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Over 15 years of experience in user interface creation have given Olena the unique ability to create products for people by concentrating on user needs rather than on particular interface pieces, styles, or short-term business goals.

Olena Milutina, Senior UX Designer at Google

OLENA, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON NEW PROJECTS AT GOOGLE?&nbsp;My process starts with understanding the scope of the problem. I always try to look at it from different angles and perspectives to make sure I have a clear view of what we are trying to solve.&nbsp;&nbsp;I start by building an initial design in my head and testing multiple versions that I think might work. This is also where most creative thinking happens — trying different design versions without too many contingencies or limitations. Then, depending on the project, I may do a wireframe or, if we're building a solution on top of existing frameworks or within existing projects, I will jump straight into creating the initial designs.

I believe that all perspectives, even the crazy ones, are extremely important and bringing them up may completely change the direction of the initial design concept

After that, I&nbsp; continue to review and iterate designs with the team until we have a solution that covers user needs, fits the product direction and meets optimal technical specifications. Once we identify the most suitable option, I create a more detailed design that includes all possible scenarios and interactions and develop design specs for the engineering team. Throughout the process, I tend to keep in touch with the engineers to address their questions and make sure we're building the solution according to plan.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is where the hard skills come into play — finalizing designs, checking compatibility with the existing design specs and negotiating a prototype with the engineering teams.&nbsp;&nbsp;After that, the solution will be tested with users, changed a few times based on the feedback and, hopefully, launched!

HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM TO VOICE ALL THEIR IDEAS, EVEN THE CRAZY ONES?&nbsp;At Google, I've been very fortunate to work in an open-minded environment that encourages the sharing of ideas. I believe that all perspectives, even the crazy ones, are critical and bringing them up may completely change the direction of the initial design concept.&nbsp;&nbsp;I also specialize in running <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.gv.com/sprint/">Google Design Sprints</a>, which is a methodology that encourages collaboration and helps test business ideas over a short timeframe. It highlights that sharing all ideas is crucial for the end product. We know that only by discussing a wide range of opinions and never limiting ourselves to existing ideas, we can find the best possible solution or even discover something completely new.

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Photo by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.gv.com/sprint/">Google Design Sprint</a>

WHAT ARE THE STAGES OF A DESIGN SPRINT?&nbsp;The sprint is a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://medium.com/pm101/design-sprints-at-google-85ff62fed5f8">five-day process</a> of answering critical business questions through the design, prototyping and testing of ideas with users. &nbsp;Here's an illustration that describes the essence of each step; this might come in handy when discussing Design Sprints with your colleagues.

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HOW DO YOU BRAINSTORM IDEAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS?&nbsp;I usually start with the 'analog process' — sketching in my notebook. If I need to brainstorm with my colleagues, we would come together in the conference room with a whiteboard. Before working from home became a reality, we used all the creative spaces in Google's offices to discuss problems and ideas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since the start of the pandemic, we've moved towards various online solutions, but I would still sometimes start with sketching, then share the sketches with my colleagues and walk them through my ideas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes I would build a small prototype to show what I want to develop and why. I think that with WFH, the necessity for prototypes increased significantly: it's much easier to demonstrate the potential solution on a working prototype rather than just talking about it.

We always strive to figure out what works best for us rather than religiously following a specific process

CAN DS STAGE TIMELINES BE MODIFIED BASED ON PROJECT COMPLEXITY?&nbsp;Yes, timelines depend heavily on the project and its scope. Right now I am working on a project where a large part of my process is understanding the problem space. The technical delivery of this project is very different to what I would usually work with.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have a very dynamic team and we always strive to figure out what works best for us rather than religiously following a specific process.

Olena's list of productivity tools that work:

I use Figma (and Sketch) for design-related tasks

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Figma

ProtoPies and Origami are great tools for rapid prototyping

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ProtoPies

We have a lot of internal tools that come in handy when collecting feedback on designs

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Google toolkit

HOW OFTEN DO YOU TOUCH BASE WITH YOUR TEAM?&nbsp;We believe that everyone should do their part and take responsibility for it. We give our team members a lot of freedom and trust them to deliver the expected results. But, at the same time, I think it's important to have regular check-ins to make sure that all the different pieces of the project are moving cohesively in the right direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;I believe that when you create an atmosphere of trust and responsibility, everyone feels included and contributes 100% to the project goal.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT AT ALL STAGES? HOW DOES DS HELP THE PROCESS?&nbsp;With revisions, it depends on the project and its scope, as well as the scale of the company. When I worked for smaller startups, it was acceptable to have short reviews as in this way, it was easier to establish coherence and understanding within the team regarding projects and the company’s vision.&nbsp;&nbsp;With projects that I've recently been working on — at Google-scale — it's better to have many reviews with multiple stakeholders to include all views that overlap or are even slightly related to your design, rather than just making a rushed review. Sometimes reviewing sessions might feel like a burden, but with time and experience in projects at this scale, I can now clearly see how much they mean in the longer run.&nbsp;&nbsp;It's important to find the right balance between the number of reviews and delivery speed. Establishing a straightforward decision-making process and including the owners as early as possible in the process will pay off in the end. You can use Design Sprints to speed up this process, as you have the chance to bring all of your stakeholders together during the validation stage. You can get feedback and approvals within the same day.

Never assume you know enough or everything

HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOUR TEAM TO STAY PRODUCTIVE DURING FAST-PACED WORK PROCESSES?&nbsp;In the last project I worked on, it was actually relatively easy to keep the team productive as we were working on something that no one else worked on before. Since it was a brand new area with no existing solutions, the project team stayed highly motivated and gave 120%. The levels of excitement and creativity were high at all times.&nbsp;&nbsp;After considering past projects, I started introducing some of the Design Sprints activities like mini-tasks or mini-sprints each month to reinspire the team’s creativity and encourage thinking outside the box. We also have a habit of sharing inspirational references whenever we come across one to keep each other motivated and inspired.&nbsp;&nbsp;When it comes to productivity, I like to make sure that every person on the team is aware of the deadlines and launch dates. We work backward from this point and set the important milestones for everyone to hit, based on the actual launch date. I always try to explain all the elements of the project to my team to show that small details can influence the whole product ecosystem.

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Google Design Sprints is a framework that encourages collaboration and helps test business ideas in a short timeframe, and "Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days," tells you everything you need to know about this framework.

Olena recommends the book:

FINALLY, ANY TIPS FOR YOUNG DESIGNERS WHO WANT TO START A CAREER IN THE MODERN DESIGN INDUSTRY?&nbsp;Try to stay creative and open-minded. Never assume you know enough or everything. Try to learn from every single interaction you have with people. There's a very cool saying that I like, "When you're the smartest person in the room, there's a high chance you're in the wrong room".&nbsp;&nbsp;The most valuable tip I ever received is to look at examples of creative solutions from industries that are not directly related to your own. In other words, look at how industrial designers solve issues even if at the moment it’s not entirely related to your problem. Sometimes you may even find inspiration in how nature solved some of its own problems, so don't forget to look around.&nbsp;<h3>Liked this interview?</h3>If you want to learn more about Design Thinking and the basis of the Design Sprint framework, read the article <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.flowmapp.com/blog/design-interviews/pete-sena">'Design Thinking from A to Z'</a> in our Design blog.

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Have you tried Google Design Sprint framework yet? In this interview, Senior UX Designer from Google explains how DS helps her create a healthy and productive environment in the team

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Olena Milutina

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Building an effective workflow for your department can be a tough task for any manager. This time, we spoke to Olena Milutina, Senior UX Designer, about the frameworks she uses to successfully manage the design team at Google, why the revisions are necessary, and asked if it's possible to find a line between structure and flexibility in work processes.

Project Management with Google Design Sprints

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Travis Isaacs leads a global team of designers, writers and researchers for Webex, a leading real-time collaboration platform. Throughout his career of over 20 years, he’s designed for in-house teams, agencies and consulting firms and took the right turns as a co-founder and product manager at Microsoft. Outside of work, Travis loves spending time in Seattle with his wife Kristi, two tweens Audrey and Camill and two dogs Trudy and Penny. He says that he lives the Pacific Northwest Dream — a steady diet of mountains, ocean and evergreen forests.

Travis Isaacs, Head Of Design for Webex Suite, Cisco

TRAVIS, PLEASE TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND IN DESIGN, AND HOW IT ALL STARTED&nbsp;My start in design was totally accidental. I went to a broadcasting school in college but I really wanted to be a professional musician. One of the bands in my circle needed someone to make a DVD, and they asked me. After that, they also asked for a website and I agreed to do it, despite having no experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;I stumbled through it and spent the next four or five years learning everything I could about design on my own. I read books, watched tutorials, got an internship and took on a lot of unpaid work to practice. My first job out of college was as a webmaster for an eyeglasses retailer — I was retouching their product photos and updating their eCommerce catalog. The rest is, as they say, history.

WITH YOUR 20+ YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY, WHO, IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THESE 'NEW DESIGNERS' AND WHAT DEFINES THEM?&nbsp;The ‘new designers’ are defined by their desire to connect their work to a purpose — to use their skills to make a difference, and not just make an income.

WHICH TRADITIONAL BELIEFS HAVE BECOME MORE CRITICAL TO THE NEXT-GEN OF DESIGNERS, AND WHICH OF THEM HAVE LESS VALUE?&nbsp;In terms of work-related traditional beliefs, I think that these three have become significantly more critical:&nbsp;<ul><li>Working for a purpose and having a big impact;</li><li>Having a clear path for growth;</li><li>Ability to move around and find the right fit.</li></ul>&nbsp;At the same time, financial compensation is important and even critical, given the nature of the industry. In my experience, however, it isn’t the greatest motivator — and it’s seldom a reason why designers stick around when work goes against their values or future looks uncertain.

There are a billion new people who can join the workforce — designers must make sure we give them the opportunity to do so

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<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.webex.com/">From Webex site</a>

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU THINK DESIGNERS OF THE ‘NEW WAVE’ HAVE TO FACE?&nbsp;&nbsp;On one hand, I think it’s never been a better time to get into design as a profession. The career is well-defined, the industry is mature and the quality of education has improved.&nbsp; The ‘new wave’ is flourishing and the workforce is more diverse than ever.&nbsp;On the other hand, the ‘new wave’ is facing challenges that people of my age did not have to deal with:&nbsp;<ul><li>The industry is incredibly competitive. We’re no longer struggling to get design a seat at the table — we are already there. More companies are hiring, more designers are entering the field. It can be challenging to stand out, especially for those in marginalized communities. This competitiveness paved the way for ‘hustle culture’, and I’ve seen so many talented designers crash and burn.</li><li>Artificial Intelligence. With attention-based revenue models, AI and design systems, ‘new wave’ designers constantly struggle to make space for creativity. It’s hard to design against the algorithm.&nbsp;</li><li>Lastly, society is just in a different place. Civil unrest, political divisions, existential threats from the pandemic and a fundamental reboot of how we work have all happened in the last decade. Designers are empaths — for them, it’s hard to separate these factors from work.</li></ul>

YOU MENTIONED THAT HAVING AN IMPACT IS CRITICAL FOR THESE NEW DESIGNERS. DO YOU THINK QUESTIONS AROUND ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVITY ARE A PART OF THIS NEW MOVEMENT OR THEY WERE ALWAYS THERE, BUT WE DIDN’T TALK ABOUT THEM ENOUGH?&nbsp;They have always been there, but what’s happening with the shift to remote and hybrid work emphasizes how important inclusivity is. This shift has opened the door to people who were shut out of the workforce before due to location, time zone or abilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;There are a billion new people who can join the workforce — designers must make sure we give them the opportunity to do so.

DO YOU THINK ACCESSIBLE DESIGN HAS A POTENTIAL TO BE ONE OF DEFINING TOPICS FOR A NEW GENERATION OF DESIGNERS? WHY?&nbsp;I do, for two reasons: Awareness and Authenticity.&nbsp;Authenticity is incredibly important to the new generation —&nbsp;they expect authenticity from themselves and from others. It’s incredibly important to feel seen and see others. It’s ingrained in their work. They’re motivated to allow all people to be their authentic selves, no matter their abilities, identity or work style.

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Two inspiring stories of implementing the principles of Accessible Design into the workflow told by Senior Designers

FlowMapp team recommends

WHAT OTHER TOPICS HAVE YOU NOTICED BEING HIGHLIGHTED BY 'NEW DESIGNERS'?&nbsp;The ‘new designers’ have set an incredibly high bar for products — how accessible and easy to acquire they are. It’s challenged all of our assumptions — ‘Why can’t this be as easy as TikTok to start using?’&nbsp;In my industry, we closely watch for new trends in how people and communities are finding new ways to connect and collaborate with each other. Many of the rituals around meetings and collaboration are undergoing changes, and not all of them are coming from the business field.

WHICH OF THESE TRENDS ARE BEING TRANSLATED IN CISCO DESIGN PROJECTS?&nbsp;&nbsp;With millions of workers switching to remote or hybrid work over the last 18 months, we focused on removing as many barriers to entry as possible. Our products have to be something you can pick up and start using right away, no matter your experience level.&nbsp;&nbsp;My mom uses TikTok — how do we make Webex just as easy to use?

What tools do you usually use?

Bias noted—but I couldn’t do my job without it. It’s the center of my productivity universe for chat, meetings, and calling

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Webex

Almost every idea or feature starts out in Miro. The infinite canvas is a great medium for discovery and idea.

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Miro

The rubber meets the road for us in Figma. We use it for content, interaction design, visual design, design systems tooling, and engineering handoff

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THE SCHOOL YEAR IS STARTING VERY SOON, BUT NEXT-GEN DESIGNERS TEND TO LEARN ABOUT TRENDS OUTSIDE OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. HOW DO YOU THINK THE LEARNING PROCESS FOR YOUNG DESIGNERS IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IT WAS FOR YOU?&nbsp;The tools and technology for the most part have caught up and are ready for remote and hybrid work/learning. That’s not to say there isn’t more to do — but having a virtual huddle around a Figma document or a Miro board is easier than ever.&nbsp;The challenges they will face come from establishing relationships, building trust and fitting into a culture that existed IRL before you joined work, etc. When problems come up with remote work, they take longer to solve, as every interaction you have is over chat or a meeting.

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that you’ll shoot to stardom if you just outwork everyone else. In my experience, that seldom happens and if it does, isn’t worth the trade-off

LOTS OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS REPORTED FEELING ‘BURNT OUT’ IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. WHY DO YOU THINK BURNOUT IS SO COMMON AMONG THEM?&nbsp;Pressure to break into the industry and the glorification of ‘hustle culture’ on social media. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that you’ll shoot to stardom if you can just outwork everyone else.&nbsp;&nbsp;In my experience, that a) seldom happens and b) if it does, isn’t worth the tradeoff.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUNG DESIGNERS EFFICIENTLY?&nbsp;Build relationships based on candor and authenticity. Spend the time understanding the kind of impact each designer wants to have and what motivates them. When possible, connect the dots between feedback and their motivations and higher purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp;Be on the lookout when designers’ ambitions get ahead of their readiness to take the next step. This is what causes burnout.

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Managing Humans by Michael Lopp and Radical Candor by Kim Scott are two mentorship/management books that I recommend the most

Travis recommends these two books

WE ARE APPROACHING THE END OF OUR INTERVIEW. CAN YOU JUMP ON THE ‘NEW WAVE’ TRAIN IF YOU ARE ALREADY AN EXPERIENCED DESIGNER?&nbsp;Here’s my advice to any practitioner who wants to stay relevant and adapt to changes in the industry, whether it’s design or something else: Find a mentor, and be a mentor.&nbsp;&nbsp;You always have something to learn and something to give. It’s a win-win. Connecting with younger designers is a great way to learn first-hand from the next generation.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE DESIGN INDUSTRY WILL EVOLVE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?&nbsp;&nbsp;Designers in my generation spent a lot of time debating whether or not designers should learn to code — by the way, the answer is yes. Design systems and AI have made experience design more programmatic. Designers need to understand how these systems work or they will be at a disadvantage.&nbsp;I also think we’ll see more and more designers becoming product managers and vice versa.

FINALLY, ANY ADVICE FOR YOUNG DESIGNERS WHO WANT TO MAKE A CAREER IN THE DESIGN INDUSTRY?&nbsp;Don’t wait for permission — start designing. Find a mentor. Learn as much as you can from other disciplines. Play the long game.

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In this interview, the Head of Design from Cisco explains how to work with these new designers and become one even if you’re an accomplished designer

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Travis Isaacs

Inspired by ever-changing trends seen on TikTok and other digital platforms, the new generation of content creators has set high standards for the design industry. We met with the Head of Design for Webex Suite at Cisco, who has been working in design since the 2000s, to unpack the unique characteristics of designers of the ‘new wave’ and the struggles they have to face. In the end, he shares a secret on how to be relevant in any situation if you are already an accomplished designer.

Designers of the ‘New Wave’

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M.W. Leitzel is a visual storyteller, brand strategist and problem solver with a background in animation, motion design and illustration. He has previously worked with NASA, Nickelodeon, Frederator, Sony, GQ and Lionsgate.

Marc Leitzel, Senior Animator at NASA

MARC, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEYI’m a visual storyteller. I’ve held a number of roles and worked a number of gigs, notably as a motion designer, multimedia artist, video editor, copywriter, voice actor, 2D and 3D animator and brand designer. However, these are just different skills I use to achieve my objective of telling stories. My education and early career were in the fine arts until I realized my true love was, as I mentioned, storytelling. I moved to New York and then, more recently, to Silicon Valley, working with clients in STEM, entertainment, education and advertising along the way.

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Screenshot from Marc’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://youtu.be/B56kYcjqnzE">Motion Graphics Reel</a>

If you’re surrounded by motion designers, you may be looking at a melting pot of 2D or 3D animators, graphic designers and compositors — heck, my own educational background is in the fine arts!

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE MOTION DESIGN FOR NON-DESIGNERS? &nbsp;Motion design is a discipline combining the principles of graphic design, animation and filmmaking. Motion design contributes to many different areas of work: from animated entertainment to bringing motion to the user experience of apps and websites and designing the lower thirds for televised award shows and sports games. As video and animation continue to be used as preeminent tools in education, user interfaces, and storytelling, motion designers are increasingly becoming an essential part of many cross-functional teams. They also serve a variety of roles — from brand development to advertising and product design.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF MOTION DESIGN THAT YOU FOLLOW IN YOUR WORK?&nbsp;Let me start with a little backstory. If you’re surrounded by motion designers, you may be looking at a melting pot of 2D or 3D animators, graphic designers and compositors — heck, my own educational background is in the fine arts! The one thing we might have in common is that we are using the same suite of tools and are looking at the same pool of potential work and contemporary aesthetics. However, the overall direction of our careers may be different based on our goals and strengths.&nbsp;<ol><li>Motion design has its roots in animation, as they both rely on the observation of life and motion to create a deliberate and appealing visual experience. So, the 12 basic principles of animation established decades ago by renowned Disney animators serve as a necessary foundation for interpreting and executing motion.&nbsp;</li><li>Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-Brockmann is a foundational book I would also recommend to all motion designers.</li></ol>

The animation itself is not a crutch and cannot overcome bad design

HOW CAN WEB PRODUCTS AND SERVICES BENEFIT FROM MOTION DESIGN?&nbsp;Video is the most abundantly produced and consumed medium of our time. And as such, it is very powerful in forming our experiences because we are already very open to it. The research into engagement, purchases and SEO through the inclusion of motion and video on a website speaks for itself. However, I’d like to speak to two functions animation can serve for a product or service:&nbsp;<ol><li>developing brand identity;</li><li>enriching the user experience.&nbsp;</li></ol>&nbsp;Animation can be a very proactive method of engaging users, both by providing an impactful experience and, through thoughtful design, facilitating and optimizing the use of the product or service. Attention to detail is important, as visual storytelling can enrich not only the conscious experience a customer receives, but also provide very subtle hand-holding and reinforce more nuanced brand identifiers.&nbsp;That said, I cannot emphasize enough that animation must be used purposefully. The animation itself is not a crutch and cannot overcome bad design.

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<ol><li>Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-Brockmann is a foundational book I would recommend to all motion designers</li><li>Damn Good Advice (For People With Talent) by George Lois is for&nbsp;those who want to work in branding may want to pick up</li><li>The Animator’s Survival Kit by&nbsp;Richard Williams will be useful if you are frequently working with character rigs</li></ol>

Marc recommends these books:

HOW DID YOU LAND A JOB WITH NASA? &nbsp;As I mentioned, I am a visual storyteller, not specifically a motion designer, animator or compositor. Like other businesses and institutions I’ve been hired by and contracted with, NASA was at a stage where they needed a storyteller.

Given the extremely expedited timeline, my resourcefulness was put to the test

Due to the pandemic, NASA’s annual TACP conference had to be an entirely remote experience. Vigorous security checks are necessary for any individual contracted to work for NASA, and so only a handful of creatives were brought into the internal media team to create an online conference experience with very limited time. This meant I was not only animating, but writing copy, providing voiceovers, developing storyboards, pitching concepts, providing art direction and perhaps most importantly, creating engaging narratives using talking points provided by NASA researchers.

<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoCrmis6ixY"><div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UoCrmis6ixY" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></figure>Introduction video for NASA TACP 2021

WHICH PART OF THIS JOB ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?&nbsp;One of the videos was particularly successful. I had little more than a week to make a 7-minute video from scratch about a researcher and her efforts in developing safer batteries for modern and future aircraft.&nbsp;&nbsp;Given the extremely expedited timeline, my resourcefulness was put to the test. I developed an animated puppet to directly engage with the viewer and surrounded this character with a handmade and hand-painted aesthetic that is more akin to multimedia animation seen on children’s television. Although I wish I had more time to polish this project, the segment proved to be among the most popular during the conference.

<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnxDgFd5Row"><div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nnxDgFd5Row" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></figure>Video about SPARRCI (Sensor-based Prognostics to Avoid Runaway Reactions and Catastrophic Ignition)

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WORK? PLEASE SHARE 4–5 RESOURCES (WEB, BOOKS, COURSES, ETC. + OFFLINE) &nbsp;Overall, it’s important to remember to fuel the creative tank. We can improve by being very disciplined about our own growth and what kinds of projects we take on, but chances are when we bump into a lack of motivation, it’s sometimes necessary to rekindle our love for the medium with external inspiration.&nbsp;<ul><li>Youtube. For a motion designer, it’s important to be in touch with what you love about film and animation. Fortunately, we have resources such as YouTube where you can instantly load up countless animations and study them frame-by-frame.</li><li>Vimeo has become home to the portfolios and reels of countless motion designers. It’s worth exploring for inspiration.</li><li>Sakugabooru.com is another outstanding resource. It’s a collection of animations curated by and for animators and animation enthusiasts. Better yet, quite a big part of the collection is tagged based on the studios and primary animators involved.</li><li>School of Motion is a great resource specifically catering to motion designers.</li><li>Additionally, Instagram has become a popular platform for motion graphics artists, so it’s worth following those communities to learn about the latest trends, plugins and courses.</li><li>Finally, cartoonresearch.com is a vital blog run by animation producer, historian and professor Jerry Beck. There is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration on this site.</li></ul>

Marc's top-3 tools for a productive work as a motion designer

After Effects is just an incredibly versatile and powerful software package. From compositing for animation and video to creating motion graphics from scratch, I use this application with every project I work on.

Adobe After Effects

As it’s a pleasure to work with and I can easily export files into PSDs for integration into After Effects, Procreate has become a vital tool for digital painting and frame-by-frame animation

Procreate

A feature-rich and intuitive tool for project management and team collaboration

Trello

HOW DO YOU THINK MOTION DESIGN WILL EVOLVE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?&nbsp; &nbsp;I can’t say whether it will be in 10 years or 50, but I see a lot of investment in VR that shows promise. As this technology becomes more commonplace, it will get more complicated for animators and motion designers, as they’ll have to adapt to so many more considerations specific to this medium.

Overall, it’s important to remember to fuel the creative tank

ANY FINAL TIPS FOR YOUNG DESIGNERS WHO WANT TO MAKE A CAREER IN THE DESIGN INDUSTRY AND, PROBABLY, BECOME MOTION DESIGNERS? &nbsp;When studios are hiring, they want to see a solid reel. If you’re not currently working in a relevant industry, this should by no means be a deterrent. For me personally, most of my showpieces and reel clips come from my side projects and gigs rather than my full-time employment. Even if you’re building a variety of short motion design experiments and exercises, these are just as valid as any showpieces you’re going to get from a workplace.&nbsp;Have faith in your skills. When you are hired, it’s important to remember you were brought in because your employer thinks that you can get the job done. The actual challenge of the job is making sure you pay attention to the needs of project stakeholders and how those needs are communicated. It will often be up to you to enable, facilitate and improve communication.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://i.giphy.com/media/KEG5UtvXUD7WPIhhuy/giphy.webp"></figure>&nbsp;If you want to tell a story about your career or share your expert opinion, send us a pitch at <a href="mailto:serafima@flowmapp.com">serafima@flowmapp.com</a>

Working with Motion Design & Getting Hired by NASA

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Marc Leitzel

Motion design is an intersection of graphic design, filmmaking, animation, and other creative disciplines, making it a valuable asset for modern storytellers and digital creators to tell stories more engagingly and creatively.&nbsp;This time we met with M.W Leitzel, an experienced artist and visual storyteller, to discuss the essence of motion design and what it takes to become good at it. We also talked about the bizarre experience of working with NASA, and in the end, Marc shared some tips for young designers on building relationships with clients.

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Eli carries out both traditional training in design and software and has spent his career leading award-winning agency teams who have delivered projects for companies such as <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://rogers.com/">Rogers</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.aircanada.com/">Air Canada</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nissan.ca/">Nissan</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.apple.com/">Apple</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mozilla.org/">Mozilla</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.bmw.ca/">BMW</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nike.com/ca/">Nike</a>. Eli has previously led technology teams at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.criticalmass.com/">Critical Mass</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icfnext.com/">ICF Next</a> and is currently the Director of Technology at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://playgroundinc.com">Playground Inc.</a>, a Toronto-based design agency.

Eli Gancena, Director of Technology at Playground Inc.

ELI, HOW DID YOUR JOURNEY IN DESIGN ORIGINALLY BEGIN?&nbsp;My story begins in high school. Back then I was convinced I wanted to make a living as a painter or an illustrator. I attended a non-traditional high school where I was enrolled in a visual arts program. Nearly half of my courses were art classes. I studied traditional painting and drawing, the styles of Monet and Van Gogh, the concepts of color-theory and visual rhythm.&nbsp;Fast forward a few years and I found myself caught between wanting to pursue a career in art and the pressure from parents to become an engineer. While I thought a career in architecture would be a great compromise, I found myself falling in love with graphic design and writing software instead.&nbsp;To my surprise, my background in traditional visual arts gave me an upper hand in graphic design and building web experiences. Since then, I've overseen many technology teams that build online experiences for enterprise clients.&nbsp;Most recently, I've picked up mentoring, and now I have the ability to give back to the design and technology community that helped me become the person I am today.

WHO IS A DESIGN MENTOR?&nbsp;A design mentor proactively invests in other designers by giving them guidance and sharing professional knowledge and experience.

Design mentorship is an excellent opportunity for both experienced and new designers to exchange ideas and share knowledge about the design industry. Read the full interview to find out how it works and where to start searching for a mentor or a mentee.

Design Mentorship 101

Mentorship programs are originally designed to connect professionals and give them space to ask questions and share insights they've learned while working in the design industry. In this interview with an experienced design and tech specialist, Eli Gancena, we explore the opportunities that design mentorship provides to mentors and mentees, discover how to find a mentor and what it takes to become one.

Interviews

Olena Milutina

Travis Isaacs

Marc Leitzel

Eli Gancena

Joseph Brust

Moisen Mahjoobnia

Guillermo Garcia Pons

Marina Makarechian

Dave Werner

Linh Ho

Digest