Every day I start my morning by looking at hundreds of websites created by individuals, small studios, and other businesses. These past few weeks this routine habit turned into a harsh experience, as I followed many businesses' paths into a state of uncertainty and involuntary survival mode. And while seeing these businesses reinvent themselves and changing their products or brands is nothing short of astonishing, still, it’s distressing to understand where this change is coming from. As many small businesses and freelancers struggle to survive, facing the need to quickly adapt to unprecedented changes, these people set a humbling example for what it truly means to be creative. By keeping their work afloat, they demonstrate that creativity is much more than aesthetics, but an ability to meet an unimaginable challenge.
Having a family during this time means that days are extremely busy, with little to no spare time. I’ve noticed a spark in the need to create with those closest to us. We are more openly sharing our lives on social media, whether this is through exchanging crafting tips, cooking, or sharing our reading lists. But not everything is picture perfect. Our days are also filled with mundane tasks and real hardships that we can all relate to. We see the rise in the need to capture even these moments, and share those of others. Our focus has shifted from sharing only the “good life” to sharing our actual life. And as trend reports are already trying to assess what impact this event will have on our lives and on our work as designers, we can take a closer look at these non-Instagram-able moments, and see how they will shape the products we will design or the rebranding processes of existing ones. So many things will change, and from fashion and home decor to healthcare services, designers will help shape this change.
These new elements can also be found in our working habits. In our Design Team we’re training new creative muscles, placing a stronger emphasis on communication and clarity. The distance has also made an impact on our decision-making processes. In design, ideas and feedback can be personal, but this new online environment brings a refreshing impersonal perspective, making way for challenging, innovative ideas. And while these new ideas are welcomed, the feeling of togetherness we’re used to having is still crucial. This new situation means that we need to look for new ways to preserve this intimacy even though we are far apart, encouraging small gestures and acts of kindness.
During this time, we’re also thinking more about the real value and power of our community. We’re committed to you more than ever. Our efforts are invested in finding new ways to inspire and empower you through our platform of sharing knowledge and skills. You will get an invitation to our first online event soon, curated for our design community around the world. We are working on online workshops and masterclasses, portfolio reviews, inspirational lectures, the web design academy program, Instagram and more.
Looking at all that’s happening, I am humbled and inspired by the motivation driving and pushing these individuals forward. From businesses, freelancers, artists, studios, to my own community, family and teams I work with - we are all facing an important and challenging time, where creativity will play an important - if not critical - role as a tool for survival. We will continue to serve as a platform for ideas, tools and solutions to answer these needs. If you would like to share your own ideas of things you find inspiring and interesting, please write to us at playground@wix.com and let us know your thoughts. On behalf of everyone at Wix and our Design Team, I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and safe at this time.
- Hagit
