Design Salary Surveys

The 2009 Core 77 Designer Salary Survey results were posted yesterday.

If you haven't seen the other links on this topic, check out CMU's survey

And AIGA's

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Joey

Getting to No

Austin sent me this link a little while ago, and I forgot to post it. It's a bit about what types of clients are trouble. Of course, how picky you can be all depends on supply and demand. Things like unique skills, aesthetics and experience can help you tilt the balance more in your favor.

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/getting-to-no/

Speaking of differentiation, I don't agree with everything in this article on branding design firms, but it has a number of good ideas to consider: http://www.core77.com/reactor/05.06_lerner.asp

Assignment 4 - Two-minute pitch (Due 10/19)

Due October 19:

Fill in the 2minute worksheet that we handed out in class. Be prepared to deliver a two-minute pitch to your colleagues. You can download a copy of the worksheet here.

Below is an example of a two minute pitch:

I am currently a junior at Carnegie Mellon University, majoring in industrial design. I became interested in design at a young age and actually took a few college level design courses while in high school, which really helped me decide on my major.

I have excelled in all my coursework at Carnegie Mellon, while working part time, 20 hours a week, in the University Student Affairs division as a student designer. I really enjoy assisting departments and problem solving their design needs, because it is challenging and I can learn something new every day.

In addition to this, I had an opportunity to intern over the summer with XYZ Company, where I was able to contribute to major development projects, including cell phone interface design. This is an area I am particularly interested in and would like to begin my career working in this area.

In reviewing the job description for this position, I was drawn to the interface design aspects of the job because that is where I feel I would be able to make an immediate contribution. I look forward to learning more about your department and the challenges of the position.

This example is a bit stiff and very to the point, but it gives you a sense of what topics you can cover. The two-minute pitch does not have to be a hard sell; it's a introduction. Try to connect all your points to create a narrative with some overall message (e.g. I'm really into navigation system interface design). Hopefully, you know enough about the person to whom you are talking to pick topics that are of interest to him or her (e.g. they work for TomTom).

In terms of tone, aim for something that you feel comfortable saying. Don't make the tone too informal. Remember that you aren't speaking to a friend. Referring to your design brief may help you set a tone.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to comment below.

Bring your laptop to class today

Hello Everyone:

Sonjala Allen from the career center will be joining us in class today. She will be walking us through TartanTrak and the ePortfolio. It will be helpful to you if you have a laptop in class and can follow along. You are not required to have a laptop--it just will be helpful.

If you read this (or get the email about it) please spread the word!

Thanks.

Assignment 3 - Design Brief

Due 10/12 - Fill out the design brief tab in the student marketing planner Excel spreadsheet. Print out your completed design brief to hand in. Please make sure that it prints out in a legible font.

You can download the student marketing planner spreadsheet here: files.me.com/onnyc/3342t1

bid night

Onny & Tim,  I think Youna may have emailed you about this, but tonight is Bid Night for the new girls that will be going Greek this year--it starts at 8:00 pm and I was hoping that Youna's group and my group might be able to present towards the beginning of class so we can still make it to some of Bid Night. I apologize in advance for the inconvenience! Please let me know your thoughts.  Margaret

Assignment 2 - Studio Presentation and Reading (Due 9/21)

The assignments due next week (Sept 21) are as follows:

1) Read chapters 1-3 in Shel Perkins' Talent is Not Enough.

2) Before class, have someone in your studio group (formed at the end of class on the 14th) email us the name of your group, the type (full service or boutique or etc.) and the names of the group members.

3) Prepare a presentation for your group's studio. This should be a studio that you all make up but is reflective of studios of your group's type. Research existing studios and see how they brand themselves, what type of clients they have, what services they offer and so on. Make sure that your studio's profile is in line with those of real studios of the same type.

The presentation should have about 5 slides and cover:

a) branding: reflected in your logo and style of presentation slides

b) approach: how you would explain your studio to potential clients

c) services: what your studio does for clients

d) work/clients: use your own work or pictures from the web to build a believable portfolio

e) culture: how you would explain your studio to potential employees

We will be evaluating the presentations on believability and professionalism. Be prepared for questions--we will be acting as prospective clients. Consider what we covered in class about talking about design to non-designers when formulating your answers.

If you have any questions about the assignment, feel free to email us.

jason may

I missed class last week so im not sure what different things were discussed.

The place of work best suited to myself is one that optimizes concentration and focus while having easy access or exposure to external sources of inspiration (not just internet). I would be happiest, receiving a problem along with space and time to solve the problem. I would like to see a large portion or the entire process first hand. For me,these characteristics promote the conception and development of ideas. I would be payed handsomely too.

I would avoid working somewhere if it contradicts the guidelines above.

I would be less happy working in a place where image comes before the task being done or the task being done isn't seemingly important to myself. I will most likely not be motivated to work on a project if I cant perceive it's values appropriately.

For the most part I don't have very much experience working in a design related company. What I know is based on a few trips I have taken to firms in San Fransisco. My limited experience leaves me with a great deal of unknowns and much to explore. I would be interested in knowing more about how the particular places assign work to individuals or groups and where individual roles or responsibilities begin and end.

Alex Woolfson (A1)

Sorry this is late... I had some issues.

I would like to work in apparel design. While I love and appreciate high fashion, I want to create clothes that are accessible to most people. The creative director of JCrew, Jenna Lyons, said, “What I wanted to do was something that was approachable and real and that a lot of people could afford. Exclusion is not interesting to me.” That is exactly how I feel about my role as a fashion designer.

With that being said, and with the current state of the fashion industry, I think I would be best suited as a designer at a larger brand. While a boutique brand would be glamourous and inspiring, these brands are suffering in the current economic downturn. They aren't hiring, and many have been forced to merge into larger fashion corporations, or have declared bankruptcy. Ideally after graduation, I would love to work as an in-house designer for a design driven fashion brand like Reebok, Nike, Target, JCrew, the Gap, or Calvin Klein. Based on my experiences this summer, I've seen a lot of the perks of working for a well established company, in a corporate setting. The health benefits, pay, time off... everything is very comfortable for a designer in a big in-house operation.

However, the actual design process in a company is overseen by cost-focused higher ups, who do not value design innovation as much as boutique brands might. I realize that working for a company whose focus is on their bottom line, design is only one part of the big picture. I could see myself becoming frustrated by creative limits imposed by working for a company of this size.

Fashion design is a hard field to break into, especially if you didn't graduate from a "fashion" design school. Ultimately, I feel that working as an in-house designer (who has quite a bit of debt), will help me get my foot in the door. I'll be gaining valuable experience, with job security, and the ability to pay off my student loans.

Josh Finkle

The people of which a firm is comprised of is the most important factor in my choosing a place to work. The type of people who work at a firm is a good indicator of the firm values. Ideally, a firm will hire employees whose personal values are aligned with the values of the company itself.

I tend to view myself thriving in an environment that is team oriented; a place where each member is held accountable for his/her contributions to the success of the firm in accomplishing its goals; where everyone values the continued amelioration of each individual and of the firm; where each member is willing to put in the work required to accomplish each goal. This team includes every person from the lowest employee to the highest level individual. Every aspect of a firm is a result of the people who are part of it. Work environment, level of employee content/happiness, output, growth, impact on clients; these characteristics are directly affected/created by the people who work at a firm. Naturally, I would like to work at a place where the values of its people align with my own personal values. This would "perfect fit" would benefit to all. Consequently, I would like to avoid working in a place where my values do not align with the values of the people who work there.

Because I view people as the most important factor affecting the characteristics of a firm, I cannot make a definitive decision about which type of place to work at. A great group of team oriented people with similar values as myself could exist in any part of the ecosystem from a larger corporation to a small boutique.

Based on my experiences (although they may be limited at this time) I feel that a smaller, boutique is the most likely place in the ecosystem that a group of people with aligned values would exist. I've visited a bunch of these places in San Francisco, Chicago, and Toronto and the seem to hold the values that I myself hold, including a positive/optimistic attitude, accountability, a passion for excellence, continual improvement, a team oriented attitude, and the ability to have fun.

Jeremy Wolf (A1)

I would like to work in a Boutique firm. I am the kind of person who works best when surrounded by people that I am on a more personal basis with, along with places that are not "corporate" environments and therefore have their own character and are not just out to make money, but to make a difference as well. I also can not do the same thing day in and day out. In order to be doing good work I need to be critically thinking about many different problems at once. When this happens it helps stay way from getting tunnel vision on a project, along with my personal want to not specialize in one "area" of design, but rather dabble a little in a lot of places.

I believe that is is very important to be helping those who can not help themselves, so I do not think I could work somewhere who does not value spending some time working on meaningful pro-bono work. I also, do not do well in a strike 9-5 environment. I need to be able to go out into the world during the day and get some inspiration and investigate what people are doing and why.

My ultimate goal with design is to make a positive impact on someones life, but I do not necessarily want people to know it was me. I want my work to be used and appreciated and If I can find a comfortable work environment that lets me create in this way, I will be happy. I do not know much about how to find what would be a good fit for me, but I feel like im the kind of person who will see it and know. As for geography, I would like the north east or north west. Places like NYC, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, or Portland. I would like a geographical location that allows me to be able to "escape" and get to/ see nature if I needed to. I have noticed, that since living in Pittsburgh I have caught myself really upset that I can not easily get to a large body of water like I can at home, in NJ.

Austin Bales (A1)

I'd like to work somewhere I'd like to work. Don't worry, elaboration will follow, but it should be known – it's pretty much up to wherever strikes me at the time. I won't presume to exclude anything without visiting/seeing. The biggest deciding factor for me is my gut. That being said:

I see myself at a place with fun people, socially conscious clients and a (physical) working environment that is pleasing and comfortable. I will not work in a cubicle, and I will go to lengths to avoid overhead fluorescent lights or drop-ceilings. I need a window, preferably one that opens. I want to work with people who like type, image and aesthetics but don't say 'I could live in that Color' or 'Helvetica is just oh so yummy'. I need to socialize with people of varying interests, tastes and ideas.

Employment in a place with strong design movement is a requirement though – the diverse interests should include visual culture. The incorporation of other fields should be design, not business-led: everyone in the higher echelons of leadership (or in the small collective) should be able to communicate their ideas with grace and give top-notch presentations. Having a leader without design ability is not acceptable.

I'd be happy at a boutique, small firm, or a well-formed and open design department but in any circumstance there must be an opportunity for continuous motion. I'm easily bored with things I know are easy, our work should be challenging or intriguing at least 70% of the time. I'd like to be paid well, but if funds are limited, recognition works too.

I also have nothing against working for a 'rockstar', but not like the ones mentioned in Practice – they sound like the worst kind of person. The rockstars that are true leaders in their field cultivate open, exciting environments where good work flourishes. They might get the big write-ups, but we get credit, too.

Oh, and they won't use Flash for everything – hopefully only when necessary (very little), because it's like putting tainted buttercream frosting on chocolate fudge.

I'm looking for a place… "where good work may be done because of the silent influences of space, freedom and sincerity."

Amy (Pei-Chi) Chang (A1)

I’m not entirely sure which path I want to take in the future, but for now I hope to start off working in a boutique style design firm following graduation. Base on my intern experience back in Taiwan and my understanding of existing design companies, I want to work in a small place where each designer has to take on more tasks. This way, I might be able to gain more experience in design work and in other business aspects of running a design firm. In addition, small size companies tend to have better communication between members, and members are more involved in each design step. However, I also have many interests other than design so I don’t think I will stay in a boutique style firm forever. I’m interested in marketing, management and other business aspects in different types of design companies. I also wish to meet people from different fields of work, so I hope to move into large companies after gaining some experience in small boutique firms.

I hope my future work will require a lot of creative thinking and creative skills in different disciplinary of work/design. I want to avoid being the tool for creating other people’s ideas. By this I mean repetitive work that’s boring. For example, in some companies, they have rendering department where team members only focus on rendering things that has been designed. I don’t think doing repetitive work can increase my knowledge and broaden my view so this is something that I want to avoid for sure.

I don’t have much knowledge about existing companies/ firms around the world. I want to know more about the benefits, advantages and disadvantages working in different companies/ firms particularly in North America and Asia.

Vanessa | Assignment 1

I see myself working in a small design firm rooted in strategy and having a client base primarily in the nonprofit sector. I enjoy designing for clients who are involved with social, political, or environmental issues.

My ideal firm fits in most closely with the category of the boutique firm. The design firms where I’ve had past experiences have been small, closely knit offices who have found their niche in the market and maintain offices of less than 20 people. As far as working environment goes, I enjoy having other designers around, but I also find it beneficial and stimulating to have other creative types of people. I strongly prefer to have client/project managers or producers who take care of the business aspect of the company, so that I do not have to deal as much with budgets and schedules.

There are several key characteristics that I try to avoid. Considering company structure, I have no desire to work for a large corporation or as an in-house designer. I do not want to be the only designer working somewhere in isolation. I would avoid any firm that does not have a strong design process.

I would like to work for a firm that is growing and that offers possibility for my own personal growth. I would be interested in figuring out how to best evaluate and predict the future of a design firm and my position within it.

Characteristics

Corporate. After my experience this summer working with Sima in Pittsburgh, and studying in London in the spring, I've been exposed to an entire spectrum of possible design opportunities. Both experiences had one thing in common : freedom. After semesters of deadlines and meetings with professors I was finally given the chance to create my own schedule. I realized though, that while the freedom was great, I felt it had one very misleading message: Designers can and should execute an entire project by themselves.

Before this year, I felt that the success of a design was completely reliant on my competence, research, creativity, and execution. Now I can really appreciate the benefits from working with other people; creative ideas must be bounced off of and shared with everyone. I'm looking for a company with a strong direction, history, and clear path for the future. I want to be a part of a larger team and contribute meaningfully in my areas of strength. I love working in a cross-disciplinary setting because I can learn and teach things simultaneously, just like at CMU. Also, I see corporate settings as tending to be slightly more dependable and have lots of resources at their fingertips. I'm trying to avoid somewhere that doesn't appreciate that good design comes from sharing with others and talking concepts out. In the mean time, I would also like to learn more about working under a "Rockstar" designer because they seem to be the ones who can create the entire show by themselves-I am interested in seeing how they make their decisions. -Margaret G

Angelica Yang

After graduation, I prefer starting off in an in-house design firm. The environment, working in a firm not knowing everyone, does not suit my preferences. However, it will bring more opportunities to meet global designers and professionals in different fields than working at smaller firms. Even though I have studied in industrial design, I’m interested in packaging, web, and fashion. Thus, working at an in-house firm will help me discover and develop my interests from observations of what other designers do.
Also, if possible, I would like to tryout various in-house design firms because each firm will have different problems and solutions. After roaming around in-house firms, I will look for a boutique style design firm. A close knit working environment where you are able to get to know colleagues on a more personal level. I feel more confident and comfortable working with a small group of people that I know in person. When the time comes and sufficient financial backup is acquired, I would like to further my career by co-founding an agency with a close and trustworthy colleague.

Besides the size of the firms, the location of the firm will equally be important. I prefer the city where public transportations are thoroughly developed.

Characteristics

After graduating, I would like to start working at a small boutique firm or a small full-service firm. The small intimate setting where I would actually know what was going on in the different sections/groups and having a say in them is very appealing, especially with a relaxed and informal atmosphere. I also still do not know specifically what I type of job I want to do, so working at a small firm would help me to get experience in the different aspects of design. I also feel that smaller firms would take the workers’ opinions into consideration, rather than just relying on the top dogs of the departments. I want to work at a place that I will feel inspired and motivated, not taken advantage of or used just for bouncing around ideas. Being included in the different aspects of the process is important to me, not just working on one part and passing the project off to others.

I would avoid working at a narrow-minded firm that only depends on the words of the more experienced designers and ignores the inexperienced since it would create an uninspired atmosphere of mindless work. I also would not work at a firm that is stuck to a hierarchy of positions. In my experience, working at those types of work places is annoying and there is not much of a company culture or relationship within the company except between those in the same “rank.”

Gee Kim: Never a Cubicle

I would like my first job to be at a fairly large and well-developed company. The first and most important reason for this has to do with the amount of interaction you have with people. I feel that a job in a larger company opens up more opportunity to make more relations with people, whether it is with other employees (not necessarily within your department) or with your clients. Meeting new people and networking with different kinds of people is really exciting for me.

Another important reason for working at a large corporation is because their company structure is stable and already well defined. I would like to go into my first job with a good idea of the kinds of responsibilities that I will have, and know that I could count on a previous guideline for reference. I like being dependable for a specific job and have a clear role in the company, rather than doing odd jobs throughout. I would like to embrace the things I am good at and am confident in.

The last reason is that larger companies seem to have more opportunities to further your education. In the future, I would like to complete a masters in business administration (or another major related to business). In addition, the companies I have researched also offer programs for you to travel internationally, to learn more about international business and culture. I would love to travel the world and work at the same time. I never want to be stuck in a cubicle.

The thing is… where do I find this dream job of mine? I would like to explore more about international businesses, or foreign companies. What is it like to live and work in another country? Which American companies are based in a foreign country? What kinds of positions are available for international businesses? These are some of the questions I would like to explore.

Joyce Kim (A1)

I have worked in big firms, small firms, in-house, and everywhere in between. Each respective place has its benefits, but apart from financial needs, I believe the workplace environment and location should fit my personality. First jobs only come once, and even in this period of economic turmoil, I don't want to settle for anything less than what I know I'm capable of achieving. Working in corporate environments completely drained me of all my creative energy. Although it taught me the “correct way” and procedures to approach a certain problem, I wouldn’t have as many opportunities to break through and climb the ranks. I don’t want to be pigeon holed into one position for a decade of my life. So that leaves me with independent, privately owned firms. Working at a boutique firm was fun, but work was always sporadic. Working at a medium sized privately owned agency located in an urban setting would probably be my choice. It’s still small (75 people), but just the right amount of people dispersed into different departments, so that you won’t get sick of the same five people. Also, working at a private agency allowed many of my coworkers to get promotions at a rather fast pace, the downside being that people leave the agency rather quickly.

Coming from a more creative slash marketing background, I think working in the fast paced advertising world will suit me best. I enjoyed the competitive nature of it all during my summer internship, and I feel like I have to work in advertising while I’m young (when my body can still handle all-nighters). Then I will move onto smaller boutique style firms.

Annie Lee: Characteristics

I definitely would like to work in a larger corporate environment because I like to be in places where many events are taking place at once. I also like meeting new people and honestly wouldn't want to see the same group of people on a daily basis. I have many interests other than design that I would potentially want to pursue as my career such as marketing, public relations, production, and management. Ideally, I would like to work in a position where design and business are intertwined together. I need to be in the city where there's a fast pace and constant movement. Co-workers are one of the most important things to me when finding a place to work. I would like to work with both young and older co-workers, who try to make the workplace as enjoyable and pleasing as possible; knowing to be serious and focused as well as having a sense of humor.

I do not want to work in a place that specializes in one service nor a small firm. From my experience, it's just plain boring to me. I want to be in a company where there are different people that specialize in a variety of things so that there is diversity in personalities. I do not want to work in a new firm/company where things are still up in the air and unorganized. I probably don't know much about the history of many places i'd work as well as the benefits the workers are entitled to. I would want to explore into that.

Hajin Choi (A1)

I would like to work for a design consultancy who works for clients from a broad range of industries. And ideally I hope to be in a position that gives me opportunities to use my skill sets from communication design and HCI, both of which I'm majoring in. I'm not sure if there's such a position in the real world, but I want to be at least part of a group whose expertise can cover the whole process of design - anything from user research to visual design so that I can develop a holistic perspective in tackling any given problems. I realized this while interning at a design agency whose job mostly involved in creating GUI for mobile phones the 'front-end' of a product. Another characteristics I would like for a company to have is flexibility and openness of the working place. I believe innovative ideas are more likely to come from among people who feel comfortable interacting with each other and exchanging their ideas without feeling afraid of criticism.

As for the characteristics I want to avoid the most is having to repeat the similar type of work without learning anything new. For me, it's very important to be able to keep learning something even when I get out of school. Especially in the design field, things change rapidly and if you lose track, it's very easy to get behind. So It would be great to work for a company who promotes their employees' personal development as well as the growth of the company itself.

What I want to explore with regard to the professional world include the relationship between a design consultancy and its clients - how much of interaction happens between the two and how much of influence the clients have on the decision-making of the design firms - and how the roles for each team member are decided within a project and whether or not they change over different projects. And most importantly, I'd like to know what makes a desired employee for a entry level designer who doesn't have much experience yet.

Kiyeon (stephanie) Yoon - Assignment 1

I am not totally sure which type of company I would want the most, but I would like to work in a small boutique style firm at the end of my career or even work for myself. However, right after the graduation, I would like to work at a large firm where I can meet a lot of experts in different fields. I not only learn more about industrial design, but also I have more opportunity to experience and learn things other than industrial design such as communication design, media and advertising. I also believe that working at a large firm will teach me to see the big picture of how a product is planned, designed and produced in the real world. Then, with my experiences and skills that I learned from a large firm, I want to work with a small group of designers. Working at a small boutique style would make me happy after working at the large firm since I can design things that I want to design in a much more comfortable environment.

I realize that I would not want to work at a firm that strictly carries only industrial design. Instead, I want to work at a place where I can use my industrial design experience to work through other projects that are not industrial design related.
I will also try to avoid being a person that only provides the design skills such as rendering and modeling. I want to always think and create ideas and have a full understanding of the project.

Even though I am an industrial design major, I am also very interested in learning graphic design and advertising. I want to explore more of them as well as the industrial design.

Tina (Tian Hong) Zhang - Assignment 1

I think I would prefer to work in an in-house design department or a boutique style design firm. Working in an in-house design department, I will be able to have an overall understanding of the whole business and how different departments collaborate with each other. Since I am obtaining a business administration minor, I am not only interested in the designs of the products, but also the business aspects, such as the marketing strategies and so on. A boutique style design firm would also be a nice working environment for me, because I feel like in such environments the designers will be more passionate about what they do, and therefore more creative decisions will be made.

In my design career, I will try to avoid being the person who only executes other people’s ideas. I want to be looking for inspirations and generating ideas. I’d like to be someone who is able to share different perspectives on things with the rest of the design team. (I am more comfortable working with small teams with less than 10 people.) For this reason, I think an open atmosphere would help to share ideas and thoughts.

However, as an industrial design student, I don’t necessarily want to work in the ID field, or at least not in the long term. I have always been interested in areas like fashion, accessories and jewelry, so I am hoping to find jobs that would be a nice bridge between them. Therefore, I think cities like New York, Los Angeles and London would be a good place for fashion related careers. I’d like to find out more about how industrial design can be related to other fields, and what kind of career options are available.

Averie Youna Yang | Assignment 1

After giving some thought, I am interested in working at a full service humanitarian design consultancy or in the consumer health, medical, education, or strategy divisions in a global design consultancy. I see myself doing this after earning my masters in Human Computer Interaction and working as a human factors engineer, user experience designer, or design analyst.

I enjoy the notion of working in a medium-sized, full service consultancy where I can work in a close nit environment with my co-workers, while at the same time working in diverse interdisciplinary groups that bring different values and ways of thinking into the problem or project at hand. Even though I plan on specializing in a certain field I do want to learn about the business aspects of the consultancy so that I have the option of starting my own business in the future. I want to eventually get myself in a position where I can volunteer my time towards non-profit humanitarian design organizations.

Conformity or environments where people are aloof, close-minded, or too persistent in only seeing things from their own perspective discourage me. I also would dislike to be purely designing for desires and wants because I want to utilize design, if applicable with technology, to empower people and address the true needs that society and individuals have.

I would like to know how humanitarian design consultancies get funded outside of their small client that they may be working with. I would like to know how these types of projects survive in the long run and if they can be reproduced in different areas in need of the same type of systems. How do you measure the impact a product has on a community?

Amanda Henderson - Assignment 1

After graduation, I am interested in working at a boutique style design firm. In my experience of internships and design firm visits I always felt most at home in the small more laid back firms. The casual atmosphere of the work space and family-like team of designers create a wonderful work environment. I like the idea that many people within the office can collaborate on projects and bounce ideas off each other for creative inspiration. Working in a smaller firm like this would also allow me to be hands on in many aspects of the project, seeing it out form start to finish.

I am hoping to be part of a boutique firm that values physical prototyping and experimenting as part of their design process as I would rather not spend all of my time working on a computer. Rendering forty hours a week is not my idea of a good experience. I also would like to avoid being part of a strictly industrial design firm. I would like the boutique firm that I join to work through spatial and communication design as well. I have interned at a Scenic and Spatial Boutique design firm and loved it, and I would not be opposed to incorporating that into my future career as well. I would very much like to explore the idea of using my industrial design education to work through other non-industrial design projects.

I hope to take my growing skill set into a job that will allow growth as a designer, but also improve my project management. In my future career exploration I would very much like to spend some time working in scenic and spatial design as I have found that industrial design lends itself well to these areas.

Teresa Tan - A1

I am not entirely sure which type of firm I would like the most. I think all of them have their own advantages or disadvantages, and frankly I would be happy if I ended up anywhere after graduation in this economy. However, based on my disposition, I would probably be happiest as a freelance designer. I like the idea of being independent, working on my own schedule, and deciding on what projects to accept by myself. I think that sense of freedom and control is very appealing. It would also allow me to experiment in all types of design, unlike in a design firm where I may be limited to working on one or two types of projects. Also, another advantage to being a freelance designer is that I can practically work anywhere in the world. I am not sure if I will be staying in the United States after graduation. If I am feeling really ambitious, I think I want to try moving from country to country every few years or so.

I think the type of work environment that would not suit me is somewhere too uninspired or limited. I am not sure what type of company (big or small) is immune to succumbing to such a state, but I am sure it happens. I want my coworkers to be passionate and very involved in their work. Most importantly of all, I want my coworkers to know how to have fun without compromising their professionalism. They should know how to sensibly settle conflicts and not treat other people in the studio as competition, but more like family.

I would like to learn more about the work environment in larger corporate companies. It seems as if many people tend to lean away from this option, but I am curious to see if it is really as unappealing as people make it out to be.

Chris Chien - A1

A corporate environment situated in a metropolitan area is where I would like to work.  By working at an industry giant, I would be constantly pushed and inspired by the leaders of that company.  The numerous departments of the company would allow me to meet people from other fields: marketing, public relations, sales and technicians.  Certain large and successful companies such as Google, and Disney have great equipment, recreational facilities, cafeterias, and even company events for the employees.  I would enjoy those types of company benefits, in addition to the basic prestige of simply being able to say that you work there.  However, success in this company would not only require the person's "design" ability, but the ability to cooperate, negotiate and persuade people from different fields.  I think conquering that challenge would be both financially and personally rewarding.

I would not want to work at small companies, especially located in small cities.  I feel that small companies are often run in a very “family” style.  Unless the leadership of the company is extremely exceptional, the work environment could turn into unorganized, unprofessional place to work (where overtime without pay is the daily norm).  In addition, I would not want to work under unhealthy conditions and unreasonable deadlines.

 Life outside of work and design is where I would like to explore after college.  Because working in art and design can be an enjoyable experience, I find myself foregoing other activities outside the field that normal people enjoy.  I would like to learn about how experiences outside of design can enrich one’s life.

Nara Kasbergen (A1)

After our discussion in class last week, I realized that the type of work environment that would suit me best is independent. I've always worked best in smaller, tight-knit groups, but the boutique environments do not appeal to me as much because I do not want to end up at a company that practices only one kind of design. I love multidisciplinary projects and working with people who come from completely different backgrounds, and one of the reasons I chose to go into design is because I hoped it would give me the opportunity to do just that. At first I was worried that there is no work environment like the one I am looking for (small but multidisciplinary), but the descriptions that were presented last week made it clear that going independent doesn't mean working alone; you can have a couple of people (likely ones in a different discipline) who collaborate and work on various projects with you. This concept appeals to me.

Another reason why I see myself going independent is because I really hope to work with brand new technology or even technology that hasn't been invented yet, and figuring out how that changes the way we can use technology to communicate information and what new opportunities for creativity that creates (think MIT Media Lab). I'd say this is heading more in the direction of research rather than design for consumption. While I realize that there are plenty of companies that try to stay on the cutting edge, I'm hesitant about winding up in a job that solely consists of doing work for clients because most of the work I would be doing for them would likely be design for consumption and I want time for more experimentation for experimentation's sake. I'm hoping that working for myself will give me more opportunities to do that (although staying financially afloat is a concern). And yes, I do admit that this ideal is largely inspired by Ben Fry, who is my role model as a designer.

However, I don't think I will work independently for the first few years of my career. I still feel very inexperienced, and I think I need the experience of working in a much more structured environment in order to gain the confidence I need to go independent, even if I dislike bureaucracy and the idea of being assigned to a specific role in a company. But I think it is quite likely that I will end up spending my first few years as a designer at a larger, multinational firm -- also because I would like the opportunity to possibly transfer and work overseas.

Sohyung Park- A1

Based on the discussion about the different firms in class, and my experiences from internships that I had back in Korea, I would like to have my first career at a large firm where has world-wide branches. The great advantage of ‘international-based firm’ is that it offers conferences (or meetings) for the designers with other branches from different countries. That means that there are more opportunities to communicate, discuss, and share information and idea with people from different background and culture. The other reason that I prefer to have my first job at a large firm, even though my ultimate goal is to work in a small full-service firm, is because I’d like to gain some knowledge on how a company operates, and how people collaborate in a big scale. I think starting first career at a large firm and move to a smaller firm (but more specified into my interest) is the right order to have more chance success in my field.

I would avoid working in an environment where has unnecessarily strict hierarchy in position. Personally believe that hierarchy is helpful especially when working as a team (the senior designer takes the role of leading the other designers or the co-workers). However, if the person on the superior position excessively rules over the younger designers, it will rather weaken the productivity of their work. Honestly I would like to avoid a firm that mainly works on the non-profit projects because I assume that people might work less motivated than the project that makes profit.

At the point when I am not sure what is my best interest is, I wonder if there is any position that I can take for temporary to explore different departments of the firm. (I guess that is what interns do but,) I want to know if it is easy to change the sector in the firm, for example from art department to marketing department.

Sarah Park (assignment1)

I'd like to work in a boutique design firm. Upon graduation, I don't think I'll be ready to work in a large corporation type of design firm right away, also working in a small environment is a good place to start learning how to work with colleagues in a professional working atmosphere. I enjoy working in an open-studio, where everyone knows each other, and easy to share ideas, feedback and discussions. Therefore, atmosphere is very important to me, and especially when working on a group project, working closely with other people in a comfortable setting brings positives and encouragement to each other.

Characteristics to avoid would be anywhere that has no variety of taste to the projects and to people and environment. By saying that, I want to work on a wide range of projects where I can use my creative thinking skills to different types of problems. Also, as to people and environment, I want to be able to learn from other designers from different backgrounds.

I'd like to explore how the work's distributed to each person when working on a group project, and how it's different in a small boutique firm and a large corporation type of firm.

Sabrina Majeed - A1

After graduation, I would like to work in a full-service design firm. The size could vary for me, I think I would be comfortable in either a large company or a small one, though not too small (like four people), because I would feel lonely at work if not surrounded by a variety of different people. That is another reason I would like to work in a full-service firm. I want to be exposed to colleagues with roles different from mine and learn from them; such as web-developers and interaction designers. I've had a taste of inter-disciplinary work through Carnegie Mellon and I definitely enjoy approaching a problem without a weak link and having an expert for all 'fields' or facets of a project present.

Characteristics that I would want to avoid are places where different disciplines never see or communicate with one another. I know of many companies whose business model consists of designers just handing off their finished comps to programmers who then program it (or change it w/o the designer knowing), and designers who are also just given written instructions from project managers. I don't want to work in a place that just "hands off" work in a system, I want to work in a place where people collaborate together and everyone shapes the final product together. Also, I don't want to work at a place post-graduation where junior designers are basically photoshop monkeys and their ideas and feedback are not taken into consideration. Basically, a place where as a designer all you are doing is implementing the design of art directors.

Like many others have stated, location is very important to me. The specifics of what is important is hard to nail down... there's the superfluous stuff like weather and public transportation, but then also just the type of people that a certain city attracts. I feel like I probably want to stay away from the south and mid-west, because I grew up there and I don't see myself making the daily commute from suburb to city but rather living in already flourishing urban environment. Also, I would not mind working in a corporate setting. I interned at a large internet company before and it was the opposite of the stuffy work environment most people imagine. Not to mention, I really like the idea of designing for the public and companies like that actually facilitate helping your work reach millions of people... as opposed to a small firm that "designs" for "designers".

Annie Jacobson (A1)

Upon graduation, I intend to work for a small full-service or boutique firm. I enjoy interacting with smaller groups of people on a more relaxed and intimate level, along the same lines as the studio experience here at CMU. I thrive on close personal relationships, which would be easier to establish with coworkers and clients in this setting. Additionally, working for a small full-service firm would give me the opportunity to experiment with a variety of roles on an array of projects. I am interested in the different steps involved within any given project, from the initial client meetings through the final execution. Gaining exposure to the entire process might be difficult elsewhere.

I definitely do not want to work in an in-house design department. I have experienced working in-house at both a small and a large company, and though working in-house has its benefits, this setting often feels too limiting and restricting in the long term.

Regarding characteristics that should be avoided, I have no interest in working for firms that have relationships with clients that do not respect the design process. I also wish to avoid firms that treat junior designers as glorified interns—basically, places that chew up junior designers and spit them out after a year or so.

I would like to further explore the dynamics of small design offices. How does the average junior designer in a small firm spend their workday?

Janice An

After viewing and discussing about the different firms in class, I strongly believe a boutique design firm would suit me best. Being in a small firm would allow me to understand the firm in depth and establish a close bond with my colleagues. Thus, creating an environment that would be comfortable, easy-going, and enjoyable to work in, which is definitely what I’m looking for. Additionally, it’ll let me jump into areas out of my discipline, which I find quite interesting.

I would avoid large firms. I believe being in a large firm would make it difficult to actually have a full understanding of what the company does. It also creates a “sweat shop” environment since people will only focus on one general area that they are responsible for/familiar with, which can prevent friendly relationships to happen. Therefore, it’s definitely the opposite from what I’m looking for.

I’ve actually only experienced areas that were done independently, so team projects are something I would like to explore. In other words, how firms work as a team and how they distribute work in order to complete a task. Also, I question what kind of work is given to each and every designer in a firm.

Luther Young (assignment1)

I liked aspects of all the firm types, but the one that stood out to me the most was the “boutique” style.  The smaller, more intimate size was appealing to me because there seems to be more of a community.  I’ve had experiences in larger firm/corporations and you definitely feel like a number amongst the crowd.  I also like the boutique setting because it seems like there is more room for experimentation and collaboration amongst the co-workers. 

At this small boutique style I would hope to work on projects that investigate the similarities between industrial and architecture.  Whether it be exhibition or storefront design, I like the idea of perceiving built environments as objects.  I guess it’s the Industrial Design approach to making a space.  I’m unsure of whether this pursuit will live in strictly an Industrial Design or Architectural firm.

In terms of geography I’m open to any opportunities that open up.  Like many other designers I am drawn to major cities, but in particular the European design capitals.  Cities like Amsterdam, Berlin and London are really intriguing.  The awareness of design and role of designer are very prevalent in all of these locations.  I feel like being in one of these design “incubators” would be a fun and challenging experience for a young design professional. 

With the current state of the world economy I would wonder how designers are making opportunities for themselves outside of traditional design jobs, whether they be at small or large firms.  I’ve heard a number of examples of design alumni starting their owns businesses and it could be beneficial to hear some of their stories and reasons for working on their own projects.

Caryn Audenried-A1

Based on the firm types we talked about in class, my long term goal is to work for myself (Independent type). However, I know I will work in an office first, so this is what I would prefer in a work environment. I would enjoy working at a very small firm that does creative illustration and typography-focused work for other small companies. I like the atmosphere in small firms because they feel more connected—there's less boundaries between the people in charge and the younger designers. I would also like it to be a place where people openly share ideas and brainstorm often.

Characteristics to avoid would be any place where I don't get to use any of my own creative input, if the "style" of design is too set. I would get bored if I was working on the same brand all the time. This is probably why I wouldn't want to work at an in-house design department. I would also avoid places that tend to be very hierarchical in structure, where you wouldn’t interact much with your boss or higher-ups in the company.

I would like to explore the process of project management and self-promotion, which I'm sure I could learn about at an established design firm, and would come in handy for working independently.

Jane Park (A1)

As a Communication Design and HCI double-major, I am interested in working with both creative and logical/analytical ideas and utilizing various medium and technology to solve problems. Based on my experiences so far, I enjoy collaborating with thinkers from various fields and disciplines which is why I can see myself working in an in-house design department or a full service firm.

I would love to work in a firm that does a wide variety of work so that I would have a greater chance of being exposed to different types of groups and projects. Environment and co-workers are probably just as important to me as the type of job I would be doing, and I would like to work in an environment that has a friendly and free atmosphere, where people are laid-back and open-minded so that ideas can be exchanged freely and easily. Ideally, I would also love to work in a place where I can be flexible with my schedule and the work I'm doing (but this would be more of a freelancing I guess).

As of now, I'm not sure if I want to work in a larger firm or a smaller firm because I see pros and cons in both environments. For example, I wouldn't want to work in a firm that is so large that all I'm doing would be sitting in my cubicle working isolated, or a firm that is so small that each person gets an overwhelming amount of work or that the studio gets too quiet from time to time. I can see, however, how smaller firms can have a more family-like atmosphere although bigger firms might offer interaction with people from different disciplines better.

One thing that I'm not sure about is how projects are being distributed to different positions and how the group dynamic of each project is being formed. For example, if your title is "graphic designer," are you bound to work only on graphic design projects? I'm also curious about how projects are being handed out in general, i.e. based on what criteria people are being "assigned" to projects and how likely it is that a person would work on multiple projects at once. And finally, I'd like to explore more of the dynamics and pros and cons of both larger and smaller firms.

Silvia Brown

I prefer to work in a full service or a boutique design firm. Working with the designers and people in a firm is important to me. I want to be able to converse and associate with them in a comfortable way. Having a firm that has a schedule is valuable. For example, working 5 days a week, having hours, and being able to work evening hours or weekends when needed.

I interned in a large printing company years ago and it was a new experience for me. The company was family oriented based. Many of their workers were relatives of the owner, but they treated their other workers as an extension of their family. It's ideal to work for a firm where all the designers treat each other like a family, but have no relations to each other.

Working in an environment is secondary to the design work. Finding a firm that has clients that I want to work for is really important for me. I want to be interested in my clients, the design processes, and the final designs. Being able to learn a better way to present my work, process, working with photography and film, and creating new ways to communicate ideas are the characteristics that I am looking for.

Joey Cordes

I’d like to start working in a place where I have the opportunity to learn the big picture of the product development process, quickly move up in the company, and make a solid living. I’m also interested in responsible design, both social and environmental, and I’d like to be involved in a company that shares that motivation either directly through it’s product offerings or indirectly through a tithe program. I’m fascinated with the prospect of applying non-profit style thinking (more emphasis on the environment and the “other 90%”) to large, for-profit companies and enacting change from within.

I’m also a big fan of urban settings and would love to work in a large city with a vibrant culture.

I don’t want to be a render monkey ID kid because quite frankly, I’m terrible at it. I would also hate to be left out of the fuzzy front end of a project. My skill set is predisposed to working with and leading multi-disciplinary groups in the conceptualization phase of projects.

At CMU I’ve learned about Industrial Design but more importantly I’ve learned “design thinking.” That is what I’d like to pursue in my career. I’m still very much interested in Industrial Design as a discipline but I believe it is only one part of the equation. I want to learn about the entire product development process and eventually manage the teams that enact those processes. I could see myself in a small firm one day, especially as a partner, but I need to learn from the big dogs before I get to that point.

Renee Yang (A1)

Judging from the firms that I’ve had a chance to visit, I think I would be happiest within a boutique-type of firm. I am keen on the idea of an atmosphere which is low-key and intimate – where ideas are constantly being tossed around without the formalities of larger firms. I work better in an informal environment, and I feel that a smaller firm would be best suit my preferred working environment.

The idea of being a small part in a big company is unappealing to me. I love to produce good work, but overt competition is an unnecessary stress in my mind, and I feel that larger studios might house these attributes. Although anonymity does not seem part of the vocabulary of most larger design firms, there is more of a risk within these firms compared to boutique-sized firms. It is important for me to know my colleagues well.

I’m curious to see if a firm-based career is even something that I want to pursue long-term. There is an allure to a career based in a firm, but how might a designer branch out to design-related career paths that are less associated with this type of lifestyle? What are other careers that designers have taken?

 

 

Hannah Leiden (A1)

Based on my experiences. I would like to work in a small boutique atmosphere that had a strong designer as a lead and took the design aspect of their work seriously. I like the idea of being able to work for myself and being able to work when and wherever I would like, however I also like the idea of a 5 day work week and basically being done around the same time each day. I realize some days will go longer than others, but being able to go home at the end of the day and not having homework to do before the morning is an aspect of a job I’m looking forward to.

I think I would like to work in a smaller company, but I think I could work in any size company as long as I knew my role. Coming in to work in the morning and not knowing what you should be doing is never a good feeling. If I had different positions to fill that would keep me busy during the day, as long as I knew what I was to be doing.

At this point I’m not sure what type of work I’d like to do. I’d love to work for non-profits and organizations I feel passionate about, but I’d also like the stability of working in a pre-established firm. Somehow finding a way to do both would be great. Finding a way to have a design career I want while still paying attention to the environmental aspects of it would be perfect.  

Joseph Wang - A1

One of the qualities I most appreciate about freelancing is the flexibility associated with it. Not only do I set my own hours, but I also learn about other aspects of designing, such as the bookkeeping and close interaction with clients. As a graphic designer with no formal education in design, I began freelancing several years ago based on only an interest in the field. My experience with a variety of clients has allowed me to both hone my technical skills and learn more about interacting with clients. As a Biology major, my science courses have occupied the majority of my time – the flexibility from freelancing is helpful in that I can complete designs at my own pace while still taking care of other tasks.

I likely would dislike working in corporate environments where I would be such a small piece in a large company. There is a lack of personal connection with the client, which is what can make design very rewarding. There is, however, better job security, which can be beneficial when compared to the sudden shortage of clients in freelancing. Freelancing also presents the issue of finances, which can be a double-edged sword. While important to learn about, it is often something that can be difficult to accomplish. Some clients do not pay on time, while others continually negotiate lower prices since they undervalue a designer’s work.

If given the time, I would like to try working at a small design firm to see how professional designers work. As opposed to freelancing alone, a small firm provides better project management and would allow me to work with other designers who can give expert feedback on work. Not only does this lead to better products, but I would also be able to improve my own skills. Because my experience has only been as an independent freelancer, I believe that joining a small firm would be new to me but ultimately help me improve as a designer.

Lauren Von Dehsen (A1)

Based on my experiences to date, I think I want to work in a full service firm environment. I know that I am not ready to work for myself. I appreciate the guidance of a boss-figure to direct the project, make tough calls and provide critical feedback. I also prefer a five day workweek schedule because I find that I am more calm and pleasant to be around. I entered the design department thinking of design as only a job, not a lifestyle. However, I have found that a more taxing and stressful schedule causes me to become more efficient and therefore more accomplished.

I am torn when it comes to coworkers. I like the idea of having a smaller setting where everyone knows each other, because it is really enjoyable and the office has a family feel, almost like what I have experienced here in our studio classes. In contrast, I find that there is a benefit in separating work time from personal time which might be easier to do in a larger, less personal office. Also, my desire to learn more about other design disciplines makes be believe that I would be happiest in a full service firm where I would interact with many different designers on various projects.

I currently have no answer to the most important question: "What type of work do you want to do?" Of my two majors, I am definitely more intrigued by Industrial Design however, I don't want to have wasted my time studying Human-Computer Interaction. I like dealing with the technology aspects of interface design and I love programming. I think I am currently best suited to be a product designer who knows enough about interface design to better inform physical interfaces. The problem is I'm not sure that is what I want to do.

Assignment 1 - Characteristics

Consider the dimensions of the different areas of the ecosystem that were discussed in class today: profit vs. non-profit, geography, firm size, consulting vs. in-house, etc. Based upon your and your colleagues experience with internships, please take about 200-300 words to ponder the following questions:

1) What are the characteristics of place to work that you might enjoy? Why do you think you will enjoy them? (e.g. I think I would like to work in a small place because I would be forced to learn about many aspects of the business beyond my job description)

2) What are the characteristics to avoid? Why?

3) What are the characteristics that you don’t know that much about now but would like to explore?

Please post your responses to the blog with the tag “Characteristics” by the end of the day (11:59pm), Wednesday, Sept 9.

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of Practicing Design for fall 2009. Here we will post information which may be helpful to everyone in the class, while you are in this class and beyond.

I will add each of you as an author on this blog, by sending a link to your email address. You will need a Google account to post. It's a pretty straightforward process, but if there are any issues or questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at onnyc at the stanfordalumni with the org. Please include "PracDes09" in the subject line, to help ensure that your mail doesn't get lost in my inbox.