I have design, research and strategic design expertise. I can think differently and push boundaries in design. I am skilled in expanding the scope of opportunities and finding potential disruptions. While I like to create beautiful prototypes with Figma and know visual design well enough to have lectured about it, I like to do much more than that. In the following, I will discuss my skills in relation to the parts or stages of design work: understanding people and situations; defining design-guiding constraints and expectations; brainstorming and idea workshops; prototyping; testing, and documenting the design and the design process.
Understanding People and Situations
I recognize that it is important to be empathetic and understand users' needs, desires, and aspirations. It is also crucial to prioritize the user. This can lead to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty, which in turn can increase sales and profits. By understanding the real needs of customers, costly redesign and product failures in the market are also avoided.
At the same time, I recognize that leaders in design and development do not solely rely on what is currently true in the world according to sales figures, interviews, and surveys. Design leaders also invest in speculative design and the exploitation of its fruits. In speculative design, designs are used to ask unconventional questions and challenge prevailing perceptions. This generates knowledge of technology and market risks and opportunities, as well as a deeper understanding of the connections between things. When an organization has the ability and understanding to utilize this knowledge, which is not a given, it is excellent.
As a doctoral researcher, I conducted high-level user interviews and survey research for my speculative designs. For example, I produced information on the application of advanced artificial intelligence to guide online news commentators towards more civil discussion — a couple of years before ChatGPT was released and made my speculations possible.
Defining Design-Guiding Constraints and Expectations
By clearly defining design constraints and expectations, we can focus on creating excellent products that are feasible within the given resources. Well-communicated design constraints and expectations also reduce the risk of misunderstandings and save time at different stages of the project.
Some common design constraints and guides:
- User requirements and desires.
- Conceptions developed through speculative design and reflection on the course of action.
- Case studies used in design.
- Design areas. Good design is evidenced by not overlooking any area, such as accessibility, in design.
- Design choices within areas and dimensions. Excellent design is evidenced by meticulous and precise consideration of all details. The winning product is often not revolutionary in terms of its areas compared to other products, but the choices within them are made more carefully and precisely.
- Usability and information architecture principles.
- Principles of visual design.
- Functions that promote the ethics of products (e.g., how they aim to increase users' activity, responsibility, understanding, and decision-making ability). I am familiar with the topic through my doctoral research.
Brainstorming and Idea Workshops
The creative brainstorming process can develop innovative solutions that stand out from competitors and create new market opportunities. I have extensive brainstorming skills and experience in organizing idea workshops. I can quickly sketch ideas and wireframes on paper and brainstorm openly with others. Additionally, I can use critical and speculative design tactics in brainstorming, such as aiming for a dystopian idea. This helps break boundaries and, on the other hand, consider the ethical questions of design. In 2024, I led idea workshops on the artificial intelligence of future media consumption.
Prototyping and Testing
By developing prototypes and testing them with real users, we ensure that the product is user-friendly and exceeds user expectations before larger investments. Prototyping also reduces post-market launch repair costs and product defect-related risks.
I am proficient in building prototypes using Figma, Balsamiq, Gimp/Photoshop, and HTML. I also master responsive, or device-adaptive web design.
When usability and clarity are at an appropriate level in the early prototype, I am able to make a final-looking prototype that more clearly communicates the product idea. I achieve this through my skills in visual design. I have also lectured on visual design to TAY master's students. On the other hand, I want to note that my research and strategic expertise set me apart from those focused on the visual side.
Documenting the Design and Design Process
By performing careful documentation, we ensure the continuity and efficiency of the design process, which can reduce the costs and time of future projects. Additionally, when the design process is well documented, it eases the orientation of new team members and reduces the dependence on individual persons, which improves project management and reduces the risk of errors. I am quite familiar with what all needs to be recorded from the design.