Happy May!

It’s spring and a time of new beginnings, so this month’s Design Breakfast digs a little deeper into some personal reflections from our new designer, and provides a few helpful articles for navigating the various design challenges, complex projects, and new beginnings, especially when settling into a new role or tackling fresh projects.

Meet our curator of the month

Neea is a curious design generalist based in Helsinki, Finland. She loves learning and believes in kindness and multidisciplinary collaboration. Having joined Futurice in January, Neea brings over 15 years of experience in client work across various industries and projects. She is an advocate for practical yet creative problem-solving, with a goal to help people by designing accessible and visually appealing digital services.

Neea's picks

COMFORT IN CHAOS

Design is a mess

By Jon Kolko

Sometimes, a simple acknowledgment is all one needs. Kolko's piece just states what many of us in design might feel but don't always say out loud: it can be messy. For me, recognizing this inherent complexity is a comforting first step, reminding me that it’s not just me, but more like a natural part of any design project.

TACKLING THE TIDE

How to save yourself from information overload

By Harvard Business Review

We often focus on preventing overload for the user, but what about ourselves? This article offers practical strategies for designers (and basically everyone else too) navigating the constant influx of information that comes with new projects or roles. As someone who sometimes multitasks a bit too much (a work in progress!), I found the tips on prioritizing and focusing to be a good reminder to also consider those user-centered principles in our own workflows.

Design principles for reducing cognitive load

By Laws of UX

Since I mentioned it, it makes sense to share a resource on avoiding user overwhelm. By reducing cognitive load, we help them use services and make decisions more effectively. The Laws of UX offer a clear and concise set of principles for this. Ultimately, it's about presenting information clearly and minimizing mental effort for the user – a key consideration for all of us working with digital services.

FINDING CALM IN THE NOISE

Insight timer

Beyond the work itself, finding moments of calm is crucial. The free Insight Timer app has become a valuable resource for me. It offers a wide range of meditations for different needs, but I especially like the sleep meditations like Yoga Nidra. They really help to quiet that buzzing brain in the evenings, offering stress relief and, I believe, supporting sustained creativity and effective problem-solving.

Know more about your curator

Tell us about a project you’ve worked on that you found particularly interesting or challenging.

Just before joining Futurice I worked on a project that was both extremely interesting and challenging. My client was a public official and the goal was to raise awareness and provide practical tools for companies supporting employees with learning difficulties, which is a relevant topic for virtually all organizations, given that around 20% of working-aged adults in Finland experience such challenges. This project allowed me to delve into a completely new subject area and learn from it. Due to the purpose and personal learnings, I found the project incredibly meaningful. The insights I gained from this experience continue to inform my work.

How do you stay updated on the latest industry trends and technologies?

My general curiosity about the world naturally keeps me updated. I'm an observer, whether it's different signs in the city, architecture, nature, urban culture, or how services are designed in everyday life. I also listen to conversations, podcasts sometimes, and definitely try out new services and apps. Of course, I follow traditional and social media on various topics, often going down 'google rabbit holes.' Unpopular opinion: I prefer plain old reading over videos, finding it faster to grasp key points by browsing.

Any tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

My best tip for work-life balance is to engage in activities so physically or mentally demanding that there's simply no bandwidth left to think about anything else. This winter and spring, hot yoga has been that for me, forcing complete focus on that moment. For warmer seasons, having a garden offers a similar escape: there's so much to do from spring to autumn, a different kind of work from screen time. You might start with a few weeds and find yourself elbow deep in the soil or bush for hours. It’s also a fantastic way to practice creativity and patience, as you plan and envision, but it takes time to see any results.

      Address source: Futurice’s client or interest group register | Privacy Policy