Hi Megan Melack!

What major did you pursue in college?

“Undergrad I did Psychology, Grad School I did a Masters in Interaction Design.”

How did you start / transition into your journey in design? And how did you get to where you are now?

“I’ve always had a lot of energy for creative outlets, and when working in non-profits when I first graduated from my undergrad, I was given a lot of opportunity explore what I was compelled me. One of these random opportunities included making a poster for an event. I still remember the first time I opened Adobe Illustrator — it was MUCH harder than I have anticipated. But, I quickly fell in love with graphic design, enjoying the many different ways to reach an outcome in PSD and ai. I made the leap and decided I wanted to do design full time, so I started freelancing. I often tell people I got paid to learn, since everything was new! And I just had to figure it out.

I kept at it, building upon my skills, learning how to communicate with a range of projects, listen between the lines to figure out what people really want.

Today, I’m learning about working for massive companies, which is so different from my freelance days. I am just about to part ways with my job at the Samsung Design Innovation Center, and start a new journey at Apple, building out internal tools and design systems.”

What are some surprising things you’ve learned as a designer?

“Being a good designer means being a great listener. Yet, listening is hard. We aren’t actually taught how to listen well. It takes a willingness to pause our own egos and open ourselves to receiving. It means not just waiting for someone to finish so you can open your mouth, but to understand and hear them, maybe even question their thoughts further. It’s not about you.

Another key thing is letting go of attachment. Your design will inevitably change, that is core to the process. Iterations are how we grow, learn, and better listen to the needs of those we are ultimately designing for.”

What do you wish you knew when you first started your design journey?

“That it’s just that, a journey! But more specifically, that while having technical design skills is important and necessary, having “soft” skills might just be even more important. Knowing how to communicate, connect, lead, motivate, articulate feedback — these are components that differentiate the good designers, from the designers I truly look up to.”

Lastly…how do you get out of designer’s block? Finding momentum and inspiration when it seems to have stopped temporarily.

“Walking! I love to walk. I’m very fortunate to live across the street from a small, urban retreat of flowers, trees and 180degree views. Just breathing the air and not looking at my screen is so impactful.”

Thank You for reading! Look out for more at https://www.instagram.com/hico.design