You know when people say, “I can see you as a (insert career title, oftentimes a common one and easy to define, here).”? Well, I never got Interaction Designer in that insertion. I discovered that I wanted to be a interaction designer not because it was a choice in a career questionnaire test or looked like a prominent solution for what I could do with my major, but because it was already me. I didn’t know I was already thinking like one, interested in doing things like one, or passionate about that career path. I was just living and doing what made me feel important and good. I was an inquisitive individual. I didn’t settle. I loved complexity and finding an idea that could solve a problem where everyone involved could tell I had considered his/her perspective. I wasn’t subtle or complacent, and I made plenty of mistakes. I loved the “click” in someone’s expression when he/she saw a UI I made for a class and said they understood why I went a direction without my explaining it because it made sense. In the nature of user research where affinity mapping is utilized, that’s how I ended up a interaction designer. I had an affinity for this work from every part that made up me—no matter how unseemly so or disconnected. I decided to be this before I made the decision. Interaction takes the way we already think and makes sense of it. It helps us find how approaching technology can be easy or hard, understandable or confusing, annoyed or pleased. Everyone wants sensible interaction as our world continues using technology the way we do now and what’s to come. But it’s not about me. Interaction design for me is not about how comfortable I am with it. It’s about what other people know, experience, deal with, think, process, etc. I wanted to take my nature to people please and make it for good, for giving time, for giving ease, for giving understanding, for giving confidence. If the interactions I make can be solid and trustworthy, then the receiving end can have an ideal experience, every time, without fail. They can live and be relieved and know they have used something safe, sturdy, forgiving, and amazing. I want to give back time for people to go outside and do and act and make. Inspiration is my catalyst to design. I think of it fondly. And I will continue learning what I can to get better on the shoulders of giants. I like making alliterations when summing up a topic because they’re fun and help me think of the most important descriptors. Here are some that came to mind to wrap up what inspires me about interaction design:
Type, Texture, Touch
Color Concepts Corelate
Autonomy Aids Awesome
Want to see some visuals? Check out my InVision Board.
That’s my Kasun Point for today. Thanks for reading!
Chelsie
