Luke McEwan a fresh grad from Tractor, Melbourne. Luke is a graphic designer with a growing love for UX/UI. Luke gives come great advice on working with you first client, he also shares what he loves about working in a studio & what his goals for the future are!
Tell us about where you are today and what you love about your job!
I am currently working at DT Digital as a Junior Experience Designer. I’ve been there for a little over a month so far. I’ve always had a thing for user centric & digital design so it’s no surprise that I’m loving it at DT! I really thrive in a team and I find that the more heads you have, the more you develop your work and yourself as a person. I love the kind of work I am doing and all of the people I am meeting along the way. DT is a bunch of cool cats.
What has been your highlights since you started out?
In the short time that I have been at DT, there have been so many highlights. Being a part of a wide team that consists of so many talented people has definitely been one. There is an awesome vibe at work and it feels really good to know that I am apart of something bigger.
How do you deal with non creative clients that don’t see your vision?
A non creative client?! All clients are creative! In their own way of course. Dealing with clients who don’t have a background in design can be a challenging experience. It makes it a little difficult to communicate the unspoken details that designers understand. Some clients only think in business. Some don’t know a thing about design. But when it comes down to the bare bones of it all, clients all share one thing in common. They come to you for an outcome and you help them for an outcome. You are building a relationship with your client and to achieve the best result, whether they’re versed in design or not, you need to fully understand your client to reach both your goals.
Whats the big goal in the next five years?
At this point in time, I’m just starting in my career! I have a few short term and long-term goals. Goal setting is totally important and I try to keep on top of listing them out! I am working to up-skill myself in user centered design, learn as much as I can about user interface and user experience design. I find the best way for myself to learn is to dive deep into things and take in everything that I can. The more I learn the closer I get to that end goal. One of my long term goals is to move overseas one day (Los Angeles or London) to work for a digital agency that deals in the fashion world.
Some clients only think in business. Some don’t know a thing about design. But when it comes down to the bare bones of it all, clients all share one thing in common. They come to you for an outcome and you help them for an outcome.
What advice would you give students starting out?
Stay focused and remind yourself that the government is paying for your course now, but you’ll be paying it all back one day! Being a student is really tough. It means working your butt off night and day to what seems like no end. I think it’s really important to set goals for yourself and learn as much as you can. Your tutors and peers don’t show up to lectures and tutorials classes for a laugh. They are there to help you, shake them for as much information you can get. They’ve build a career based on helping you!
Don’t stop learning. Don’t get lazy. Take risks. Know when to stop staring at your screen and take a break. Explore areas that you aren’t necessarily that comfortable in. The only way you will learn new things and start developing new skills is by doing the unknown. Also networking is such an ugly word. Think of it as making friends with people who you share a lot in common with. Everyone has to start somewhere.
Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?
I studied at Tractor Design School from 2013 – 2014, finishing my final semester in November 2014. Tractor was such a great school that helped me realize where my strengths were. If not for all of my amazing tutors and peers at Tractor I wouldn’t be where I am today!
My first few jobs were client jobs. I rebranded a food business in Malvern now called Home to Roost. Deb, my client was an amazing first experience. She and her lovely family were a pleasure to work with. (Just a side note: the first client is always the scariest because you are going into an unknown situation with all of the things they’ve taught you in uni, ready with all your textbook safe questions. In hindsight, totally not worth being nervous over.)
I was also noticed by Simon Pemberton, National Head of School at Tractor who I began working with on different projects for the school. I worked on a few corporate documents, some cool interior vinyl’s for the foyer, a feature wall fit out and inputted into redeveloping the schools floor plan.
I found that each client teaches you so much about many different things, most importantly they teach you about people.
Website
Where to find Luke McEwan online.
