If you are not solving a problem, then you probably are one.

I know that's quite a spicy statement to start with, but I believe that purpose is driven by solving a problem.

The design process is a widely accepted way of solving problems creatively:

Empathise → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test → Implement

Graphic designers apply this process in practical and strategic ways. Here are 7 problems graphic designers (should) solve through design thinking:

1. Create Understanding:

   
   

PROBLEM

A lack of understanding that will lead to irrelevant solutions.

A designer must first understand the thoughts, intentions, and feelings of the intended user. Building empathy through understanding is an essential part of the problem-solving process.

Empathy differentiates design for other fields of visual expression. It is one of the major differences between the practice of art and design. Here is why:

Art is self-expressive: “Here is my message, you interpret it.”

It places the responsibility of meaning-making in the hands of the viewers.

Design is user-centred: “How does the message sound to you?”

Designers have to take responsibility for communicating the meaning of the message clearly to the audience. 

The focus of design remains user-centred, not self-centred. If you look at the etymology of the word design, it further illustrates the user-centred heart of design.

Latin Roots:

• From dēsignāre = to mark out, point out, designate, appoint.

• Formed from de- (out, from) + signare (to mark, to make a sign), which itself comes from signum (mark, sign, token).

So originally, it meant to mark something out with a sign. In simpler terms:

De: from me to you. (like the word designate)

Sign: a mark (a meaning made visual).

Design is always designated towards someone else, not the self. One needs to have empathy for that person through understanding.

2. Establish Definition

   
   

PROBLEM

A lack of definition will lead to inaccurate solutions.

Without a clear definition of the problem, there can be no meaningful solution. Designers have to draw the boundary lines that frame a problem. Design is rather accurately defined as a 'plan or drawing produced to show the look and function of something before it is made'. Outlining is therefore an inherent part of design.

Thinking inside the box

“Thinking outside the box” has become a cliché for creative problem-solving. As a designer, I cherish the clear-cut box. The limitations created by the context force me to find creative ways to solve the problem. By framing or contextualising a problem, you can more accurately hit the mark. When you draw the boundary lines for a design, you are drawing the circles on the mark of a target. The smaller the circle, the more impactful and valuable the solution.

3. Ideation

PROBLEM

Someone has to generate ideas, and not just one.

This is the stage most people associate with designers: brainstorming, sketching, and experimenting. But ideation is more than creativity. It is a process of structured exploration.

• Designers use lateral thinking to avoid obvious answers.

• They go beyond the first idea to discover stronger ones.

• Iteration is essential. More ideas lead to better outcomes.

Good design rarely comes from a single spark. It comes from multiple rounds of ideation and refinement.

4. Design Execution

PROBLEM

Without execution, ideas remain abstract.

The execution of a design depends on the physical skill of the graphic designer. It is the act of transforming a concept into a tangible, visible solution. An idea only becomes meaningful if it is made into a mark.

5. Persuasion

PROBLEM

Your message must persuade if it is to achieve its goal.

Design is not neutral. Every choice, from typeface to layout, influences how information is received and acted upon. Designers solve the problem of persuasion by applying visual rhetoric. Visual rhetoric is the art of effective communication through visual elements such as images, typography, and texts.

Graphic Designers can persuade visually by:

• Using hierarchy to guide attention.

• Creating emotional resonance through imagery and style.

• Building credibility and trust through consistency.

In marketing, persuasion may lead to sales. In education, it may enable understanding. In activism, it may inspire change. Whatever the goal, design helps ideas connect and move people to act.

6. Accessible Information

PROBLEM

Your message has to reach people.

In today’s visual age, turning information into a visual format is essential for ensuring it reaches the intended audience. Graphic designers act as a bridge between the message makers and the spectators, translating complex ideas into clear, structured, and consumable visuals. Through careful choices in layout, typography, colour, and iconography, designers make content understandable, memorable, and easy to navigate. A graphic designer has to ensure the message is not only delivered but truly received.

7. Attention

PROBLEM

People have to engage with your message.

We are living in a world where there is a great war for the attention of the eyes of man. So one of the most valuable commodities to a designer is the attention of the viewer. Graphic designers are tasked with capturing and sustaining this attention. They do this by crafting visuals and layouts that resonate with the audience, using storytelling, hierarchy, and visual appeal to create meaningful connections.

Designers must find authentic ways to keep viewers engaged, making the message feel relevant and valuable to them. If the message has no value to the viewer, you can have no arrogance in demanding their attention toward it. The designer’s role is to enhance the value of the message and make it compelling enough to hold attention naturally.

Summary

Graphic design is the craft of solving visual communication problems. Through design thinking, graphic designers create understanding, define problems, generate and execute ideas, persuade audiences, and make information both accessible and engaging.

Design is not just a practice. It is a paradigm.