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Interview with Inn Sun Park |
Home > Designer Interviews > Inn Sun Park |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Inn Sun Park (ISP) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Inn Sun Park 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?
ISP: I've always wanted to be a designer ever since I was a child. I was interested in the communication between people and technology, so I studied Interaction Design. I graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Now I'm working as a UX/UI designer who loves to explore and design engaging experiences for users by utilizing skills and strategies I've gained through multiple disciplines, including UX, UI, visual, motion, industrial design, and engineering.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
ISP: I currently work for American Honda Motors. My department is responsible for creating user interfaces and apps for the next generation of vehicles and concepts for future human-machine interfaces deployed through mobility platforms. We also interact with engineers, researchers, and designers from other departments throughout the organization to support the development of functional interior design prototypes.
FS: What is "design" for you?
ISP: Design is a process that helps people to solve problems.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
ISP: I like designing new concepts that can improve or enhance the user experience. Every moment of ideating and designing something is meaningful and fun for me, so I can’t choose just one part of it.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
ISP: I have so many favorite designs, so I can’t pick one. I like every aesthetically beautiful design yet functional, like well-designed smart devices that make my daily routine efficient and laptop accessories that look simple and useful.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
ISP: All of my design work for my employer are under NDA. I designed several UX/UI design works for my employer.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
ISP: My favorite UI prototyping programs are Sketch, Adobe XD and Figma. I also like Apple human center guidelines and Google material design because they are great references.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
ISP: I feel the most creative when I do the brainstorming activity for ideating solutions.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
ISP: I value understandability and accessibility when I design something.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
ISP: I enjoy it a lot!
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
ISP: I feel very excited and proud of myself for designing products that people like and understand.
FS: What makes a design successful?
ISP: It makes a design successful when a wide range of users frequently use it every day.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
ISP: I consider usability first.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
ISP: Designers should be responsible for solving problems in our society. Emerging technologies bring both advantages and disadvantages, so designers should design solutions to maximize the benefits of new technologies. On the other hand, sometimes designers should understand the restrictions to create something significant for society.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
ISP: The design field is evolving everything. Tremendous new technologies are creating new opportunities. So I think the future of design is enhancing our life and society.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
ISP: My last exhibition was a virtual exhibition hosted by a team in Berlin, Germany. Originally it should be a physical exhibition, but it turns out to be a virtual one due to COVID-19. I don't have a plan to hold the next exhibition at the moment.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
ISP: My favorite parts of the process are the interview and user testing because whenever I interact with people, my vision gets broader. These parts of the process help me to boost my creativity.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
ISP: I always try to make products that are simple to use and easy to understand but also aesthetically pleasing to see. I have seen many great products, so I want to contribute to making an excellent product for my users.
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?
ISP: I live in California, USA. There are a lot of tech companies, so I get inspired by them all the time. California also has great weather. I like working as a designer in California with the nice weather every day.
FS: How do you work with companies?
ISP: My work and process are under NDA with my employer. I work with designers, engineers and researchers.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
ISP: If a company wants to hire a good designer, it should have a clear vision.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
ISP: I create an affinity diagram and interview people to understand the current situation during the initial stage. After discovering pain points from the interview, I ideate possible solutions. I also create a low-fidelity mockup and test the mockup with the group of research participants. I do A/B testing with participants multiple times before finalizing my product design.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
ISP: Magic mouse, typewriter keyboard, graphic poster, laptop stand, and smart light
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
ISP: Due to covid-19, my day is very simple. I work or design something every day.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
ISP: Always trust yourself!
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
ISP: Positive: I do what I like every day. Negative: Something obvious to me is not obvious to other people. I need to find a way to minimize this gap.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
ISP: Do your best all the time.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
ISP: Understanding general users.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
ISP: Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma, and Protopie
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
ISP: I always try to finish my task on time, so I filter out my priorities before I start working.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
ISP: It depends on the object. Sometimes it can take a 3hrs or a week.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
ISP: Why did you decide to become a designer? & Why did you design this, and what was your intention?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
ISP: Every job experience was important because I learned a lot from every experience. For example, I learned how to collaborate and work with people in different fields and how to design something great under restrictions.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
ISP: My clients are private.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
ISP: I enjoy redesigning existing products because it sharpens my skillsets.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
ISP: Continue working for my current company and ideate interesting concepts during my free time.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
ISP: I do both. I usually work by myself first, then share my design concept with my team. Working as a team is helpful because I can learn different viewpoints.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
ISP: No, not at the moment
FS: How can people contact you?
ISP: Email (sunny_park@na.honda.com)
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
ISP: I think you covered everything!
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.
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