Leading with Craftis a limited series of articles where we shed a light on stories of designers with successful careers as individual contributors.

Curating and publishing hundreds of articles every month at the UX Collective, we have noticed an abundance of resources for designers switching careers to management, but a gap for those who want to continue to focus on their craft.

This series highlights professionals that never let their seniority move them away from their practice and their passion for what made them great in the first place, such as John Ferguson.

John Ferguson is a multidisciplinary artist, designer, and director based in Atlanta. He’s been practicing design for more than twenty years, working with companies like Frog Design, SapientNitro, Ogilvy, Huge, and more recently Work & Co, where he focuses on shipping digital products that people use every day.

His passion projects include The Black Bauhaus Mvmt (founded by John), where he brings design awareness to the underserved communities, as well as Bold Honey, a creative company that amplifies the voice, narratives, and artistic merits of young women and girls of color by centering their talents for storytelling.

Am I going to work with people who inspire me?

[UXC] John! So great to have you be part of this series. Tell us a bit about your career so far. You have a solid journey working with some of the best design agencies and studios in the world. What are the key forces driving your journey as a designer?

I’ve been fortunate to work with some solid companies and people throughout my career. One of the fundamental forces behind my journey is the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other designers. Building relationships is a crucial part of what we do.

I’ve always been a people person myself. That’s just part of my nature. I’m a strong believer that the best design work comes out of working with different types of people, with different backgrounds and points of view — so I will always look for that human connection in any project or role that I’m taking. Am I going to work with people who inspire me? Am I going to be able to learn something new?

Relationships are also extremely important in the long run. Every person you work with today is a door you are opening tomorrow. Later on, these relationships will generate new work, new side project ideas, new business, and overall opportunities to make great work together.

I’ve seen you mention in the past that “great design leaders can navigate between making, mentoring, and leading”. I also know Work & Co has a track record of not letting management duties get in the way of designers being able to design. How do you currently split your time between doing hands-on work, managing people, and leading projects?

For me, making, mentoring, and leading should all be happening at the same time. It’s like a dance, like different levers you can push and pull at different stages of a project.

The most significant impact a design leader can have is to be right there in trenches so that other designers can see their process… there is this delusion that often happens when we see great work from super talented designers/leaders that can make our own abilities to be just as creative feel out of reach. But it’s not. What you’re not seeing is the full journey to get to that output.

As a design leader, it’s also important to know when to step back and let the team shine. I like being hands-on at the beginning when everyone is making a mess, but I know when to step back and let other designers do their thing. It’s rewarding to see younger designers step up and sometimes teach me a thing or two.

Was it a conscious decision not to focus the bulk of your time on management?

Yes, I made a conscious decision early on not to focus the bulk of my time on management. I’ve always considered myself a hands-on designer; it’s fulfilling to my soul. Early in my career, I remember working with talented designers who moved up in their careers to the point where they were not in the craft anymore because they were spending so much time in meetings and managing multiple projects. And even though they were probably making bank, most of them seemed miserable.

I enjoy being in the thick of things and working side by side with other designers, brute-forcing our way into the unknown, you know. That’s where the camaraderie, growth, and relationships are built. It’s like what Frank Gehry said, “For me, every day is a new thing. I approach each project with a new insecurity, almost like the first project I ever did. And I get the sweats. I go in and start working, I’m not sure where I’m going. If I knew where I was going I wouldn’t do it.”

Designing is something that I’m super passionate about. I want to be like the late Milton Glaser, in my 90s, still putting in work, but on my own terms.

Collaborating, failing, learning, and growing

Part of your mission at the Black Bauhaus Mvmt is to “promote design excellence while pushing for diversity and inclusion within the design industry at all levels”. How would you define “design excellence”?

Design excellence is a philosophy that not only entails the manifestation or output of said design but the entire gamut of the design process. It’s the journey. It’s the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s the insecurities, those vulnerable moments where you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing or where you’re going. It’s collaborating. It’s failing, learning, and growing. It’s the Ls and the wins. And most importantly, it’s about mentorship — the transferring of that love, passion, and knowledge to others — Ya dig.

That’s why I started The Black Bauhaus Movement. It’s a play on the philosophy of the Bauhaus school’s creative camaraderie and the cultural impact the Black Panther Party had on the community in terms of empowering and giving back. The mission is to share that love for design, experiences, and knowledge with the next generation to create more diversity and inclusion at all levels. For me, that’s design excellence.

Who are some of the designers that have influenced your career path and have made you aspire for that level of excellence?

So many to name, but I’ll list my heroes here.

Emory Douglas, Milton Glaser, Barbara Kruger, Dorothy Hayes, Robert Reed, Peter Saville, Hassan Rahim, Dieter Rams, Paula Scher, Wolfgang Weingart & Herb Lubalin.

Anything that they all have in common?

Well, they all have very different styles and philosophies. But I can say one thing for sure: They’re not known because they’re great managers. They’re known because they are really really great designers.

What’s the one thing you have realized about design career paths that you don’t think a lot of people have?

A successful design career path isn’t always about “moving up the ladder.” Quite the opposite: there’s no linear path to design. There’s no playbook. You might start as an architect and decide to shift into digital products. You might take the exact opposite route, and all is well. Serendipity is important; design is an organic discipline that’s evolving all the time. The most important thing is to be always following your instincts, moving in directions where you feel like you’re going to learn and grow.

What advice would you give to designers who are at a senior/lead level and want to keep focused on their craft?

My advice is to keep doing what makes you happy. You can still move up in your career into director roles, with bigger salaries, while still focusing on the craft.

If you’re looking for design inspiration, make sure to check out John’s portfolio and follow the Black Bauhaus Mvmt on Instagram.

More about this series on craft.uxdesign.cc