In the Beginning, There is the Designer
A recall of learn by doing - you become a designer by designing. Start designing, and you are a designer.
The author presents a long list of topics that a person can study to improve their skills at game design - it's pretty long, but it seems to cover a few basic areas:
- Technical knowledge (animation, programming, cinematography)
- Creative skills (brainstorming, communication, music)
- Business skills (project management, public speaking)
- Soft sciences (psychology, sociology, anthropology)
Of all, he indicates the most critical skills for a designer are listening and observation. Creativity is not parthenogenic, but is often the result of external stimuli. Developing games that others will like mean listening to those others rather than pushing one's own desires onto an unwilling audience.
Also, design doesn't happen in a vacuum - you will often have a client or a sponsor, you will work with a team, and your aim is to deliver a successful product to its audience.