My story
I once was a really little girl born in Hong Kong to a French mother and American father who met in London. Those were the first signs of an international life for me. I studied Spanish at a French middle school in San Francisco, and then Chinese at a French high school in Paris, in addition to the rest of the things you study. All those somehow led me to study industrial/product design at California State University of Long Beach. Away from the cold winters, away from the stress of a busy city...I wanted a blue sky environment to start the second part of my life.
Two years into college, when I was not so little anymore (just getting to 6'2") I took off independently to live and study Mandarin Chinese in Shanghai for one year. It turned out to be the best year of my life. I went back in the summer of 2008 and 2009 for internships, freelance work, touching base again with friends, design networking and re-discovering what China has to offer.
Two years into college, when I was not so little anymore (just getting to 6'2") I took off independently to live and study Mandarin Chinese in Shanghai for one year. It turned out to be the best year of my life. I went back in the summer of 2008 and 2009 for internships, freelance work, touching base again with friends, design networking and re-discovering what China has to offer.
Path to industrial design
I was in a taxi cab in Paris with my father on our way to dinner when I was about 15 and asked him for help on what I wanted to do later on. "Well," he said, "what things do you enjoy doing now?". I made a list of all the things I liked doing such as "taking photos, cooking, drawing, making plans, making lists, colorful and bright objects, gardening, traveling, making websites, playing computer games, creating and crafting things...". I am not sure how the computer in his brain works but it came out with "industrial design". I Had never heard of it but it definitely stuck. I feel lucky to have known about this at an early age because so many people don't know about this career path and lifestyle until after they've graduated with a degree they did not end up satisfied with!
What is industrial/product design?
Industrial designers work to improve quality of life for people through products, services, experiences and interaction.
The industrial design industry is a cross between art and engineering. It includes graphic design, interior design, lighting design, transportation design, furniture, table top, environment, footwear design...basically, EVERYTHING around you, wherever you look someone had to design it. Designers are multi-doers. We have to make process books, design briefs, be good at presenting and selling ourselves and our product, we have to create prototypes, with our hands and on the computer. We have to know how to draw well, render something with markers or a software to make things look awesome. We have to know about all materials, colors, manufacturing methods and product mechanisms. We have to know how to reverse engineer, take apart something and make it better. We have to learn how to work in groups and independently. We also have to know about human factors, emotions, how they influence forms and a user experience. We have to consider environments, how people use a product, what it will become after it is used (long term, after life) and ergonomics.
There is a lot we have to learn and be good at. That's why it's taking me 6 years to complete this degree!
The industrial design industry is a cross between art and engineering. It includes graphic design, interior design, lighting design, transportation design, furniture, table top, environment, footwear design...basically, EVERYTHING around you, wherever you look someone had to design it. Designers are multi-doers. We have to make process books, design briefs, be good at presenting and selling ourselves and our product, we have to create prototypes, with our hands and on the computer. We have to know how to draw well, render something with markers or a software to make things look awesome. We have to know about all materials, colors, manufacturing methods and product mechanisms. We have to know how to reverse engineer, take apart something and make it better. We have to learn how to work in groups and independently. We also have to know about human factors, emotions, how they influence forms and a user experience. We have to consider environments, how people use a product, what it will become after it is used (long term, after life) and ergonomics.
There is a lot we have to learn and be good at. That's why it's taking me 6 years to complete this degree!