project lima design & research internship takeaways 🤹‍♀️

embracing detours and discovering the missing puzzle piece to my design journey

Published in

Sixty Two Tales

12 min readJun 12, 2023

As my 2nd internship is ending, I find myself back reflecting and documenting my learnings, just as I did in my previous internship reflection last October. This internship experience is quite different from the previous one, but I hope this story of mine will still be interesting and insightful to you (or… at least it’d still be great documentation for myself anyways 😛). So, hop along!

Disclaimer: Always, always, always take my writing with a grain of salt! I make mistakes and I still have a ton of things to learn, so if you have any feedback, my comment section is always open 🫰

Before jumping into the reflection and all, allow me to give a bit of an introduction and background about myself, the internship, and the story of how I became the first experimental bunny 🐰in this project lima internship. (ps. this might be a bit redundant to some of you, but if you’re new, hi!)

This article, at a glance:

A glimpse of me
The unexpected pivot
So, what’s Project Lima?
Why is it the missing puzzle piece?
About the internship
The work scope
Team observations and insights
Reflection dump! Discoveries, learnings, and challenges in design, research, and everything in between
Valuable traits that are ((stretched)) ⭐️ in this internship
Closing

A glimpse of me

Hello, I’m Via! I am currently in my gap year where I’ve been blogging my journey on my personal blog.

Growing up I’ve always loved designing and since late 2021, I’ve been focusing on learning digital product design. Last year, I had the opportunity to land a product design internship at tiket.com, where I gained valuable insights into design, collaboration, and everything in between.

As my tiket.com internship comes to a close, my original plan was to delve deeper into the world of digital product design through another tech-design internship. Unfortunately, things didn’t go well, and here’s why.

The unexpected pivot

(This is a shorter version of the complete story, which you can read here)

During the peak of the tech winter in late 2022, securing a product design internship in the tech industry was quite challenging. In light of this, I decided to pivot and explore other alternative avenues. I set my sights on approaching design studios and agencies, believing that this detour would allow me to embrace new opportunities, venture out beyond my bubble, and experience fields across instead of immediately narrowing down my focus.

After all, at this stage of my life, the cost of making mistakes and acquiring new knowledge is relatively low. Thus, I decided to take that leap of faith.

Fortunately, after a journey of hunting, I found my fit with Sixty Two and was offered the opportunity to become their first intern for Project Lima.

So, what’s Project Lima?

Project Lima is an initiative by Sixty Two, a global product innovation studio to find innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. By incorporating research and design principles, they aim to create meaningful reports, products, or services by prototyping and developing ideas beyond conventional methods to ignite curiosity and collaborate with creatives across boundaries for a mindful society.

My favorite projects from them are their reports on reimagining the future of museums and inclusive design in Southeast Asia. To be honest, these are the typical project I envisioned myself doing in the future. Since middle school, I’ve been seeking various ways to unleash my creativity to raise awareness on underrepresented topics or to experiment with various design mediums, as you can see in my playground. Hence, I was really thrilled to reignite this aspect of myself once more through the Project Lima internship.

Project Lima’s Inclusive Design in SEA Report

Why is it the missing puzzle piece?

During my previous internship, I learned about the vital role of product design for businesses. However, Project Lima shed light on the other spectrum of design where I learned how design and research can bring positive shifts to society, how design is multidisciplinary and extends far beyond the confines of digital product design.

I learned that design can take many tangible or intangible forms, in which each design form has its own unique intentions and meanings.

This proves that design is not simply about aesthetics or visuals, but it’s about creating functional, contextual, and meaningful entities.

It’s not about how innovative or technologically advanced a design is, but about how it can provide a solution that serves a meaningful purpose to the people and is functional within its given context.

Without the project I worked on, I wouldn’t be exposed to the thought-provoking design books and articles that have broadened my perspective and understanding of design. These resources and experiences somehow have influenced my personal design philosophy, shaping my own opinions on design. I believe that being aware, mindful, and conscious of our passion or interest is crucial in defining our values and propelling us forward on any future journeys. So yeah…a good thing I think!

About the internship

As part of the Project Lima Internship program, I was tasked to conceive a fresh topic to be published under Mindful Makers, their main theme of 2023. With the freedom to explore any subject within the vision of Project Lima, I decided to bring up the topic of Design and Artificial Intelligence (AI), a new cutting-edge technology that Project Lima hasn’t talked about yet.

My project consists of creating a research report called The AI Revolution: Redefining The Role of Designers (which is live now!) and designing a toolkit as a response to the report.

The AI Revolution: Redefining The Role of Designers Report

The work scope

Within this explorative project, individual work takes center stage, often placing me as the sole driver. Picture it as doing your own personal project, but with support available anytime when you need it. Throughout the journey, I find myself wearing different hats, being accountable for and taking ownership of every aspect of my project. From project management and timeline planning to research, content creation, landing page design, and even asset illustration, the scope is extensive.

While it may initially seem overwhelming, rest assured that there is always support available. Whether it’s discussing the workload or seeking assistance from the manager, help is within reach. This experience has truly stretched my capabilities and allowed me to immerse myself in various roles and responsibilities.

Team observations and insights

Although I may not directly engage in client-facing projects, I still have the opportunity to connect with those who work closely with clients on a daily basis. Through these interactions, I’ve gained some valuable observations and insights from the Sixty Two and Project Lima teams.

You do you — During my previous internship, I had the opportunity to interact with individuals who had a preference for working in in-house teams rather than agencies. However, my experience in Sixty Two has allowed me to explore different perspectives. I’ve come to realize that the choice between agency and in-house work is subjective and depends on individual preferences and priorities. It’s important to prioritize our own goals and pursue what truly resonates with us, regardless of industry trends or the opinions of others. Because at the end of the day, you do you — it’s valid to strive for what you need, want, and love.
Recognizing the perks and challenges of agencies and in-house work — Through conversations with my colleagues, I’ve gathered a few insights into both agency and in-house environments. Agencies offer creative freedom to explore diverse projects across different industries. It involves understanding client emotions, visions, and translating them into valuable design outcomes. On the other hand, in-house work provides the opportunity for product ownership, allowing us to nurture our personal growth alongside the growth of the product. It also humbles us by challenging our assumptions through a continuous cycle of user testing and validation.
Fostering inclusivity in our work — The Sixty Two team is spread across various locations, including different parts of Indonesia and the world, along with our clients. We have learned the importance of inclusivity, such as being mindful of time differences and holidays that may impact our teammates. We also strive to be conscious of our actions and words, understanding that certain language choices may trigger discomfort for some individuals.
Embracing crazy and absurd ideas — One aspect I admire about my colleagues is their encouragement to embrace crazy and seemingly impractical ideas. Despite the initial skepticism, these ideas help us exercise critical, future-oriented, and creative thinking skills. It’s through these ideas that we can sharpen our thinking abilities and push the boundaries of what is possible.
Celebrating individual uniqueness — Within the Sixty Two team, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting individuals with diverse backgrounds and life experiences. From those who bravely skipped high school to those who have extensive research expertise in social fields, and even those who made career shifts from tech to the agency realm. These unique stories and perspectives have opened my eyes to the richness that different individuals bring to the table.

Some team activities in our Bali Retreat 🏖️

Reflection dump! Discoveries, learnings, and challenges in design, research, and everything in between

Research is a long process of thinking and reflecting — As a designer, I’m used to visualizing concepts and producing tangible results. Tracking progress is quite easy since the ‘result’ are usually apparent. However, when conducting research on a topic that’s unfamiliar to me (at least in my case), the process is more protracted. It involves reading numerous articles and books to identify patterns and trends, and then synthesizing the insights gained from that information. Since reading and comprehending requires time, the progress is slower and less immediate than what I’m used to as a designer. This in particular made me constantly anxious: (1) Am I navigating this research right? (2) Am I reading the right books or articles? (3) What if I’m just wasting my time reading things that will not contribute much?
Reframing our perspectives — (1) Instead of immediately rejecting an idea just because it didn’t ‘suit’ the project (which I would usually do), try to reframe our perspective and explore a different angle. (2) Reframing is an iterative process. As I go through my research, I tend to discover new insights that spark new perspectives, which could reframe and deepen my initial statement/question. (3) Reframing helps us think more critically because it encourages us to challenge our own questions and statements.
Asking the right question — …is to understand ‘why’ we asked that question. What can we learn from the answer? What can it impact? Is it * that * important? Will it help us answer our research question? Or can it be reframed to something better? Because most likely, the research questions I wrote earlier were too complex, or not the root value we’re seeking for.
Widening our horizon = overwhelming(?) — During my desk research, I was bombarded with an overwhelming number of resources. Choosing where to start and what to include is definitely challenging, especially for a single person working on a topic that I am unfamiliar with. There’s just this constant feeling of “this research is not enough, I still need to read more”, which urges me to prolong the research phase when in fact I should be moving on to the next phase already.
Knowledge is always evolving — To address my previous concern, it’s crucial to accept the fact that knowledge is always evolving. New research papers and articles will continue to be published while we are conducting our research, making it impossible for us to cover everything at the same time! Hence, it is important to define our research limitations as we can only control things within our scope and reach.
Effective Reading Strategy — Through my research process, I have discovered several effective reading strategies that work well for me: (1) Since I’m researching something that grows rapidly, I prioritize reading recent articles that provide the specific insights I require, as shown by their titles and abstracts. (2) Instead of reading each source thoroughly from beginning to end, I skim and scan the material, and examine the table of contents to identify relevant sections. (3) Mark and prioritize those sections. If time allows, I will proceed to read other sections or if it doesn’t, I skip ahead to the next source.
Participant recruitment is thoughtful work —The most challenging aspect of this lies in selecting and finding the right participants for recruitment. I realized that there were so many considerations and criteria to filter the participants in order to ensure a non-biased data collection process. Factors like gender, age, and location are highly considered to strive for inclusive insights.
Improvise, and adapt! — When conducting expert interviews or workshops, not all questions or guidelines fit every situation. Customizing each question to each individual’s behavior is crucial to extract valuable insights. Similarly, workshops should be tailored to the audience, capturing objectives and promoting openness. Being adaptive to participants’ behavior helps uncover the best insights.
Addressing the root cause and understanding context — We shall always adopt an open-minded approach to problem-solving. Understanding the context behind the problem is vital, as not all solutions are universally applicable. For instance, a client may request a digital application, but after further investigating, we found out that their actual needs might be different. They might not need an app, but perhaps a policy change or a redesign of their service.
Expect the unexpected — A valuable lesson I learned is to always allocate buffer time. Things don’t always go according to plan, and certain design phases, such as iterations, can take longer than anticipated. Allowing flexibility in the timeline helps accommodate unforeseen circumstances.
Seeking clarity in roles and communication — When working alone, it is essential to clarify who to collaborate with, seek advice from, and report to. Establishing clear roles avoids confusion and uncertainty, even in the absence of a manager or team leader.
Soliciting and incorporating feedback — Building on the previous point, once roles are defined, it becomes easier to seek feedback and approval from the appropriate individuals. This proactive approach prevents major revisions and enables better anticipation of potential changes, keeping stakeholders informed throughout the process.
Designing toolkits, just like digital products, follows similar design principles — Designing a toolkit involves considering its visual presentation and user flow. Similar to designing digital products, the user’s journey should be simple and usable, aligning with the intended value for the users. While it is less business-oriented, it is still crucial to ensure the toolkit reflects the brand guidelines of Project Lima.
Storytelling is one of the most important factors in designing toolkits — Incorporating elements like pictures, metaphors, and keywords helps us craft toolkits that are interesting, fun, and inviting. By doing so, we can establish a relatable connection between users and the activities within the toolkit. The choice of tone in writing also plays a crucial role in influencing user experience and excitement. It’s important to remember that designing toolkits goes beyond a business-oriented approach; it requires a focus on the abstract and emotional aspects of a human. With this in mind, we should use our feelings and design with a human-centered mindset, ensuring that the toolkit resonates with its intended audience.

Our addiction to board games in frame 🖼️

Valuable traits that are ((stretched)) ⭐️ in this internship

Accountability — Working independently has emphasized the importance of being accountable for my own work. I am responsible for my tasks, plans, and timelines, and I hold myself accountable for its completion.
Adaptability — Wearing multiple hats has stretched my capabilities and required me to be adaptable. I have learned to adjust to different types of work and embrace new challenges with flexibility.
Courage — This internship has provided a space for me to push myself into the unknown, take risks, learn from mistakes, and develop a courageous mindset — to have the courage to try, the courage to fail, and the courage to learn.
Openness — To learn and experience something new, we should not expect perfection. Instead, expect to make mistakes and welcome feedback as valuable learning opportunities.
Proactivity — Working individually pushes me to be proactive — taking initiative and ensuring continuous growth throughout this internship.

Closing

Well, this marks the end of my reflection on this internship! To read more writings like this, you can read my previous internship reflection at tiket.com :D.

I also would like to express my greatest appreciation to the entire Sixty Two and Project Lima team. Being the first bunny in this internship has been an honor and a fun experience! I am grateful for all the experiences and individuals I cross paths with in this internship. Thank you and I wish all the best for everyone! 🫰🐈