| THE AWARD |
| CATEGORIES |
| REGISTRATION |
| SUBMIT YOUR WORK |
| ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS |
| TERMS & CONDITIONS |
| PUBLICATIONS |
| DATES & FEES |
| METHODOLOGY |
| CONTACT |
| WINNERS |
| PRESS ROOM |
| GET INVOLVED |
| DESIGN PRIZE |
| DESIGN STORE |
| THE AWARD | JURY | CATEGORIES | REGISTRATION | PRESS | WINNERS | PUBLICATIONS | ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS |
Interview with Anyi Sun |
Home > Designer Interviews > Anyi Sun |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Anyi Sun (AS) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Anyi Sun by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
AS: I have always had the "design bones" in me. I started doing digital design when I was in high school, but it was more of a hobby for me, and I did not even consider having a design career. I eventually studied psychology for both my bachelor's and master's degree. However, throughout my education, I was drawn to design, and I was interested in seeing how psychology is incorporated into designs. After graduation, I was exposed to User Experience Designer - a field that truly combines my passion for both psychology and design. Since then, I was honored to work with prestigious clients around the world and built a fulfilling career.
FS: What is "design" for you?
AS: To me, design is the art and science of creating human-centered creative output that is highly functional and athetically pleasing.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
AS: I very much enjoy designing experience - whether it is digital or physical. One part of the reason is because the challenge of designing experience can be incredibly vague sometimes, it requires a designer to consider all tangible and intangible elements involved and really focus on the user or the customer.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
AS: My first design project is a mobile app that helped people collect and sort food recipes. I enjoyed working on that project thoroughly because I loved cooking, and it's always fun to design something you are very interested in.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
AS: I enjoy designing for the web, mobile, and interactive technologies such as AR and VR.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
AS: I feel the most creative when I work with other designers and artists. It is very fun to have a brainstorming and ideation session with them. Sometimes the idea would be crazy and out of the box, but that might just be the right idea.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
AS: I focus on understanding the end users/customers and the business itself. I don't think a design can be successful without having a deep understanding of both. It is the foundation of how one approach the design.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
AS: It truly can be a rollercoaster. Sometimes an idea can get too complicated and too difficult to realize. Sometimes an idea I thought was good can receive negative feedback. Sometimes I have the aha moment where everything comes together.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
AS: A mixed sense of relief, excitement, and proud.
FS: What makes a design successful?
AS: A design is successful when it fulfills its functional need and bring additional delight to its users. The design solution should be simple and elegant.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
AS: Designers have the ability to create experience and solve problems people face. It is therefore important for us to spend our energies on tackling problems and creating designs that are impactful and beneficial to the society and environment. We have the skills and knowledge to make a positive change.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
AS: There have been more talks on ethical design, especially during the age of the internet, we've seen "dark designs" that tried to lure people in performing digital actions that they don't mean to, such as clicking on unwanted ads. Thankfully, these problems are being surfaced, and many designers are collectively pushing back. Therefore, I believe the future of design will be more inclusive to welcome a diverse user/customer group.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
AS: I live in New York City now but I grow up in Shanghai, China. Living in those two huge cities means I was exposed to diverse people and culture. I was constantly inspired by the streets and the people, which definitely benefited my creative output.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
AS: My design starts with user research and market research. This is a critical first step for me, as I believe good design stems from a good understanding of your market. Then, I would move on to defining the problem, brainstorming, and ideations. As a User Experience Designer, I use digital tools to realize my design, but I would always start with pen and paper to sketch out my idea. Then, I move on to using design software to produce wireframes and prototypes. The process is very iterative, as I try to collect feedback at every stage.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
AS: It is important to work on different kinds of projects to not only build your skillsets but also see what you are truely passionate about. At the beginning of your career, it is a great time to explore and make mistakes. Be humble and seek mentorship of senior designers.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
AS: Empathy - understand your customers' emotions, values, and motivations. Communication - being able to explain your design process to various groups of audience and solicit feedback.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
AS: It varies based on projects. For some projects, I work with other designers. For others, I work on my own. To implement my designs, I usually work with software engineers.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
Press Members: Register and login to request a custom interview with Anyi Sun.
| SOCIAL |
| + Add to Likes / Favorites | Send to My Email | Comment | Testimonials |
