<aside> ❗ While the industry talks were part of the 301 module classes, I’ve included the reflection on them in both module blogs, as they are also relevant to industry knowledge and understanding which is part of 302.
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DHD is a Belfast-based digital and brand design studio. Their work focuses on using design to tell stories through digital experiences. While it is a relatively small company, it has amassed a global reach with clients located around the world. The talk we had in class from DHD got me really interested in the company as I feel the type of work they do very much aligns with the type of work I like to do. Their portfolio is vibrant and diverse with a lot of great branding projects with a wide range of types of clients. There seems to be a lot of variety which is something which is definitely important to me. This is something I could see myself working on as I think it’s the type of work I like a lot.
Rapid7 is a cyber security company that specialises in providing a wide range of security solutions and services to help organisations effectively manage and reduce cybersecurity risks. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Rapid7 is known for its focus on delivering advanced security analytics, threat detection, and vulnerability management. While Rapid 7 is cyber security they also have a UX team for their platforms. Due to the nature of the business, it’s hard to find examples of the work but I can imagine it being very practically and functionally driven. Because Rapid 7 is a very large company, designers would generally be assigned to certain projects to work on for a long time. Rapid 7 doesn’t appeal to me as much as the likes of DHD due to the lack of variety in the work, however, I wouldn’t say I’m open to it.
Instil is a software development and training company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 2005, the company has established a strong reputation for its expertise in software engineering, training, and consultancy services. Instil primarily focuses on helping organisations and software developers improve their technical skills and deliver high-quality software. I really liked Instil’s talk to us as I got a sense of a different sort of passion for design which I found really interesting. Instil is a design consultancy so they have a different, longer approach to design. Due to them being consultants, it’s harder to find their work however I got a good sense that really value good design, which is always something I look for in companies. Instil would be an interesting choice and somewhere I’d consider if they offer placements.
Dawson Andrews is a Belfast-based design and development company. DA work with a small selection of clients with continuous work, which is something I think appeals to me. DA is a relatively small team, meaning there is a lot of collaboration and variety in their work. The idea of having only a few continuous clients is something that I found interesting, as I feel I am someone who needs variety in work however I could see myself working in this sort of client set-up as it gives variety while still letting you build something over a long period. The small team is also something that appeals to me as it gives a lot of room for variety due to it being less tight on individual roles. Overall this is somewhere that does appeal to me and I could see myself working somewhere like here.
Big Motive is a Belfast-based design studio that focuses on health, accessibility, and equality. They have three main areas of the company, those being UX design, UX Research, and Service Design. Over the summer I spent 2 months working as a design intern at Big Motive and got to work on a lot of projects, in all three of the areas they specialise in. I had a great time working there and it helped me to confirm this was the career path I wanted, as well as getting to learn loads. As this was my first experience working in a design company, I feel it’s important for me to realise what I enjoyed from my experience to help me guide myself into a suitable workplace. I think my biggest takeaway here was that I enjoyed the scale. BM has around 25 members, yet works with some massive clients. I got a real sense that I want to work in an agency, rather than a big company. I also felt the projects I got to work on were really rewarding, as some were health-based. I’ve been considering the morality of design in some of my other Blog work and I think it’s important to me, so will be a big factor when finding work.