What I learned as a designer in a start-up company
I bet all the designer know how it feels when parents or relatives asked about your job. We are working on a job title that didn’t exist a few years ago, in a company that also that didn’t exist in their era. Can you imagine how confusing it is for them? Why can’t you just be a lawyer or a doctor and be done with it?
For me, the job-conversation goes like this
“so what is your job?”
“I am a UI/UX Designer in a beauty media start-up company”
“What is a UI/UX Designer?”
“It’s a designer, but we basically designed a human interaction with technology platforms, such as website or apps.”
“So you are a web designer in a beauty magazine.”
But as a designer in a start-up company with hard-to-spell job title, I learn not only how to tell my parents and relatives what did I do for a living, but I also learn a few things about the tech industry, such as
1. Fast-paced environment
Back when I was a fresh grad student, I remember writing “able to work in a fast pace environment” in my CV. But how fast is living in a tech company? As a comparison, I used to work in a manufacturing company with the waterfall method. After a design is created, it takes days to get approval from several layers of supervision. Besides, once a year or once in two years, the company usually comes up with a new product line which takes years to create.
In the other hand, in a tech company, I work with the agile method. We create improvement or new feature twice a month. The development process itself takes 1–2 weeks. Working in a fast pace environment might be overwhelming, but it’s not going to makes you bored, for sure.
2. Minimum supervision
In a manufacturing company, after I create a design, I should consult the design to a senior supervisor, design manager and the head of the department. In a startup company I have to report my design to design lead, but usually, the decision is in my hand. Working in a startup company gives the freedom to create a product with minimum to none supervision. Working with minimum supervision makes you able to create a design faster, but prone to mistakes.
3. Too many things to learn with too little time
When I was working in a manufacturing company, I learn about the design tools, the machine, the industry to the point where I feel like I know enough about the industry. As I working in a start-up company, I learn about the design tools, the industry, the developer, the user, but then I never feel like enough. The moment I thought the best design is a design with shadow and weight, the trend shifted into flat design. Before I finished learning about behavioural design, my mind shifted to service design. The moment I started to learn about service design, people start talking about micro-interaction.
So many things to learn in so little time, it’s hard to set your eyes straight, it’s even harder to feel enough.
How can I learn about behavioural design while I should learn about service design? I should no longer use Sketch, everyone is using Adobe XD right now! What the hell is Proto, how can I not know that tools, am I a designer or not?
Those questions will hang in your head. But doubt is powerful. Just like my favourite quote said,
If you’re not experiencing any doubt, you’re probably not doing much to push yourself.
-Rainesford Stauffer
4. Fun
We both know I don’t have to make this point. But since I already scare you, to be fair, I have to point this out too. Working in a start-up company is fun. It really is. Being able to work for the same goal as the people who care about the product is amazing. I still remember back in the day I work in 8–5, I have to wake up every day at 5 am, and god I hate waking up early. Now I am able to wake up a little bit later, making peace with myself, then went to work.
Working in a startup company is just like every job, there is none single job that can fit everyone. Working in a start-up company is not for everyone. It can be overwhelming, but it also rewarding. Well, you wouldn’t know if you didn’t try, didn’t you?
