Life Out There

Tell us what you do for work, and what first sparked your interest in the field.
I’m a visual designer within the realm of service design, and I basically help with research on prototyping apps for phones and devices. There are a lot of bigger processes in the field, but that’s the main bulk of what I do.

So essentially, we come up with all the colour tones, determine how an app actually looks like, and design how users navigate through the app and all that.

Previously, I was in advertising and working in design studios, but this opportunity to switch to the consultancy side came up during COVID, so I jumped on it. I left my previous job in advertising right before COVID, and was jobless for almost a year, so it was really quite an opportune moment for me to make the switch, and what can I say, the rest is history.

What’s the most fulfilling part of your job, and what’s the most challenging?
Everything about this job is fulfilling, yet also very tough. Being in service design gives me a different view of the creative industry. I love that it opens up my mind to new perspectives when it comes to designing for a brand.

That said, it also poses a huge challenge for me to unlearn everything I knew before, and start building from the beginning again. But at least my work-life balance is back!

If you weren’t in this field, what do you think you’d be doing?
Criminal psychology. I’ve always been very curious, and I loved observing people when I was younger, wondering about the different ways people behave and the choices they make.

When I got older, I started wondering why people committed criminal offences. It’s fascinating how one’s family background, physical appearance, and a whole lot of other factors contribute to a person’s level of empathy (or lack thereof) for others. I would like to know what we can do to understand them better, and to help stop or prevent certain choices in life that lead to harm.

How do you typically destress or spend your weekends?
Stare blankly into space and just stone—not doing anything is the best way to destress.

I also bring my dog to the park when I can, and watch a lot of animations. My favourite one is this anime called Tokyo Revengers, which is about time travelling Japanese yakuza. Yeah, it’s a bit more mature and not too happy (laughs).

Tell us more about your dog.
She’s Kotton, a Japanese Spitz, and she’s about eight years old I think. She’s a very meek child, and is quite eccentric. She prefers hanging out with humans more than dogs (laughs) but okay, that’s more like a trait. She tends to constantly lick her lips when she feels nervous, very much like me (laughs).

She’s taught me a lot about being comfortable in my own skin and about being content with what I have. Through her innocent view of the world, I’ve also learned how to cut through the noise and focus on what I really want in life.

What are the top three things on your bucket list?
Retire at age 45 and travel the world.
Become a professional equestrian.
Become a professional motorcycle racer.

What country would you love to visit next?
Somewhere less travelled, like Central Asia or the Sahara desert. There’s this iron ore train that cuts through the desert that you can “illegally” hitch a ride on! You just need to brave the dust and cold of the night.

What is one thing that most people wouldn’t know about you?
I’m secretly analysing everything you say and do (laughs).