Calculated risks are often part of the designer’s decision-making process. We determine whether to try an unproven marketing strategy, or when to use bold imagery and word choices that have a chance of provoking a strong (positive or negative?) response.
A few other areas where risk has come into play, in my own experience:
Stating bald facts instead of putting a “spin” on information can be frowned upon rather than being interpreted as refreshing honesty.
Tests can lack conclusive results, and investments can fail to have a return.
And in the creative fields as well as many others, taking the leap to quit a job and start fresh at a new company is a gamble.
In the past I’ve been an overly cautious person, in life in general as well as design. I’ve created a lot of “safe” work that is almost bending over backwards trying not to offend the tastes of managers or clients. I regret many times that I sacrificed novel ideas in favor of a conventional approach, or feared to speak my mind.
So in an attempt to be the sort of designer I admire, I’ve started to deliberately take risks and worry less about consequences. So very not easy, but I’m slowly learning not to envision worst-case scenarios all the time.
A gamble that has paid off:
I suggested that magazine ad layouts didn’t need to resemble flyers and catalog pages (which display sales promotions and a range of products) but could be used as more of a brand-identity statement. This “less is more” concept was too novel for some, but I made gradual changes to the designs, explained my reasoning carefully, and crossed my fingers that I wouldn’t be viewed as a rebellious smart-ass. The new ads were praised by executives at my own firm and editors at the magazines. Customers are now more likely to see the brand as modern and high-quality. My reputation has gone up among my co-workers, and I’m given more authority these days.
And a risk that didn’t pan out:
I once left a low-paying job with stressed-out employees, only to discover that my new position and new boss were much more intolerable. “Out of the frying pan, into the fire” seemed the theme of my workdays for over a year before I finally found a better company to work for.
So over the course of my career, I’ve learned from many mistakes. I’ve acquired the judgement to rationally consider possible outcomes, and make better decisions. But there are still times that fear of the unknown is holding me back. I need to trust my intuition more.
I think you’ve just captured the answer perfectly.