These are my three greatest learnings from my internship:

1/ We can only create for what we are aware of.

Mindfulness in Design was an overarching theme in my internship. Working so closely with the Downtown Eastside community, there were a lot of things I had to learn and unlearn. I had to familiarize myself with the space I was occupying and to also address any assumptions I had. My internship was kicked off with a Mindfulness series during which I learned about awareness and mindfulness, and how bringing these into my design practice can transform the way I think, feel, and create. Without becoming fully immersed in the community and context of who I was creating for and with, I wouldn’t have had such a rich understanding of what I was creating and why. To this day, I continue to carry Mindfulness into my practice and encourage others to do so.

Acknowledging that COVID-19 has restructured the way we work, I recently delivered a presentation on mindful connection, collaboration, and creation.

Click the link to view the full presentation.

2/ Progress not perfection.

In the past, I’ve allowed my constant strive for perfection to interfere with me completing something I started. A challenge I had for myself going into Railyard Lab was to step out of my comfort zone and take on a larger role in Creative Strategy. When I made that leap while designing the Saint James Music Academy brand, I found myself constantly stuck. I was trying so hard to get the moodboard perfect and to make sure every design element was perfectly aligned. Instead of asking for feedback early and asking for it more often, I backed myself into a self-made corner.

My visible frustration and disappointment prompted a conversation with my manager. She asked me, “Why are you being so hard on yourself?” And I responded, “Because it’s not up to my standards. It’s not as good as I’d like it to be…” (aka perfection). What she said next changed my life for the better. She said, “The greatest disservice you could do to yourself is not finishing something you started, because you’re so focused on making it perfect. Just start somewhere and see where it takes you.”

3/ Trust is built on words, actions, and consistency.

Dropping the ball on a client who has had a history of bad experiences with untrustworthy designers can be an incredibly daunting wake-up call. I remember this moment so vividly—It was after a meeting with a client to discuss website design options. Off to a good start, our team introduced several ideas. As we continued, our client clearly expressed their disappointment and implicitly shared that they felt like we hadn’t listened to what they asked for and needed. It was as if a wrecking ball went through my heart.

The following week, my team and I set up another meeting to discuss the website. This time, we brought forth design options that clearly addressed our client’s unique needs. Rather than presenting these formally, we opted for a mini co-creation session where our client would have the time and space to annotate the mockups and make recommendations of their own. In the final week when we presented the full website, our client expressed that they “never felt so heard before.”

Moral of the story? It’s human of us to make mistakes, but when it happens, how do we respond and correct it through our actions? How are we delivering on the words we say? How do we demonstrate our care through consistency?

View the client projects:

Christine Designs

Saint James Music Academy

Vancouver Japanese Hall