Kōrero Pitopito: A Coffee Chat with Ling Nieh

Ling Nieh is known all around the DAN studio for running insightful design critiques, asking brilliant questions around the value of design and always driving the highest quality outputs. We sat down for a coffee with Ling and, as you’d expect, her words were full of wisdom and delight.

How did you get into your career path?

When I first got to Elam, I quickly realised I was not like the rest of my peers. They were aspiring artists who had strong point-of-views. I didn’t have much to say as a 19-year-old.

However, I loved graphic design and the audience on the other side of the equation.

Looking back, it’s clear I have always been a designer. My parents used to give me a pen and pile of paper and I’d disappear for hours. I’d fill it with my own calligraphy, designs of perfume bottles and shoes. I always created for an audience in mind and I think that makes me a designer.

What does a typical day at DAN look like for you?

My favourite part of the day is arriving at our beautiful historical building and going straight to the basement, the vault used to be. I make a cup of coffee and head upstairs to start my day. I usually have a couple of projects going on at the same time. I also run design critiques and practice group sessions. I try to surround myself with evidence of the thinking. Different people pass by, comment, and provide their perspectives. It’s great because we all have our blind spots.

What’s the best thing about working at DAN?

I get to work with a bunch of smart people who are also goofballs.

What inspires you in your work?

Systems are hard; people are fascinating. I love making sense for the users. What I love even more is when a group of strangers coming together and working towards a common goal. When we ship a feature or kick a goal, it’s magical.

What interesting thing is happening in your field right now?

A lot of digital products work and look the same nowadays. UX Designers have gotten good at delivering the functional and usable part of the experience. We haven’t figured out how to prioritise the delight.

Design is intertwined with every aspect of the business so it is hard to isolate its success (or failure). Therefore we tend to look for evidence that we can measure in the short term.

How might we create an experience that stands out 1/8 of an inch or has a bit of magic in it? Perhaps we need to start measuring something that we’re not measuring right now.

What is the one thing that you wish someone had told or shown you when you started out?

I found my bosses intimidating when I first started out, so I would like to say to my younger self: “Your boss is only human. Talk to them normally. Make yourself indispensable by always adding value and being helpful to your boss, to your clients and to your peers.”

Digital Arts Network \ New Zealand is the User Experience Centre of Excellence for the global TBWA marketing & brand network of 275 offices in 119 countries. We leverage design and strategy to create experiences at scale, build organisational capability and accelerate innovation. If you’re ready to partner up and create some brave work, you can get in touch with us here.