Five Design Answers

A reply to @dustin’s post

1. Tell us who you are in one sentence.

I run the Design and User Experience groups for a large travel website, so I love travel (natch) - but also: gaming, photography, and getting my hands on any new gadgets.

2. If you weren’t a designer, what would you do?

This is the “If you had a million dollars what would you do” question - only what if it couldn’t involve design… I’d like to document cities across the world. Take my camera, travel - and capture the true essence of a given city, big or small. Then showcase my photos to help people understand other cultures, and inspire them to travel.

3. What is something you wished you designed, either because you love it, or because you feel you could have done it better?

Toys. Watching my kids play, I feel like I could make things, better things for them to play, learn, and explore. I’m excited for 3D printing to hit the masses, I think we’ll all be able to contribute to better, more meaningful objects for our children.

4. What was your biggest design mistake?

Choosing where to focus my time. As a Designer, you’re often in short supply, so you help where you can, try to make a judgment if project A or project B should get more of your time. In hindsight, I’ve made some wrong bets in the past. Now I try to live by “Which project has the best chance of launching or which will launch sooner” - I’ll go with that one.

5. What advice would you give someone entering the design field?

Design is about passion. You have to embrace and consume everything. Find interest in everything, spot the differences in the ordinary. Know that design is a combination of how it looks, works, and makes someone feel. Be bold with your designs. Last, Listen to your audience, or you’re really just making art.