Beyond the px — Boosted’s Kyson Dana self teaching, generalism, and choosing life
We’re back folks. 2020 is here and so are we with a brand new Beyond the px interview.
This month’s is with the multi-talented art director, illustrator, photographer and surfer
.Kyson is currently spinning his talents as art director at Boosted Boards in San Francisco.
Enjoy.
Can you explain briefly who Boosted are and what they do?
Boosted creates lightweight electric vehicles.
We got our start making electric longboards and sort of became famous by showing up in a bunch of Casey Neistat YouTube videos. Since then we’ve launched electic skateboards, and an electric scooter.
We believe that the world can be better through fun, fast, simple transportation.
What has been your design journey up until now?
I started off by going to design school in Idaho but after an internship and a bunch of freelance projects I decided to take a break from school and work for a while.
After a few years I signed up for an online program in hopes to earn my BFA in design but between juggling work, school, and a new baby I eventually let go of school and focused on work full time.
I’d describe myself as a self taught designer. I landed a great job early in my career at a small non-profit organization, gained a lot of startup experience there and then moved to the Bay Area where I’ve been designing ever since. I think my scrappy beginnings taught me how to jump in head first and just figure things how even when you don’t feel fully qualified.
That quality has helped in a lot of projects and jobs.
What does your typical morning look like?
My morning routine varies.
Some mornings I run, surf or mountain bike at dawn, and other days I bike my 5 year old son to school. I like to be active and it helps set the day off right when I can get the blood pumping before the work day begins.
It’s hard to have a bad day after a morning surf.
What does your design stack look like?
Lately I’ve been designing a lot in Adobe XD for website prototypes. I’m also in all the other Adobe products.
I’ve tried to remain a generalist in my career so some days I’m illustrating on my iPad in Procreate, editing photos in Lightroom, or designing an app in Adobe XD. I’m not really a “tool” evangelist though. Whatever works to get the job done is fine by me.
A video Adobe created with our team: https://vimeo.com/382040150
Do you have any design hacks?
Not really. I definitely stick to a process in my work but nothing too fancy or unique. I start with lots of research until I feel like I have an insight or an idea and then I’ll go into rapid design exploration. I’m really loose when I design. I don’t get hung up on making things perfect until the end.
I’m one of those designers who has a messy desk and disorganized layers. My apologizes for the anxiety I cause my fellow design friends.
Do your career aspirations encroach your life?
Great question. I used to have a lot of career aspirations. Earlier in my life I really wanted to climb the ladder and make it to the top as a well-known designer, working for elite brands.
As I get older those desires are fading. I now think more about how I can shape my life rather than my career.
What makes me happy? What brings me peace? Does a high-stress job for a global tech company bring me either of those? Not really. I’d rather build my career in a way that offers me more free time, less stress, and projects that excite me. Those choices to be more intentional and mindful inform everything for me right now. Not just what company I work for but what food I buy and what clothing I wear. I want to choose things that move me and the world around me in a positive and more balanced direction.
It sounds all hippy-dippy but I’ve found I feel happier when I aspire for less, rather than for more. I wrote more about this here: https://saraky.com/home/ky-27-birthday
What’s your affiliation with the transporation industry?
I’ve always had a passion for board sports. That was my foray into working at Boosted. Moving fast on a board is freeing and empowering. It’s a form of expression and creativity.
If daily transportation can tap into that feeling, well, that’s a world that I’d love to be a part of.
What’s your team dynamic?
Right now our team is made up of about 4 other designers, a filmmaker, a copywriter, and a producer.
We’re pretty flat structurally and all collaborate together. Some of us focus more on advertising and brand and others on UX and web. I work with everyone on the team including many people outside our small group including industrial designers, engineers, and product managers.
Will your product exist in ten years time?
I hope so! There is has to at least be some sort of variation of Boosted’s products in the future. When I think about what the future will look like in 50 years I imagine people will ride on electric boards and small vehicles like scooters or e-bikes. I mean, that’s what Back to the Future though too, right?
What advice would you give for those interested in kick starting a career in designing for the market?
Just start.
Make up projects for yourself. Connect with non-profits looking for design work. Focus on a building a portfolio of work that you can leverage to get better and better jobs. Everyone starts out feeling like an imposter.
The trick is just starting.
A few of the junior designers we’ve hired are more talented than me. I’m excited for the young blood!
What are your thoughts on our culture of overwork?
I don’t think anyone is forced to work 9–5. Most designers are passionate about what they do and choose to do so.
If it brings you joy, do it. If it causes you stress, stop.
Us designers are spoiled and get to create cool things every day. People literally pay us money to create. It’s hard to find a job better than that.
I really enjoyed Kyson’s honest answers here. It’s so important to understand what you want from your career, rather than what the going trends of expectations are. The lines concerning what makes him happy really rung true for me, and I hope you can all take some sentiment from this.
I’m especially jealous of his morning surf routine.
See y’all next time.
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