Interview with Inn Sun Park

Inn Sun Park ("ISP") interviewed on Monday, 23 May.

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

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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?

ISP : 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.

Inn Sun Park Profile