Interview with Yao Dai

Yao Dai ("YD") interviewed on Wednesday, 15 June.

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

YD : This is my second year studying design. Before that, I mainly studied traditional painting and original game drawing, but my idea of changing the world with art has never changed; my exposure to the design by chance has transformed my artistic path dramatically.

How did you become a designer?

YD : I think it is a way to influence others and the world more than painting in design. I can try to make subjective judgments to objective judgments, from a narrow range of opinions to a sense of understanding that people can share. And this is actually the root problem of all philosophy. The purpose of philosophy is to use what our limited personal perspective reveals to derive larger truths. Design is therefore essential to this pursuit.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

YD : The questions I think about in my design are: What do I think about? What do I want to communicate? What do I think the user is receiving? What do users receive? Have they actually changed their behavior as a result of my design? Is it having a positive impact on society?

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

YD : The design process often makes me feel scared, and I wonder how much meaningful change I'm actually making for society, and social responsibility is indispensable for designers at all times.

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

YD : Courage is not motivated by fearlessness but by moral obligation. Should I believe that one must first become an honest person to be a successful designer?

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

YD : As I said before, my idea of changing the world with art has never changed, so my dream design project is every design that can make all human beings happier. Design should not just be about solving one miserable problem after another.

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

YD : In fact, I consider myself a designer who is just starting because I am a junior who has only studied design for two years. I wish every young person like me had more ethics and social responsibility.

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

YD : My advice to young designers is the same advice I would give to anyone of all ages and industries. That is, to be ethical and socially responsible. The point of knowledge is to be more than that.

What is your day to day look like?

YD : Every moment a phenomenon moves me can be the starting point for my design. If I am excited by a phenomenon, I can work day and night.

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

YD : The trends shown by the design industry as a whole are actually determined to a large extent by each individual, and there is no doubt about their importance. I look for and analyze the precious information, such as what users need at this stage, how the design industry, in general, meets their needs, and whether this practice is likely to create new problems so that I can eventually know what I should do.

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

YD : On this issue, my view is precisely the same as Dieter Rams's. No one could have described it more comprehensively than he did.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

YD : Everyone is subject to the limitations of the times, so I don't believe there is a perfect design that doesn't require iteration, but the existence of imperfection is the value of a designer's existence.

What is your biggest design work?

YD : My proudest design is a volunteerism concept for solving the homeless problem in the U.S., which I completed my sophomore year. It was also the first design I ended that embodied my determination to change the world when I first entered the design profession and will forever remind me of the importance of ethics and social responsibility in design. The importance of ethics and social responsibility in design. I am currently working on a project that seeks to change the lack of fresh water in Singapore, and whether I succeed or fail, I am proud of who I am at this time.

Who is your favourite designer?

YD : My favorite designer is Elon Reeve Musk, even though everyone thinks he's an engineer. I admire and am struck by the many things he has said and done; he is always designing a better future for human society and constantly delivering and breaking through. That is a great spirit.

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

YD : I was born in China, which is a very cultural country, but what helped me was not the cultural heritage but for the extraordinary people I met in this country, such as my parents who always supported me and the love I had and eventually missed, and the regret that is sometimes more valuable than satisfaction. All of this can be reflected in the design.

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

YD : I wish to work with more people who share my ideas and dare to experiment actively. Teams are essential, and I can get support from them, both technically and emotionally, but completing work independently often reaps more fulfillment based on ability; otherwise, it would turn into frustration and loss.

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

YD : My current ability is not enough to make a real positive contribution to society, but I hope that every designer in the industry who is involved in humanitarian projects will not just use humanitarianism as some self-satisfaction or even a profit-making tool; it should have a practical meaning.

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

YD : The recognition I received from the A' Design Award has played a crucial role throughout my design career. No one can be successful without being completely unsupported. At the same time, It also showed me the concern and expectation of people from all walks of life for the design industry, which will give rise to more valuable designs.

Yao Dai Profile