Mentor interview
How did you get into the design world?
Designing content for organizations and clubs in college
What kind of work have you done in the past and how has that lead you to where you are now?
‘91 – Intern in communications firm that specialized in corporate presentations and applications
’91-’95 - Designer in same firm
’95-’99 – Freelance Web Designer
’99-present – Creative Director at present agency
Do/did you do primarily design work either for the company or on your own time?
Both
Where do you see the advertisement industry going in the next 20 years or so?
Digital. Both very relevant and targeted and we will all get used to the invasiveness.
What has been the general evolution of graphic/web design since you started working in these fields?
Analog to digital – biggest difference in speed to market and ability and need to change quickly.
Digital – much has changed with advent of the web. Many different digital platforms have risen in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Changes every day.
What kind of education beyond high school does it take to be successful in the
design/advertisement/web world?
Read, observe and talk. Conferences and workshops. Experience above all else.
How do you see the constantly evolving computer, mobile, and screen technology affecting how design work is done?
As an agency. Need to develop good well-rounded team members who offer a specialty or specialties digital design.
What has been a good source of inspiration for you that allows you to keep doing the work you do?
Digital design is part of every day life. Just seeing people use their phones on the train. Or see mentions in media. All that is enough to inspire me.
How do you determine if an idea for a client is good or not?
Meet the goals of their customer.
Since Flightpath is based around the idea of “emotional currency”, have you seen the emotions of yourself or members of the design team affecting what work is done and how it’s done? If so do you take advantage of the extra emotion and implement it in whatever it is you’re doing for a client? (Like if someone is feeling extra cheery one day, their work might have brighter colors or fun new shapes or maybe someone comes up with a new slogan - vise versa if someone is feeling down)
Designers need to role play a bit and not necessarily let the mood of the day affect them (as humanly as that is possible). The universal emotion I like us all to invoke is PASSION. Passion for the work, passion for creating something that will resonate and be useful for a client’s customer.
How important would you say it is to be able to express and try out new creative interests or ideas?
Paramount importance.
How do you or the company as a whole keep up with the constantly changing trends in how UI in apps and on web looks, feels, and operates?
Read, observe and talk. Conferences and workshops. Experience above all else. Try things out.
What advice would you give to someone trying to get their foot in the door in (basically) any creative industry?
See above.
What have you noticed to be a common driving force in either yourself or anyone in design to create the best work possible?
We have a cool interesting and creatively fulfilling (to be literal) profession where I see not end to its relevance in the foreseeable future.
Designing content for organizations and clubs in college
What kind of work have you done in the past and how has that lead you to where you are now?
‘91 – Intern in communications firm that specialized in corporate presentations and applications
’91-’95 - Designer in same firm
’95-’99 – Freelance Web Designer
’99-present – Creative Director at present agency
Do/did you do primarily design work either for the company or on your own time?
Both
Where do you see the advertisement industry going in the next 20 years or so?
Digital. Both very relevant and targeted and we will all get used to the invasiveness.
What has been the general evolution of graphic/web design since you started working in these fields?
Analog to digital – biggest difference in speed to market and ability and need to change quickly.
Digital – much has changed with advent of the web. Many different digital platforms have risen in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Changes every day.
What kind of education beyond high school does it take to be successful in the
design/advertisement/web world?
Read, observe and talk. Conferences and workshops. Experience above all else.
How do you see the constantly evolving computer, mobile, and screen technology affecting how design work is done?
As an agency. Need to develop good well-rounded team members who offer a specialty or specialties digital design.
What has been a good source of inspiration for you that allows you to keep doing the work you do?
Digital design is part of every day life. Just seeing people use their phones on the train. Or see mentions in media. All that is enough to inspire me.
How do you determine if an idea for a client is good or not?
Meet the goals of their customer.
Since Flightpath is based around the idea of “emotional currency”, have you seen the emotions of yourself or members of the design team affecting what work is done and how it’s done? If so do you take advantage of the extra emotion and implement it in whatever it is you’re doing for a client? (Like if someone is feeling extra cheery one day, their work might have brighter colors or fun new shapes or maybe someone comes up with a new slogan - vise versa if someone is feeling down)
Designers need to role play a bit and not necessarily let the mood of the day affect them (as humanly as that is possible). The universal emotion I like us all to invoke is PASSION. Passion for the work, passion for creating something that will resonate and be useful for a client’s customer.
How important would you say it is to be able to express and try out new creative interests or ideas?
Paramount importance.
How do you or the company as a whole keep up with the constantly changing trends in how UI in apps and on web looks, feels, and operates?
Read, observe and talk. Conferences and workshops. Experience above all else. Try things out.
What advice would you give to someone trying to get their foot in the door in (basically) any creative industry?
See above.
What have you noticed to be a common driving force in either yourself or anyone in design to create the best work possible?
We have a cool interesting and creatively fulfilling (to be literal) profession where I see not end to its relevance in the foreseeable future.