HNCO 007: Discovering Design with Zoe
Zoe (she/her), from Washington, is a co-creator of Her Narrative Collective and passionate about design. Although she pursued business in school, Zoe more recently pivoted towards a career in Product Design after discovering her passion for building community and human connections. In this Her Narrative Collective interview, we talk to Zoe about how she channels a creative mindset in design, and how her prior experiences led her here.
Follow Zoe on Instagram and check out her design portfolio.
Her Narrative Collective
Q — What inspired you to start Her Narrative Collective (HNCO)?
A — As Katie and Clarice have mentioned in their narratives, we were all part of Media Committee together during our time in Peace Corps. Getting to film and share Namibian culture and the Volunteer experiences with people all over the world was a major highlight of my service. So when they asked me to join them in creating HNCO, it felt like a great opportunity to continue our love of storytelling, and to get inspired by incredible people!
Q — What are you excited to see come from HNCO?
A — Community building has always been important to me. I’m excited for the opportunity to connect with women from all different backgrounds and skill sets, and empower people to share their journeys. I’ve already been inspired by the handful of narratives we’ve shared, and the women behind them who are pursuing their passions unapologetically.
Her Passion
Q — What does passion mean to you?
A — Passion is anything that makes your eyes light up when you talk about it. It can be as small as a rush of dopamine, or as big as something that shapes your identity. Passion give us, as humans, a sense of purpose.
Q — What is your passion?
A — My passion is design, but more broadly I’d say it’s understanding the human experience. I love using technology and creative problem solving to build connections, community, and expand people’s views of the world.
Q — How do you make time for your passion? (Is it your job? Your hobby?)
One of my New Year’s resolutions last year was to try one new creative project each quarter.
A — Both! As a product designer, I get to help build technology for people by empathizing with their experiences. My work is centered around video conferencing innovation, so I frequently think about the nuances of digital relationships and how to improve upon them.
Outside of work, I like using my right-brain however I can. Because I stare at pixels on a screen all day, I really like trying more tangible things like card making, stamp carving, and cooking in my spare time. One of my New Year’s resolutions last year was to try one new creative project each quarter — and I’m carrying that same resolution into this year!
Q — When did you first become passionate about design?
“Life has a funny way of leading you where you’re meant to be, even if it’s the scenic route. Design was the perfect union of my love for business, creativity, and human connection.”
A — Since I’ve always been a creative person, I considered majoring in design in undergrad, but ended up pursuing business thinking it would grant me more opportunities after school. After working in marketing for a few years, I craved a change and wanted a career that was more creative and focused on people. I quit my job to join Peace Corps, where I worked primarily with entrepreneurship education. I had no plans post-Peace Corps but wanted to take time to explore my options and trusted that I would figure it out. I’ve always been pretty reliant on gut feelings, and this was one of those times. A scholarship through the Peace Corps led me to a UX Design Master’s program.
A few years later — here I am, full circle, a designer. Life has a funny way of leading you where you’re meant to be, even if it’s the scenic route. Although it seems very different, the community development projects I worked on in Namibia taught me crucial skills for a career in design. Skills like user research and advocacy, creative problem solving, and accessibility are all things that I’ve carried with me. Design really is the perfect union of my love for business, creativity, and human connection.
Her Growth
Q — What have you learned about yourself along the way?
A — I was in grad school from 2017 to 2019 learning about and practicing User Experience (UX) Design. I grew a lot in my last semester while taking on freelance opportunities, going through a mentorship program and basically figuring things out as I went.
My biggest periods of growth have always come from accepting opportunities that pushed me way out of my comfort zone. In my last semester of school, I agreed to teach a design prototyping course in partnership with a student-led start up. I‘m not a big fan of public speaking and didn’t feel qualified or even know exactly what to teach at first, but it ended up being one of the most rewarding experiences. Not only did I improve my skills, but it also fueled my passion for design and my love for the design community.
By saying “yes” to things that challenge me, I’ve also become better at failing. It seems counterintuitive, but becoming more comfortable with failure and being able to reframe it as growth has helped me evolve as a designer. Especially when you’re designing for others, you’re never going to get it exactly right on the first try. And that’s okay. I’ve gotten better at asking for feedback early and often, and making incremental improvement.
I remember in Peace Corps, my friend Steph shared a quote with our group from Maya Angelou, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”. This is something I try to channel into every facet of my life, including creative work. I’m constantly learning and adapting!
Her Inspiration
Q — How do you use design to empower women/your community?
A —Since I’m very introspective, I’ve always been better at expressing myself through design and other creative outlets than with words. I love being able to storytell through visual and digital mediums like HNCO, and my hope is that I can empower others to express themselves through the medium that they find most authentic to them. I also just love encouraging women to follow their passion, whatever stage of life they may be in. It can be scary to try something new or pivot your trajectory, but it’ll always be worth it if it’s something that’s important to you.
Her Advice
Don’t be afraid to fail. Look for inspiration and emulate it. Seek mentorship from people you admire. Always ask for feedback. And lastly, trust your intuition.
Q — If someone was interested in design, what advice would you give them?
A — Anyone can be a designer if it’s something they’re passionate about. Design is interdisciplinary by nature and spans virtually every industry. I would actually argue that having a background in an unrelated field can make you an even better designer, because it helps to approach design challenges through various lenses. On top of that, there are so many different types of design that anyone can find a little pocket that best suits their skillset.
More generally: Don’t be afraid to fail. Look for inspiration everywhere and emulate it. Seek mentorship from people you admire. Always ask for feedback. And lastly, trust your intuition.
For more stories about women who empower, inspire, and cultivate community, follow Her Narrative Collective on:
Medium: Her Narrative Collective
Instagram: @hernarrative_collective
Facebook: Her Narrative Collective
Pinterest: Her Narrative Collective
