Things I Believe

By Bethan Dutton

3 min read

Design has shaped my entire career. These are the principles I come back to again and again. They guide how I work, how I think and how I build with others.

Simplicity

  • Design should feel effortless.
  • A design should make sense without explanation.
  • Remove anything that distracts from the purpose.
  • Clarity always wins.
  • Spacing, structure and clarity are never optional.

Insight

  • Data is stronger than internal opinion.
  • Talk to real users, real clients and real customers.
  • Understand behaviour, emotions and how people process information.
  • Personas matter when built from real conversations.

Prototyping

  • Build something real as soon as possible.
  • Prototypes answer questions that static screens never wont.
  • Design for real scenarios, not imagined ones.
  • Think about mobile early, not at the end.
  • Get it into people's hands as soon as possible.

Pace

  • Speed matters because it creates freedom to change direction.
  • Shipping fast can allow you to iterate faster.
  • Momentum lifts confidence and keeps work moving.
  • Show progress openly so ideas do not stagnate.

AI

  • Use AI to remove manual work and repetitive tasks.
  • Let it accelerate the craft, not replace it.
  • Teams who embrace it naturally move further and faster.
  • Use it to learn, and understand the technical limitations.

Collaboration

  • Design works best when created with others.
  • Designers and developers should sit together, not pass work across a wall.
  • Give feedback early, clearly and without fear.
  • Challenge ideas with respect and curiosity.

People

  • Assume good intent first.
  • Everyone has difficult days.
  • Criticism is more useful when you listen rather than defend.
  • Hold strong views, but stay open to better ones.

Craft

  • Create something you are proud of and would use yourself.
  • Only release work you stand behind with confidence.
  • Design for the future while keeping an eye on the latest trends.
  • Be willing to throw away work that doesn't work.

Career

  • There is always room to grow.
  • Consistency outworks shortcuts—your career is a marathon, not a sprint.
  • You don't need to know everything or have a 5 year plan.
  • You can change direction at any point and still succeed.

Leadership

  • Leadership is taking responsibility for the outcome.
  • Influence matters more than titles.
  • Hire people who stretch you and elevate your thinking.
  • Hire people you would trust in the future, not just today.

Mindset

  • Curiosity sharpens your work.
  • Downtime clears your thinking.
  • Work can be something you enjoy without becoming your entire identity.
  • Boundaries protect clarity, energy and judgement.
  • Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
  • Trust your gut.