011｜Who am I as a design professional?🫱🏼‍🫲🏽💼

Welcome back curious reader,

In today’s class, as we delved into the intricacies of selling oneself (leagally) and securing the dream job, I found myself contemplating the next steps in my career journey. Working within a startup environment, feels like the exciting next step for me. While I often envision myself in design with my own business, I recognize the importance of gaining industry experience beforehand. Thus, I reached out to a very exciting, inspirational and potential opportunity for an internship, in a product design startup over the summer.

In this weeks class we did a peer review and reflection towards the design of each others portfolio’s. Going into more specific detail on my route to a professional career in product design; I looked towards my ever growing ikigai manifesto to help..

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Touching on the concept of ikigai discussed last week, I’m drawn to environments and philosophies that foster creativity and collaboration. Entities like Pentagram and Parsons embody this ethos, inspiring me with their collective approach and dedication to great work. Quotes such as “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life…” resonate deeply with my professional aspirations, reminding me of the importance of pursuing meaningful endeavors aligned with my passions.

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Reflecting on the kind of work I envision in my own startup, I gravitate towards the realm of physical products, consumer goods, and hardware, perhaps with a technological edge. While I’m confident in my ability to handle the creative aspects such as branding and prototyping, I acknowledge my limitations when it comes to intricate technological implementations like coding or circuitry. Nevertheless, I draw inspiration from observing collaborative processes, such as at Logitech, where different specialists contribute their expertise to create cohesive products.

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Recent experiences, such as the ‘A-ideation’ workshop in the design studio with architecture students, an event ran by Eoin White, we challenged AI assistance as seen above comparing the left side with ai to the right side without. I have underscored its potential to enhance creativity and uncover novel solutions, I believe Ai’s strongest points are that it is fast, extensive, it can poke holes in your knowledge/ biases and can show you what you are looking for/ trying to visualize (currently, most of the time by showing you something you don’t want, giving you an understanding of what you do want). I’m intrigued by the prospect of integrating AI into my design process, recognizing its capacity to augment rather than replace human ingenuity.

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Looking ahead, I foresee myself embracing AI as a tool for concept development and research, leveraging its capabilities to explore ideas beyond conventional boundaries. Luckily I don’t see it being a danger to my professional career however I do see it as something that if not adopted by designers they may fall behind.

In envisioning my future professional landscape, I’m drawn to the idea of a dynamic, multi disciplinary, design studio, where creativity flourishes amidst collaborative endeavors. I envision myself immersed in projects that span various industries, fueled by a passion for innovation and problem-solving. Balancing work with personal pursuits like kayaking, tae kwon do and travel is integral to maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle, ensuring a harmonious blend of professional and personal fulfillment (work life balance). Ultimately, I aspire to carve out a career path that reflects my values, passions, and aspirations, enriching both my life and those around me.

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Until next time,

011｜Who am I as a design professional?🫱🏼‍🫲🏽💼

Welcome back curious reader,

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