Otherwise you get the average startup designer that's more of a developer in disguise.
I believe visuals are also a very subjective matter, and belong much more to the "talent" side of things, than to the "knowledge" one.
I'm genuinely curious to get your feedback / more explanation of what you mean when you say we (Ginzametrics) "don't even go close to having decent visual design."
We're always working to improve our design so if you are willing to share specific feedback, I'd love to hear it. Drop me a line at hello@ginzametrics.com. Thanks!
It is?
Independent thought and ingenuity trumps everything on this list, I'm afraid. The stuff there is price of admission; you're not even a designer without it in your toolbox.
A far better book on usability is "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug.
While this may be a good list if you want to read up for a month, this does not cover years of art theory, learning how to choose your battles, developing a refined sense of taste, pure objectivity, and a myriad of other skills that are subtly nuanced into almost every project.
I'm sorry, a good designer's "Must Haves" cannot be encapsulated in a list.
While startups tend to look at results (the ones that survive), agencies tend to look at the customer, at least most of them.
I actually believe that most designers coming from an agency would be eaten alive in a startup, along with their "photoshop skills". This people don't even know what UX means, never conducted a usability test (usability = I look at the website and say what I think), and definitely don't read HN.
