Development and Future
Through my studies, I have built a skillset in the game design and development process and this is something I would like to continue. I am looking into both industry and research with games or playful design.
My Industrial Design studies helped in forming the right mindset and attitude towards design and the processes involved. This includes both hard skills like programming or research methods and soft skills like effective communication and adaptable problem-solving. What I discovered outside of university is that this flexibility and ability to self-direct is very useful. This includes how to approach a problem, learn new skills or find routes to solutions and allows me to thrive in new areas even if particular skills or knowledge are not yet present.
These learned skills are very interconnected during the design process: user insights can lead to different design implementations, and technology can inform creative decisions. These elements never live in a bubble and I see design as a fluid process which takes different forms and shapes depending on needs, insights and vision.
Here I see a combination of using the right theoretical frameworks and applying designerly intuition as a sustainable and reliable way to shape progress. Having agency over development, but also not being afraid to take different avenues or letting things stray helps to create valuable insights and varied outcomes.
In this, what always remains important is how others are included: how to evaluate what is valuable feedback, how to best include users and experts to have a meaningful part in the work and whether to pivot or stand to develop a particular vision.
And maybe more important than anything else: stay positive and have fun. Building a better world starts with yourself, and keeping a positive outlook and selectively questioning the right things helps to move forward constructively.