Website Design: Don't Do It Alone

There was a post on Smashing Magazine the other day written by Paul Boag (from boagworld - a great blog/podcast for anyone unfamiliar) about why you shouldn't be working alone. While working in the Internet age is great, and it gives us unimaginable flexibility to work where we want and when we want, it comes at a price. Just as we weren't meant to live life alone, neither were we meant to work alone.

A few of the dangers of working alone that Paul mentions:

• Drying up creatively
• Losing confidence
• Becoming over confident
• Reaching the limit of your knowledge
• Having a blinkered perspective (tunnel vision)
• Feeling overwhelmed

You can read the full post for some recommendations on where to find a community, friend or mentor, but if you're reading this post, I believe you're already on the right track. Everyone can benefit from an outside perspective, and the community at Concept Feedback is a great place to share your ideas, help out a fellow designer and expand your network.

I've been learning this lesson on my own lately. While I have the option to work from my home, I've come to find that being in an office and interacting with people gives me a greater sense of motivation, satisfaction and productivity. Maybe you've had an experience on your own, or advice for the rest of us. If so, please share in the comments!