5 Keys to Becoming a Successful Interactive Designer
Balind on 18 Jun 2008 | Tips & Advice
Here’s a list of what I consider to be the fundamental skills needed to make it as a designer in the interactive advertising world.
1. Talent
- A lot of people confuse artistic talent with a trait that someone is either born with, or without. Talent is just intelligence combined with interest – so the good news is that anyone can cultivate a talent if they want, they just need to be motivated.
2. Education
- We all know that the majority of your learning will take place on your own time, however if you want to crack the bubble of being used as someone else’ tool – you need to have a balanced skill-set. I recommend studying both Interactive design and Business / Marketing. To go all the way you need to have the skills of a designer, developer and producer.
3. Core Software
- Photoshop, After Effects, Maya and Flash should be your best friends. Everything you see on T.V and the internet should potentially be within the realm of your skill-set given the time and resources. Leave the back-end math to hard-core coders and ultra-custom-sfx to audio engineers, because you can’t do everything, but dabble in it all and make sure you can handle the core shizz.
4. Experience
- Resist the urge to join a big agency right out of school. Freelance for the first few years of your career while working at a smaller agency. Learn the ropes of both business and the interactive advertising world – not to mention the value of hard work. At a large agency out-of-the-gate you’ll simply set yourself on a path to complacency. Knowledge is power and there’s no better way to get it than throwing yourself in the fire. Step up to the next level as your game evolves.
5. Attitude
- Don’t expect it all right away. Be prepared to work hard and humble yourself. Find a winner and become his protege by taking on additional duties. That’s your ticket. Never go over your directors head to try to look good to the people above him, instead focus on making his life easier – his superiors will be impressed when he gives you a glowing report.
bhad on 19 Jun 2008 at 6:49 am #
Great post!
Ditto on #4. I knew shortly after college that I wanted to do agency work but I worked in-house and freelance for 5 years. That time allowed me to hone my skills and determine the specific aspects of interactive design that I wanted to focus on. When I took my first agency job I felt like I was in a much better situation than my peers who have worked for large agencies since day one.
Gertjan on 19 Jun 2008 at 8:02 am #
Yeah, i’m on the right track =)
YAPP on 19 Jun 2008 at 8:35 am #
Amen…completely agree.
Justen on 19 Jun 2008 at 8:41 am #
Interesting list you have put together here, I couldn’t agree more with your point on talent. So many people fall victim in thinking that talent in our medium is something your born with. Talent and skill are both products of hard work and experience. All though I completely agree with your points I also think that becoming successful in our field is about collaboration and being able to align your skill sets with those around you … “With our powers combined” comes to mind.
Great advice
-justen
JGP on 19 Jun 2008 at 8:54 am #
Nice post. I really do lik #5 and the part about never go over your directors head to try to look good. Nothing wrong with wanting to look good, but there are right ways of going about it and wrong ways going about it.
Tim on 19 Jun 2008 at 10:49 am #
Good stuff.
p.s. Your director is going to speak very highly of you after he reads #5. I see what you did there…
Murten Saerbi on 19 Jun 2008 at 12:07 pm #
Good post, Balind.
I especially like number five. Where I work some people think going over heads is the way to go and I reckon it will definately not pay off in the end.
Tim on 19 Jun 2008 at 2:47 pm #
Yeah, the term “Above and Beyond” doesn’t mean you go above and beyond your direct manager to those above him.
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Christian Kragh on 21 Jul 2008 at 7:38 pm #
I love your blog.
Mohd.me on 27 Jul 2008 at 8:10 am #
Great one Balind , thanks a lot
Mohd.me on 28 Jul 2008 at 12:21 am #
5 Keys to Becoming a Successful Interactive Designer…
Balind form the famous interactive design agency “Red Interactive” point out the five keys will defentilly help you becoming a great interactive designer , ans as I learned a lot from Red Interactive workI would like to share this magnifice…
Now Anyone Can Be Successful In College! | 7Wins.eu on 06 Sep 2008 at 8:09 am #
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Kribba on 19 Feb 2009 at 9:32 am #
Another way is to stop calling it interactive designer and use interaction designer instead
Marco Conti on 13 Jun 2009 at 2:44 pm #
I think my experience could be of inspiration to those just starting out in their field.
In 1995 after studying Web Design (such as it was) on my own for a few months and looking for a career change (I owned a Art Glass factory) I showed up in person at one of the first Web Agencies in my area.
I offered my services for free for a period of 6 months while I went waiting tables at night to make ends meet and qualify for health insurance.
I was hired and soon after I found a job in the “Gulch” as a web designer. After a couple of years I was making almost $120k a year (The good old days).
Don’t be afraid of sacrificing. Bosses will put their name on your work, they’ll exploit you and eventually try to get out of paying you, but sacrifice can pay off.