Personal focus as a designer

Airbus Airspace by Priestmangoode

Crew Dragon Interior by SpaceX

I-PACE Concept by Jaguar

Train interior concept by Priestmangoode

With a personal focus on making the future better and more exciting than the present, I identified transport early on as somewhere I could hope to make a difference. Most people have to utilise some form of transport every day, and more often than not their experiences are negative. It is rare to hear someone say something positive about their morning commute, particularly if they used public transport. Though it may seem a trivial issue, the general population starting their day with a poor experience does not result in a population as happy, as excited or as productive as it could be. 

Conversely, most people's very first experiences on a plane or train are exciting and memorable. It is only after regular use that the thrill quickly fades as the intrigue over the technology wanes and they're left with constant delays, unreliable service and poor quality, dull and overcrowded environments. The transport of the future should make people look forward to using it, it should not be a chore or a hardship, which is what it often is now. 

My focus throughout Level 5 has been on user interface and user experience design, particularly interface design for transport. I intend to continue this development throughout Level 6, and potentially challenge myself in COP by exploring potential interface solutions for spacecraft. This complies with my 3-stage plan for the future, which is to start with a career in the automotive industry, then expand to public transport until I have the expertise and the understanding to help influence the future of space transport. Though my initial focus will be on human-machine interface design, I'd like to expand my role to designing the overall experience of the product or service, whether that be a car, train, plane, hyperloop or spacecraft. 

I fully expect this plan to alter, or be disbanded entirely in time. But by then I will at least have created something exciting and new. 

Being offered an Experience Design placement at Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover rang today to offer me an undergraduate Experience Design placement to start this June and last for three months. 

Though the ED placements are usually limited to 12 months only, I applied in spite of this with the intention of testing how far I could get in preparation for applying as a graduate, and to see if I could barter for a shorter placement. Because of how well my interview and assessment centre went, Jaguar Land Rover made an exception in offering me a shorter, three month placement. It's highly likely that my focus on transport UI in the OUGD504 Design For Screen brief, and my intensive focus on automotive UI design in COP2, got me the place.  

This means that I've almost achieved stage one of my three stage plan (Cars > Public Transport > Space Transport) before I've graduated. 

Couldn't be more excited. 

Design trends in the field of artificial intelligence

Logomarks for advanced AI research organisations tend to have circular, optical appearances; perhaps to relate to a vision to the future, an interface to the brain (in the same way the eye is), an omnipotent power, or a cycle of iteration-based development. 

DeepMind is a subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet Inc.. Their website uses a variety of different blues (likely to denote intelligence, calmness, openness, trustworthiness etc.) and responsive animated elements (likely to denote progress, electrical connections in the brain and in technology, the synthesis of biology and computing etc.) to create an appropriate but almost avant-garde appearance. 

The animations, colour set and typefaces all help to create a technological, scientific and advanced (but functional) aesthetic. 

Responsive animations and an optical logomark are also employed by OpenAI, a started-up founded by Elon Musk with the intention of democratising artificial intelligence. Like DeepMind, OpenAI's site makes use of string-like illustrations and a high use of animation, but OpenAI employs a much wider gamut of colours (perhaps to denote the intended openness and democratic responsibility of the organisation). 

Though colour is used liberally (above), many areas of the site are clean and white, with a large amount of negative space (or use the mode traditional blue-green approach [seen below]). This could again serve to create an open, honest and trustworthy appearance. 

In summary, responsive animations, gradient colour sets, custom typefaces and blue/green palettes are the trends most visible in the AI industry, and indeed many of these trends can be applied more broadly to the most recent, most well funded design arenas on the web. Gradients in particular are fighting against the previous trend of flat bright/pastel colours.  

DIBI Edinburgh 2017

I attended Design It; Build It in Edinburgh (March 2017). Three of the major lessons I learnt are below: 

1. User experience designers are almost never truly representative of the user they are designing for. But it is important that UI/UX designers try to put themselves in the shoes of their user. In the case of Molly Nix, a product designer at Uber, she spent time driving for Uber to try and make an accurate assessment of the needs and desires of their drivers. What she acknowledged however, is that her income was not dependent on driving for Uber, and that she could not be a driver for long enough to accurately assess what they need. So while it is important to try and put ourselves in the shoes of our users, and do so in a way which is physical as well as mental, we can almost never be truly representative of them. Good communication and liaison with your users is therefore highly important.

2. The importance of personal identity. Though often overlooked, it is highly important to develop a unique and successful personal brand for yourself as a designer. Mike Kus demonstrated the effectiveness of personal identity through his well-received slide deck, seen above. Though it is important to let your work speak for itself, it's just as important to express your personal philosophy as a designer, and make it clear what you are trying to achieve and why you are doing what you do. 

2. The importance of taking risks. Though taking risks is uncomfortable, if you are not taking risks then the impact you will have on anything that causes meaningful change is limited. Whether on a personal level or on a one of grander scale, doing things which make you worry means that you are doing things that are different, and it is only through doing things which are different that you can create positive change. 

Conjure

Conjure are a design studio which specialises in HMI design for vehicles, motorcycles and transport more broadly. I've done some investigating and have connected with many of them on LinkedIn. It'd be great to build a relationship with them, particularly with the need to do a placement at Level 6. 

Final PPP Presentation - A reflection on the past and future version 2.0

Points to cover 

• Changing and learning points in L5
• Connections I've made, networking I've done 
• Conferences I've attended
• Influential places I've been to
• Future goals and ambitions
• Design skills I've developed 
• Design skills to develop 

Connecting with people at NASA, SpaceX, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, JLR, McLaren, Aston Martin, Porsche, Ubisoft, MIT - seeking technical, employment and logistical advice

Applying for an Experience Design placement at Jaguar Land Rover because of a Tweet

Advice from Phil - learn After Effects and 3D tools; Autodesk Maya, Studio Max etc. 

My newfound interest in industrial design, and how I can apply my own skills to the field (HMI) 

DIBI Conference - getting cards printed in prep

Realisation of the benefits of illustration in UI/UX

Renewed focus on experience more than interface 

NH257692 PPP Presentation by Nicky Hope on Scribd

Interview: A conversation with Joseph Hofer

HOFER by Nicky Hope on Scribd

Use Issuu for a better viewing experience: 
https://issuu.com/nickyhope2015/docs/joseph_hofer

The first final iteration of HOFER: A conversation with Joseph Hofer [A Creative Report]

Below is the first final iteration of my report on Joseph Hofer. To ensure a sense of harmony between the design of the publication and the identity of Joseph, I routinely sent him my concepts and he routinely sent me edits to his answers and their layout (example above). 

Visual research - Joseph Hofer interview

Above: sketches of the Z10 and Q10 by Joseph Hofer

Before starting to develop the report visually, it will be important to explore:

- Joseph's work in industrial design, graphic design and photography 
- Previous examples of interviews with Joseph, and their visual representation 
- Visual examples of interviews done with other inspiring creatives 
- A revisit of book design principles (both physical and digital based) 

It's important that the report recognises and adapts to the visual identity of Joseph whilst simultaneously retaining uniqueness (since it's about him, not by him) and abiding by the generally accepted principles of good design. 

Interview - Joseph Hofer

Joseph Hofer and his wife Kathryn

Joseph is an industrial designer and photographer who resides in Kitchener, Waterloo. He was instrumental in the creation of the BlackBerry Bold series, as well as the Q10, Z10 and BlackBerry Passport. 

INTERVIEW

I’d like to ask my wife to review this — but for now here is my first draft. Let me know if it’s in the format / content you were hoping.

1. Describe your path to what you're doing now.

My early years in rural Ontario were focused on the journey of becoming a craftsman, building and refinishing furniture. To expand on what I was learning about making things by hand, I began studying industrial design in college and during the first few years of my career. After learning traditional design techniques such as prioritizing a products function, form-giving, materials selection and CAD systems, I began questioning and thinking about a product’s purpose on a deeper level. Today, I’m developing Hofer Studio, a design practice that draws talented professionals together, such as design researchers, graphic and industrial designers, and engineers—to deliver thoughtful product experiences for clients and users alike. The unique ‘design partner’ role I often play has given me viewpoints into different business models, strategies, and the effect on product relevance.

2. What does a typical day look like to you?

A typical day starts with a coffee and quiet time. If not, I can lose sight of the big picture. Planning my week happens on Monday morning, so I typically have a schedule and list as to what needs to get done on that particular day. I use blocks of time to either focus on something near (a deliverable for a client that week, etc), or far (planning longer term projects, future business developments, etc). Since most of my clients and contributors work remotely, we use video calls, screen sharing, and group messaging to interact throughout the day. It’s always been important to me to maintain and build my network, so a coffee or two a week with old and/or new contacts is not uncommon. Since family is my top priority, I try to keep evenings personal though I can be found 'burning the midnight oil’ at times to keep a commitment.

3. Have you had any mentors along the way? 

I’ve had many mentors along the way. I think the key is to not only have one. I’ve had different mentors for design, personal, business, finances, etc. Some were authors, design leaders I’d never met, others became close friends for a season.

4. If so, are there any particular lessons from them that stick in your mind?

Some that stand out —

My parents — to treat others as I would prefer to be treated

Kathryn Hofer — to plan what I do before I do it

Frank Tyneski — to collaborate not control, to forgive and believe for the best in people, and to always be learning and pushing oneself

Todd Wood — to constantly adjust design focus from macro to micro, back to macro. To look for patterns, develop principles, and be intentional about design choices—never be careless

Doug Heaman — to love those hard to love

Colin Nanton — to pursue my purpose and passion

Brian Klemmer — to listen without judgement

Daniel Pink — to consider the effects of automation, Asia, and abundance in planning my future

Steve Fleming — to be of integrity

5. What makes a project challenging? Are challenging projects the most rewarding? 

In my experience there are two types of challenging projects. 

The first type of challenging project is culture-driven. It could be a lack of openness to change from the team; decision-maker to developer. It could be strong egos, with individuals wanting things their way over what’s best for the user. Not having a collaborative, respectful team will stall innovation, cause rework, and kill passion. I’ve seen this over and over and it’s toxic—I run from these types of projects. 

The second type of challenging project is constraint-driven. Often a new product will be birthed out of specific constraints—technical, business, or user criteria that are important for the point in time. These constraints are incredibly inspiring and needed to breed innovation, as creative brains work to solve the problem through ideation and iteration. In a nutshell—weak constraints create a weak design, strong constraints create a strong design.      

6. What factors did you have to consider when designing for BlackBerry? 

A few buckets come to mind though there were many others. Design for humans. Loyal BlackBerry users loved their device. Was it fit in hand, materiality, tactility, configurability—or a combination thereof? Designing something to be cherished and used hundreds of times a day was not an easy challenge. I helped develop the BlackBerry keyboard surfacing that resulted in a harmonious blend of ergonomics, brand identity, and speed of use. Along with that, every aspect of the device was studied in an attempt to make it feel ‘second nature’ and accessible. Design for physics. Working closely with the antenna and mechanical designers, the product designs themselves were often shaped by technical achievements or considerations. Such as the Bold 9900 metal frame, one of the first products with a full continuous metal frame that acted as an antenna, and without antenna-gate. Design for the brand. The BlackBerry Bold product design created a language that influenced brand identity for generations of products to come. Considering a portfolio and designing a framework to build future products with was top of mind.   

7. How has your work at BlackBerry influenced your current work? 

It has influenced me tremendously, and for that I’m grateful. I’ve become bolder in my creativity, more diligent in my design, and more empathetic in my choices.

8. How do you think designers help to shape the world?

We attempt to shape future realities by understanding changing trends and empathizing with other humans; making sense of what we learn in order to propose actionable strategies. 

9. What advice would you give to budding designers? 

Be patient.

Treat others as you would prefer to be treated.

Never stop improving yourself.

Focus on both the big picture and the details.

Live honestly. 

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? 

If I maintain caring for my family as a top priority, focus on making smarter business decisions, and consider others more deeply in my design; I see myself as a more effective, confident, and creative design entrepreneur.

Exploring my love of industrial design and 3D, and the benefits of learning how to animate

During my interview at Jaguar Land Rover, Phil Higgs advised how beneficial it would be to become proficient in Adobe After Effects, and 3D software such as Autodesk Maya. This links well to my love of industrial design, and would allow me to connect well to the design and engineering side of product creation. This is invaluable in creating interfaces and experiences that are harmonious with the product. He told me that learning Adobe After Effects would be the most useful program to learn to use at this stage. 

Phil started his career as an industrial designer, then transitioned to an experience designer. He re-assured me that in an ideal world, both teams should work as a harmonious whole. 


Explorations in Cinema 4D: 

JLR Assessment Centre - A highly valuable experience

After applying for an Experience Design placement at Jaguar Land Rover, I was successful in getting to the Assessment Centre stage where I had to attend an interview and group test at Walton Hall, Warwickshire. 

My face-to-face interview was with the Experience Design manager at JLR, who gave some great feedback, thoughtful advice and inspiring compliments. He told me to explore 3D design and animation more in order to become a well-rounded UI/UX designer, and to act on my love of industrial design. Though his feedback on my work was positive, he noted my occasional overuse of the colour blue. 

Good questions and bad questions

Asking the right questions in an interview is not only important in getting the right answers, but in getting any answers at all. 

People tend to be put off by questions which are too basic (e.g. what is your favourite colour?), those which are too complex or wide in scope (e.g. what do you think about modernism?) and those which appear irrelevant or off-topic (e.g. so...what films do you like?).

Creative professionals in particular, especially those who will get many requests for interviews, are often looking for a set of winning features in the questions they get asked, which are usually: 

- Questions which stimulate their mind and make them think (but not too much)

- Interesting, unique questions which they might not have been asked before

- Questions which revolve around them, particularly if it allows them to tell a story or showcase something they're proud of 

- Questions regarding a specific aspect/project of the professional's work or life; this shows both the scope of research and commitment given to them, and gives them a chance to explain/justify or brag 

and
- Questions which are rewarding to answer 

Abstract - The Art of Design

Launched on the 10th of February, the first season of Abstract profiles eight designers representing different fields in the industry.

Along with Ingels, Devlin and Crawford from the fields of architecture, stage design and interior design respectively, there's graphic designer Paula Scher, automobile designer Ralph Gilles, Nike shoe designer Tinker Hatfield, illustrator Christoph Niemann and photographer Platon.

Abstract offers an exciting and inspiring view into the minds and lives of a number of leading creatives, but perhaps most inspiring and exciting is that of Paula Scher, a world-renowned graphic designer and the first female partner at Pentagram. She gives insight into seeking inspiration, working away from your desk, and the sheer impact that graphic design has on the world.

Ralph Gilles, Head of Global Design at Fiat Chrysler, proves the importance of networking and contacting those who inspire you and those who can help you. At a young age his grandmother told him to send his spurious drawings of cars to Chrysler after seeing their CEO on an ad; a few weeks later he received a letter from the Assistant to the CEO, with advice on what design colleges to attend, and telling him that he has great potential.