Good design is as little design as possible
Each graphical element has attributes that create visual noise — its size, background color, weight, stroke, drop shadow, down to the ligatures in the typography are just some examples of this. Learning to make a simple design while taking these into account is an ongoing practice.
Good design works within the constraints of its medium
If painters have paint, then user experience designers need to know how their designs will be interpreted into code. Taking time to understand how it’s done has helped me approach design in a way that will provide better collaboration with my engineering partners.