Starting a Design Studio: What You Need to Know
这是我翻译的一篇文章。
**几乎所有的真正爱设计的设计师，都有开设一个设计工作室的梦想或者念头。**去年，当我准备开始设计工作室的时候，我在网络上搜索先行者们的经验分享。其中，So, You’re Starting a Design Studio?这篇文章，从动机、实操、注意事项等方面，给出了简明扼要的建议。有些建议，想必会让设计师们会心一笑。比如：前期不用太关心工作室网站。（估计很多设计师做工作室的第一步，就是设计名片和网站吧？）
文章的作者是 Eric Karjaluoto，他和朋友 20 年前开始运作设计工作室 smashLAB。征得 Eric 的同意后，我将文章翻译成中文，并且，在 Eric 每条建议下面，聊了聊我的一些感受。分享给每个抱有做一个设计工作的朋友们。我翻译拙劣，英文可以的设计师，建议直接阅读原文：So, You’re Starting a Design Studio?
嗯，你要开一个设计工作室吗？
So, You’re Starting a Design Studio? – Eric Karjaluoto
有一天，一家新设计工作室内的老板向我寻求一些建议。我分享了一些想法，关于过去 17 年在运作 smashLAB 中哪些是凑效的、哪些是无用的。后来，我意识到，这些信息对于其他的人或许也是有用的。所以，我对谈话的要点进行梳理，发表了这篇博文。
这里是我的一些建议，当你开始启动一个设计公司时，供你参考。当然，每个人都会有不同的观点，以下是我尽我所能的给出的最好建议：
01. 弄清楚你想成为什么样的人？
设计代理公司（design agency)与设计工作室 (design studio) 看起来很相似，但实际上有很大的不同。在你从这两者中做选择之前，问问你自己想如何度过你的一天。**设计代理公司，会要求你专注于销售与管理。如果你更喜欢动手做设计，设计工作室可能更适合你。**另外，你可能想开发自己的产品。这些都是不错的追求。总之，选择一个适合你个性的方向很重要，不要做让自己后悔的决定。
Diff 随感：对我而言，更倾向于工作室模式。想动手做具体设计，因为，有乐趣。
02. 积累一些现金流（开源）
从找一份稳定的活开始。最简单的方式之一，就是成为某个人的兼职设计师（具体做法可以看我这篇文章：How We Fixed Our Studio’s Cash-Flow Problem – Eric Karjaluoto 。这么做，压力相对比较小。事实上，如果你要从一份正式的工作离开，你可以考虑向这家公司提议兼职的设计服务。这样的方式进行过渡，会轻松一些。一旦你有了收入进来，你会感觉轻松些，并且，你的工作室也会更稳定。
Diff 随感：理性一点，别说辞就辞。未来，如果你想做设计工作室，那就从现在开始积累资本、资源，去认识不同行业的人。别总宅着做设计。
03. 保持低开销（节流）
减少经济压力最简单的方法，不是赚得更多，而是更少的花钱。**不要租办公室，这既费钱，又没有必要。**在家工作，可以节省房租、通勤、家具等其他费用。更重要的是，除非绝对有必要，否则千万不要雇人。你会发现，薪资开销让你破产的速度，会超过你的想象。相反，去找到合适的人一起合伙、合作。这样的方式，更有趣，更好管理，并且，对你来说更灵活。
Diff 随感：或许，你开的第一个公司/设计工作室，就是为了玩票、为了找到一种身份感、新鲜感。但还是务实点。节约不是坏事。况且，如果你的工作室地理位置、装修不是足够的好，根本没有必要和客户提及。
04. 购买好的工具（就买一次）
当你开始一项设计业务时，你其实不需要很多东西。也就是说，真正的必需品只有几件（比如：椅子、电脑、桌子）有些东西，比如说桌子，你可以买个便宜的。但是，在某些方面，我建议你多花点钱。一把基本款的 Aeron 椅子，对于长时间工作来说，非常好用；并且，它很保值。同样的，一台好的笔记本电脑可以让你随时随地的工作。这些物品，你不需要购买顶级的，但是，我想你绝不会后悔买了实用称心的工具。
Diff 随感：Aeron 的椅子，还是满推荐的，我在开始在家自由职业后，就买了一把，简单的评测在此。买东西要少，但要买好点的，价格让你有点点心痛就对了。
05. 务实于业务，别空谈
设计工作室，不是一个流水线装配业务。因此，应用在某个项目中的方法，不一定适用于其他项目。在我们的设计工作室初期，有人告诉我「关注业务扩张，而不是眼前的设计事务」。这相当说，我们应当创建一套作业流程和规范的系统，然后，我们就可以把设计工作交给其他人。遵循那个建议，让我们过早的做了很多事情。系统很好，但对于小型的设计工作而言，你应该把精力集中在做好设计工作、确保确定的现金流，而不是想着如何把你的工作室变成一个加盟店。
Diff 随感：这条，不是太认同。我觉得，既要务实做事，也要跳出事情，看看发展方向、行业趋势。俗话叫：既要低头拉车，也要抬头看路。
05. 不要在意你的网站
设计师往往会高估自己网站的价值，并且沉迷于去改进网站的不足。然而，大多数的客户，并不知道细微细节的差别，甚至不关心这些。有一个简单的网页，上面有一些关于你工作室的信息、一些服务客服的 Logo，就足够了。
Diff 随感：这一条，真说到心里去了。哪个设计师，不是先想着弄个工作室网站呢？其实呢，根本没啥访问量。另外，哪个老派互联网创业者，不是先从买个域名开始呢？当然，很多人其实是没有「然后」的.. 网站不重要，流量重要。
06. Skip All the Self-Promotion
It seems that self-promotion is useful for running a studio, but it’s really easy to overdo it. It’s a common trap where your ego ends up opposing you. If you enjoy writing, then write; if you want to meet some nice people, then speak at some conferences, but don’t treat both as ways to keep your studio healthy. Also, the benefits of winning design awards are actually quite low, and the time and registration fees to enter can be expensive. I suggest completely avoiding these self-promotional methods. I think there have to be better ways to find new business.
Diff’s Thoughts: I don’t fully agree with this one either. Of course, for a studio, with few people and limited energy, you do need to measure the cost-benefit ratio.
07. Eat Lunch
This is the best business advice I can share with you: Engage with people. Having lunch together is a great way to keep in touch and strengthen friendships. For our studio, we just sit down with past or potential clients, have burgers and fries, and stumble upon more collaboration opportunities (usually pretty good ones).
Diff’s Thoughts: I once attended a session at Shanghai Chimu Design Studio, where the boss, Victor, frankly said he deliberately participates in non-design events every month to intentionally meet new friends, have meals, and chat. The reality is most designers are introverted. If you really want to go solo in the future, you’ll have to break through in this area.
08. Focus on the Results You Bring to Clients. Not Your Work.
Every time your attention gets divided, your work becomes tougher. In the early days of smashLAB, I wanted us to: create good designs, make our clients happy, maintain a good financial status, push the medium forward in innovative ways, and win design awards. Although all these can be achieved, these expectations and energy inputs often overlap and conflict. So, I urge you to focus on making your clients happy and satisfied. If you can do this one thing well, you’ll have plenty, and everything else will naturally fall into place.
Diff’s Thoughts: What designer doesn’t want to produce good work? But unfortunately, oftentimes, people care too much about the work itself. Making clients successful and satisfied is such a practical and incisive suggestion.
09. Have a Side Project
Keeping clients satisfied sometimes means making design changes or compromises, which might make you unhappy with your own design work. Worst case, you don’t even want to showcase the work because it’s just too clumsy and awful. Having a personal project or side business, fully under your control, will ease any discomfort you have from “keeping clients satisfied” during design work. Whether it’s an app, resource library, or anything else, pick a side project of your own, set aside some dedicated time, and enjoy it.
Diff’s Thoughts: I totally agree. While managing a design team, I also recommend this to designers. You need a place outside of commercial design to fully unleash your creativity. Here’s how I do it.
10. Be Easy to Hire
I have a friend who’s smart and capable but can’t find steady design work. My intuition is that nobody hires him because he makes the hiring and collaboration process too difficult. He frequently complains about clients’ HR software and questions clients’ interests’ legitimacy. Don’t be like him. Make it easier, more seamless for clients to try out your design or service and see how you work, making them comfortable. If you don’t know how to do this yet, I suggest reading this article: How We Fixed Our Studio’s Cash-Flow Problem – Eric Karjaluoto
Diff’s Thoughts: Be humble, easygoing, and, of course, have principles, boundaries, and skills. Generally speaking, designers are quite proud.
11. Enjoy the Process
I’m always rushing, so I miss out on some beautiful times. Recently, I’ve found some ways to savor the moments and have more fun. Running a design studio takes time and effort, but it doesn’t need to be as tense as a race. Instead, plan, organize, and arrange your design career well, and it’ll help you live the life you want. Admittedly, this list is still incomplete. I’ll add to it when I have new ideas. If you have related questions, I’m happy to answer them.
Diff’s Thoughts: When I first started freelancing, even without much pressure, I was nervous, even anxious. This emotion wasn’t caused by relatively lower income compared to full-time jobs, but rather by worrying about living a “non-normal” lifestyle and being out of touch with the industry, trends. It’s eased a bit now, and I’m kind of enjoying it. :)
Thanks to Eric Karjaluoto’s article~ On his personal website, there’s an “Now doing…” and “Not doing…” list that’s quite impressive and interesting. Go check it out.