditional paradigm of print design becomes less useful. Many designers working in emerging tech point to film, architecture, and industrial as a closer model to understand how to make their designs immersive and understandable. Learning spacial thinking will give you transferable skills in these areas (these could be great minors as well!)... See more
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Psychology/Sociology
Human-centered design has been adopted by the mainstream. A degree in psychology can help you understand human behaviors, cognitive bias, incentive structures, and other skills to better understand your users and the needs of different groups who will use your designs. Some programs may even give you first-hand research experience if it interests you, which is great experience if you're interested in research or UX Design... See more
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Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
Programs in this area exist under a number of different names (interaction design, design computing, information systems, etc). Look for schools with a strong graduate program in this area and see what undergraduate options they offer. HCI is a relatively new field but these tend to be great programs that give you a human-centered view of technology, a perfect background for a designer.... See more
Some of the most incredible designers I've worked with don't have a formal education in design. When selecting a program, the school, professors, and alumni network are often more valuable than the degree itself, since it's the people you meet and learn from who will shape your education and help you network afterward. No matter what program you select, focus on developing skills, experiences, and relationships that you can apply to your career. Finally, don't discount supplementing your education with informal learning and mentorships. Here are some great majors to consider:
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Know how to work with people who seem arrogant
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Assume innocence
There are many reasons why a person may exhibit this behavior. Try and reset your mind, and consider all the reasons why they may be showing outward arrogance. Perhaps they struggle with criticism, or are having a hard time figuring out how they fit into the team. If you lead with empathy, you are more likely to have better outcomes.... See more
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Engage them in group activity
Arrogance is a common deflection when someone is feeling threatened or under-appreciated. Try and find ways to involve this person in activities as a group where everyone participates, such as a workshop. These are great at building team camaraderie, allow the person in question to feel heard, and also expose the strengths of other team members.... See more
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Ask them questions
If their arrogance is a defense mechanism, engaging them directly can help disarm them and build their own confidence, eventually relaxing the behavior. Get to know them personally: What brought you into design, tell us about your past work, what's a cool project you worked on? Ask them how they like to receive feedback. Engage them for feedback on a problem you're working on. And when they show arrogance, follow up with questions: Ask them to explain their thinking, how they arrived there, what other directions they may consider. It's possible they don't have the design maturity or confidence to explore a problem deeper, so encourage that behavior and as a team, give them the backup they need to get there.... See more
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Accept that people are who they are
Perhaps this person is just the way they are. Who knows what got them to that point, but ultimately only they are responsible for themselves and their personal growth. Take a deep breath, and accept them. Identify the methods and projects where the arrogance is relaxed and focus your time and energy there. When they say something that annoys you, shrug it off and move on. Conflict is a natural part of life, and it's good practice to learn how to deal with it, as annoying as that may be.... See more
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Get advice from your manager
Not about them, but about you. Talk with your manager and ask for help dealing with this situation. If you have a good manager, their response will not be to confront or discipline this person, but rather to encourage you with ways to work with them and improve group dynamics. They can help coach you to adjust the way you communicate with your coworker and to lean into your coworker's strengths. Find an advocate who will help you grow, as you focus on finding common ground and a good working relationship with your team.... See more
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Establish transparency for design within your company
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Run short sprints or adopt hacknights
Shorter timeframes require people to think smaller and get more comfortable iterating and experimenting towards a longer-term objective. Long timeframes allow for the nursing of perfection, resulting in the guarding of ideas and concepts.
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