Inn Sun Park

Interview with Inn Sun Park

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

I've always wanted to be a designer ever since I was a child. I was interested in the communication between people and technology, so I studied Interaction Design. I graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Now I'm working as a UX/UI designer who loves to explore and design engaging experiences for users by utilizing skills and strategies I've gained through multiple disciplines, including UX, UI, visual, motion, industrial design, and engineering.

Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

I currently work for American Honda Motors. My department is responsible for creating user interfaces and apps for the next generation of vehicles and concepts for future human-machine interfaces deployed through mobility platforms. We also interact with engineers, researchers, and designers from other departments throughout the organization to support the development of functional interior design prototypes.

What kinds of works do you like designing most?

I like designing new concepts that can improve or enhance the user experience. Every moment of ideating and designing something is meaningful and fun for me, so I can’t choose just one part of it.

What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

I have so many favorite designs, so I can’t pick one. I like every aesthetically beautiful design yet functional, like well-designed smart devices that make my daily routine efficient and laptop accessories that look simple and useful.

What was the first thing you designed for a company?

All of my design work for my employer are under NDA. I designed several UX/UI design works for my employer.

What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

My favorite UI prototyping programs are Sketch, Adobe XD and Figma. I also like Apple human center guidelines and Google material design because they are great references.

When do you feel the most creative?

I feel the most creative when I do the brainstorming activity for ideating solutions.

Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

I value understandability and accessibility when I design something.

What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

I feel very excited and proud of myself for designing products that people like and understand.

What makes a design successful?

It makes a design successful when a wide range of users frequently use it every day.

From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

Designers should be responsible for solving problems in our society. Emerging technologies bring both advantages and disadvantages, so designers should design solutions to maximize the benefits of new technologies. On the other hand, sometimes designers should understand the restrictions to create something significant for society.

How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

The design field is evolving everything. Tremendous new technologies are creating new opportunities. So I think the future of design is enhancing our life and society.

When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

My last exhibition was a virtual exhibition hosted by a team in Berlin, Germany. Originally it should be a physical exhibition, but it turns out to be a virtual one due to COVID-19. I don't have a plan to hold the next exhibition at the moment.

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

My favorite parts of the process are the interview and user testing because whenever I interact with people, my vision gets broader. These parts of the process help me to boost my creativity.

How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

I always try to make products that are simple to use and easy to understand but also aesthetically pleasing to see. I have seen many great products, so I want to contribute to making an excellent product for my users.

Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

I live in California, USA. There are a lot of tech companies, so I get inspired by them all the time. California also has great weather. I like working as a designer in California with the nice weather every day.

How do you work with companies?

My work and process are under NDA with my employer. I work with designers, engineers and researchers.

What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

If a company wants to hire a good designer, it should have a clear vision.

Can you talk a little about your design process?

I create an affinity diagram and interview people to understand the current situation during the initial stage. After discovering pain points from the interview, I ideate possible solutions. I also create a low-fidelity mockup and test the mockup with the group of research participants. I do A/B testing with participants multiple times before finalizing my product design.

What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

Magic mouse, typewriter keyboard, graphic poster, laptop stand, and smart light

Can you describe a day in your life?

Due to covid-19, my day is very simple. I work or design something every day.

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

Positive: I do what I like every day. Negative: Something obvious to me is not obvious to other people. I need to find a way to minimize this gap.

Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

I always try to finish my task on time, so I filter out my priorities before I start working.

How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

It depends on the object. Sometimes it can take a 3hrs or a week.

What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

Why did you decide to become a designer? & Why did you design this, and what was your intention?

What was your most important job experience?

Every job experience was important because I learned a lot from every experience. For example, I learned how to collaborate and work with people in different fields and how to design something great under restrictions.

What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

I enjoy redesigning existing products because it sharpens my skillsets.

What are your future plans? What is next for you?

Continue working for my current company and ideate interesting concepts during my free time.

Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

I do both. I usually work by myself first, then share my design concept with my team. Working as a team is helpful because I can learn different viewpoints.

Designer of the Day Interview with Inn Sun Park

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

I graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Now I'm working as a UX/UI designer at Honda Americas. I'm responsible for creating user interfaces and apps for the next generation of vehicles and concepts for future human-machine interfaces deployed through mobility platforms. In addition, I interact with engineers, researchers, and designers from other departments throughout the organization to develop a great user experience.

How did you become a designer?

I've always wanted to be a designer ever since I was a child. I was interested in the communication between people and technology, so I studied Interaction Design. After attending my college, Art Center College of Design, I was gradually exposed to many interesting design works. I was able to practice many valuable design skillsets during many design classes.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

I value simplicity and usability when I design interactions or interfaces for my users, but I also consider aesthetics because users nowadays have very high expectations because they interact with many fascinating products these days. Since I'm a UX/UI designer, I heavily rely on digital tools to create prototypes. I often use Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma, and Protopie. Sometimes I have to mock up some physical prototypes to check the usability. When there is a new project, I always start with research to understand what I should create and deliver, and I always try to keep everything simple.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

I feel excited during every process. Every project helps me to become a better designer. My favorite part of the process is the interview and user testing because whenever I interact with people, my vision gets broader. These parts of the process help me to boost my creativity.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

I'm interested in science and math in general, so I was able to learn coding languages quickly. In addition, it helped me to articulate many complicated and beautiful works with many math equations. Many people influenced me; they helped me to broaden my vision as a designer. As a result, my design journey is ongoing. I'm learning new things every day.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

I'm currently working as a UX/UI designer at Honda and am responsible for creating a mobility experience for my users. I always value the simplicity and usability of the product. My future plan is to create great products that people like to use every day.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

I want to tell young designers, "never stop learning." This is what my friends and mentors have told me. The emergence of new technologies brings new experiences every day, so it's always good to try learning something new to enjoy the new experiences.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

We should always try to enjoy all projects and processes because these will eventually help us grow as designers and people. Therefore, even if the task is challenging, we will end up overcoming it.

What is your day to day look like?

Wake up early in the morning. Review my emails and requests from my colleagues. Sometimes I attend virtual conferences to see how other professionals think about design. I like when I do brainstorming activities with my team because it's always exciting to generate interesting ideas. This activity always helps to become creative.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

I think it's important to understand the design trends, but we don't have to always chase ongoing trends. I try to understand some ongoing trends by reading design articles and attending design conferences.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

I consider usability and understandability to evaluate the design. Good design provides a very positive experience for people. Good products or designs are easy to interact with and understand. Based on my past experience, if we focus on the aesthetic aspect too much, it can create confusion, so it is very important to balance good visual elements and usability.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

I learned that there is nothing perfect because everyone has a different viewpoint. I think my design is ready when I fully fill my target users' essential needs. I also confirm the design by conducting user tests and if most participants can understand my design. Finally, I go through the final phase and complete the design.

What is your biggest design work?

I always try to share my best work with others. I spend a significant amount of time researching and brainstorming great ideas. I think I didn't do my biggest work yet. I believe there are always some kinds of challenges that I have to solve, for example, limited budget and time. Despite this limitation, I plan a strategy to overcome challenges. I can't share my current project because it's under NDA.

Who is your favourite designer?

I have so many favorite designers. I like Jonathan Ive, Paula Scher, Wim Crouwel, etc. I like all designers who have a very clear style and vision about design. There are so many great design works out there, so it's really hard for me to choose one.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

There are many inspiring cities. Among those, my favorite cities are LA, San Francisco, and Berlin. I think the culture effects my design projects because I always need to consider my target users' needs and wants. I'm currently working for an automotive company in California, USA, so I need to consider users' lifestyles in the USA. I think understanding and considering various cultures help to broaden the viewpoints.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

I think I'm a flexible person. In terms of "easiness," it depends on the project and topic. I currently work for my employer, Honda, so I often work with my co-workers. My core challenge is convincing people who are unfamiliar with the design process, but I overcome this challenge by facilitating collaboration activities. I think it's always important to have good collaboration skills to interact and produce good work with people.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

I always want to mitigate the barriers for people who are not accessible or unfamiliar with digital products, so I always try to design with my best efforts. I also try to exchange my vision and skills with others. It is always great to learn from others and make some kinds of contributions to the design community. I support young designers by giving them some advice.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

The preparation process for the A'Design award was enjoyable. I also like how I can see great works from others, so it's an honor for me to showcase my work with them. I think this is a good opportunity to share the latest work with people. I want to say thank you to A'Design Award for facilitating this competition.

Extended Interview with Inn Sun Park

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

I studied Interaction Design at ArtCenter College of Design. I practiced various skillsets while I was attending college.

How did you become a designer?

I've always wanted to be a designer ever since I was a child.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

I'm working as a UX/UI designer who loves to explore and design engaging experiences for users by utilizing skills and strategies I've gained through multiple disciplines, including UX, UI, visual, motion, industrial design, and engineering.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

Good design is making something memorable. I evaluate the usability and purpose of the design.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

Good design enhances our lives, so everyone should invest in good design to enhance people's quality of life.

What is your day to day look like?

If I had time, I would design more concept work for interesting in-house experiences for people at home most of the time due to the pandemic.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

I like all kinds of projects, so I don't have a dream project at the moment.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

I think there is nothing secret. Multiple practices shaped my design.

What is your biggest design work?

I like the past apple product series because it's interesting to see how user interface design has developed since ten years ago by comparing current and past products.

Who is your favourite designer?

I think I did some great work on the interface design with very complicated information. The simplicity aspect of this design makes me feel that it is great because it's difficult to simplify interfaces with complicated information.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

Design is a process of creating a great product, so design is very important to me.

Inn Sun Park

About Inn Sun Park

NewDays Desktop Application

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

Interview with Inn Sun Park

Designer of the Day Interview with Inn Sun Park

Extended Interview with Inn Sun Park

Join Designers.org & Start Promoting Your Design Worldwide.

Inn Sun Park

About Inn Sun Park

NewDays Desktop Application

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

Interview with Inn Sun Park

Designer of the Day Interview with Inn Sun Park

Extended Interview with Inn Sun Park

Stay Updated with Latest Design News

Join Designers.org & Start Promoting Your Design Worldwide.