I’ve always had a love for computers and technology. When I applied to university, I wanted to find a space where I could be supported in following that passion. One of the first things they taught us in the design degree is, yes, design is aesthetic. Yes, it's visual, but it's also got to be functional. It must benefit people; it must solve something.
Solution-driven practices
All throughout my degree, I've been given real-world problems by real-world businesses or organisations to develop this level of critical problem-solving. I've actually had to develop realistic solutions to problems that involve visualisation, multiple iterations, site visits and all kinds of things like that. During one of my units, I had been tasked with a design brief from the Brisbane Better Suburbs Initiative. This was a project about redesigning the public transport system on Ipswich Road.
For my project, I talked to an architect and a tutor at QUT. We had a long discussion about public transport and the way it affects people's social mobility and the impact on people's lives in certain areas. I had to design something that could transform the space for local residents with a short time frame in mind, so, because it was across from Moorooka train station, I designed a bicycle parking station. This was where users could come in, park their bikes and have access to shower facilities and a cafe. I also designed a bridge connecting Ipswich Road to the train station, so it really encouraged local bike travel. It was important to me to create a layout that discouraged driving to work while creating a new community space in an underdeveloped neighbourhood.
Fostering industry connections
My degree gave me so many opportunities to talk to experienced academics and industry figures. It was not just interaction designers that I was able to network with, but also architects, fashion designers, and interior designers who had this unique knowledge that could impact my approach to design. I currently use this knowledge in a lot of ways, in the designs I create and in the way I work. Having the accessibility to talk to them after class and during projects about things related to the field has been really, really valuable.
Throughout the interaction design degree, I also worked with different industry representatives and companies like Trade Mutt. I've attended conferences about technology, modern computers, about virtual reality, and I've made so many connections through those avenues. These out-of-classroom opportunities gave me the skills to get used to networking and expose me to what being a designer is really like in the working world.
I am thrilled to announce that I have also been offered a two-year graduate position at Cross River Rail. As part of the role, I will be working on 3D visualisation projects, primarily using Unreal Engine 5. QUT's head of interaction design presented this incredible position to my cohort, and I feel extremely fortunate to have been chosen for the role. I am beyond excited to embark on this journey and can't wait to see where this experience takes me in the future.
