I’m a data-viz and multimedia designer from Washington, DC. Right now, I am a graphics reporter at the Washington Post. Before joining the Post I led a team of designers and developers at the Urban Institute
A good designer will push and pull. As a client, you bring a designer in because you need somebody with a specialized set of skills—somebody who can help you translate your work to your intended audiences. A good designer is a partner, not a service provider. I know which questions to ask, and I always make sure I understand the content before trying to communicate it to somebody else. The greatest skill I have is my ability to solve problems. Projects succeed when clients come to me and say, "We have this great work and we want to showcase it with an illustration. We like your work, knock yourself out." Or, "I've got this dataset that shows some interesting trends. How should we bring it to life?" I love it when a client understands that they're good at what they do and that I'm good at what I do. That's how we make magic.