Last week, I had a conversation with a lady from the Talent Management team to design the upcoming workshops for the firm. During the talk, she told me that she always aspired to be a designer as a kid, and said I have the most exciting job in her eyes now.

I was flattered and surprised at the same time since I never plan or imagine myself as a designer. Growing up as a kid, I thought I will be a flight attendant flying around the world, or maybe the hypnotist who helps people utilize their subconscious mind in the quiet little room.

But like Forrest Gump said, “Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you’re gonna get.”

So I somehow become a designer by chance, by luck, by saying “yes” to the opportunities that knock on my door.

And this is my story.

It was never planned

Being a designer wasn’t my intention as a professional. Growing up in Hong Kong, the concept of “design” was exotic for me. When mentioning the topic, I thought of “interior design,” fashion design,” “product design” — all those stunning visuals and sense of art, and it was just not for me.

So I followed the typical path like any other teenager in Hong Kong. I devoted all my energy to study, then entered the university with a major in BBA. After graduation, I joined IBM as a consultant trainee as my first job. I wore many hats like Business Analyst, where I translated user needs into a functional system requirement; I became a Scrum Master, where I facilitated the agile process for the team. And from time to time, you would find me coaching users on how to adopt a new system as a Change Management Consultant.

Embrace being the wild duck

In the environment of one of the global high-tech firms, day-in-day-out, we live and breathe with advanced technology. Automation, Big Data, AI, you name it. And it was always excited to be the first person to introduce the latest tech solutions to our clients, where you would always see the spark in their eyes.

In 2017, I came across a similar video like this.

How cool is that?

That’s how IBM iX starts our story in Hong Kong. IBM iX is a hybrid digital agency and consultancy that works at the intersection of strategy, vision, and technology to tackle business challenges.

As part of the global growth initiatives, I joined the iX family locally. Very soon, I began to leverage the human-centricity and the outcomes-led approach to help clients build meaningful solutions and products.

And the best part of it? I found my passion for engaging people and facilitating workshops, particularly on Design Thinking. We brought in the multi-discipline team for each session and co-created tangible ideas for their business challenge.

Stickers. Sharpies. Laughs in the room.

From that point, I knew nothing in the world could make me happier than having the group genius all together in a room and co-develop something impactful together.

Take a deep breath — Jump!

Time in iX was one of my highlights at IBM. I got the chance to work with different stakeholders and clients across sectors, from banking to insurance, targeted at internal staff to external customers.

Yet, something exciting was waiting there.

In 2019, I came across an online post about the Apple Developer Academy. This Apple school invited 400 people worldwide for a 9-months course developing human-centric iOS apps.

Fortunate enough, I earned my seats and flew to Italy for the European adventure. During the 9 months in Napoli, I had my first trial to draw, sketch, and design an app that solves challenges people faced in Italy. This included people with deep frustration, admin staff in the social cooperative, and children in the hospital who would have their own first MRI scan.

It did not go as well as I imagined. I had to admit that UI/UX design was not my strength, and it led me to stress other than joy during the process.

On the other hand, I did notice that I was way more engaged when I facilitated the team on the process of Design Thinking and the Agile way of working throughout the project. “Observe. Reflect. Make” was the primary principle that we applied, leveraging the IBM Enterprise Design Thinking approach.

My signature project? Puffy’s Adventure is a game to help children feel more comfortable with the MRI examination process by playing with augmented reality elements. The idea was tested and highly appreciated by the local doctors. They shared that it takes out children’s anxiety and even suggested making Puffy the hospital mascot to accompany young children to other medical exams.

Follow your instinct

After coming back to Hong Kong, I came across the opportunity with EY wavespace. It is a place where they help clients to reimagine what’s possible together by solving their most complex business challenge faster.

I eventually joined the family as a Design Strategist. With my passion for design thinking, creative ways of working, and facilitation skills, we create an environment for the team to participate, understand each other and develop a tangible outcome.

Each day, I feel inspired by the team and the people around me. And being continuously challenged, I fight to be a better version of myself for every opportunity to grow.

Last words

I never dream, plan or want to be a designer. But along the way, following instinct and the calling from my heart, I arrive where I am now — and this is just the beginning of another great story ahead.

Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected.

— Faith Sullivan

What about your story? How did you become a designer?