Meet the team: Pete
I’m Pete, a Creative Technologist at Interstate Creative Partners. I graduated last summer from Falmouth University and was scouted at D&AD New Blood 2017 by Giulio, the Director of Interactive at Interstate.
My graduate project was called emOS — an ‘emotionally aware’ therapy system for the workplace. Its purpose was to analyse its user’s emotional state to see if they were happy enough to work. When it deemed them ‘unhappy’ it would attempt to cheer them up with tools such as meditation, humorous videos, a chatbot therapist and upbeat music.
When Giulio had a play, it took a few attempts to analyse his rather somber face, but when it did, emOS presented him with a selection of apps to cheer him up. He chuckled with delight as he watched a little digital pill — prescribed by the chatbot therapist — drop into the virtual pill dispenser.
It didn’t quite work the way I expected, but stood out because it was playful, interactive and enjoyable to use. Rather than being just a static concept, it was a fully developed interactive prototype. I designed and coded the interface myself, used Microsoft’s Emotion API to analyse the user’s emotions, and spent painful hours gluing together the outer-casing to create a dystopian, futuristic look.
At university, I studied Digital Media and specialised in UX and Interaction Design. In every project I was part of the whole design and development process — from UX research, information architecture and UI design, to building the application and bringing it to life with code. I created IoT applications and devices, worked with displaying data using sound, light and touch, and played around with animation, image and film. I always enjoyed problem solving and inventing, and most importantly creating enjoyable experiences. emOS was based on the idea of positive computing — the design and development of technology to support psychological well-being and human potential.
When joining Interstate, I didn’t quite know what to expect from a well-established creative agency, or whether there was a specific role for someone like myself. I soon realised that being multi-skilled is valuable, especially in a smaller agency where we all need to wear more than one hat. There are times when a client approaches us with an idea that hasn’t been done before, and we need to be prepared to venture into the unknown, experiment and respond with an array of interesting solutions.
I’ve always been passionate about creating human-centred experiences whilst exploring the exciting opportunities that new, emerging technologies have to offer. It could be building a chatbot as an alternative way to interact with a product or service, designing blockchain based apps or using biometrics for user-specific content.
The role Creative Technologist is about approaching projects with both creative and technical skills. I can code CSS animations, which makes it easier to communicate how a UI component behaves to either the developers or a client. I assist with UI design and work with real data from APIs. Most of the time I’m responsible for how the end-user of an app or website gets to where they need to go, and making the experience as inclusive and efficient as possible. I do this through user research, information planning, wireframes, user flows and rapid prototypes in either InVision or coding in HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
A typical day starts with making a fancy latte in my favourite glass. In the half-an-hour window between 9:30 am and 10 am, I check emails, open Muzli for UI inspiration, and see what ridiculous GIFs have been posted on the Interstate Slack channel. After that, no day is the same. I can be in meetings about exciting new projects, or buried deep into existing ones with my headphones on maximum volume, blocking out some of the terrible music that occasionally plays on Sonos.
I have a variety of apps that assist me throughout the day. Sketch is the main one, I use it to create wireframes, sitemaps and user flows, but it’s also great for pixel perfect UI design. Pinterest, Paste and Pocket are awesome tools for collecting inspiration and research. Keynote is crucial for presenting my work to the team and clients, and finally Atom — my go-to text editor — is what I use for rapid prototyping and testing APIs.
When I get the chance, I fill my head with inspiring articles on innovative design, tech and consumer trends. MIT Media Lab is a great source for interesting scientific case studies in emerging technologies, CreativeApplications feature interesting projects from creative coders, and R/GA’s FutureVision podcasts and email newsletters provide a valuable insight into current and future tech trends.
After I’ve finished my day I enjoy going to tech events and exhibitions as it’s a great opportunity to meet other creatives and get inspired by some incredible work. Last week I attended AKQA’s TECH.insight event on security and future interfaces at Potato London. I was inspired to hear about the latest advancements in biometric security, and learnt some interesting tips on how to design and develop more secure applications.
If you’re currently at university and looking to get into UX, UI or Interaction Design, I have a few tips to share with you:
- Spend time filling your head with inspiration — whether it’s podcasts, exhibitions, reading or talking to another creatives, it’s important to feed your brain and stay in the know.
- Diversify your skill set — the pace of technological change isn’t slowing down, and the digital creative industry is only getting bigger and better. Learn to code, experiment with data, learn the latest software, design in new platforms like AR or AI, or read about human psychology, you never know when one of those skills will come in handy when it comes to crunch time.
- Finally, if you’re debating whether to exhibit your work in D&AD New Blood this year, I’d highly recommend taking the leap. Your university pays for it, you have the opportunity to meet some of the biggest people in the industry (with a strong chance of getting employed), and you have an experience to look back on and be proud of.
