Don’t just drop design projects: The importance of aftercare as a designer

How to grow as a designer and avoid portfolio headaches

Art by midjourney

Designers aren’t great at doing aftercare, which often hurts them in the long run.

Unlike other fields, like doctors who follow up with patients, many Designers consider their job done when they hand over their designs to clients or engineers.

However, that’s not the best approach. Spending extra time reflecting and following up doesn’t just improve the project. It helps you grow and show your impact as a designer.

To understand why, I often refer to one fundamental question: How do you know if a project was successful six months later?

Understanding impact: what businesses care about most

You're not alone if you don’t know the answer to that question.

Many designers make the mistake of overemphasizing processes and underemphasizing impact when discussing projects they have worked on.

However, when you consider who your audience is, you’ll realize that answering this question is necessary. Whether you talk to interviewers about your design portfolio or create case studies for a website, your story is incomplete…