Design is more of a science than an art: Barry Despenza on designing for people with mental health issues.

What does creativity mean to you?

To me, creativity means freedom of expression and the ability to relate to what's happening around you. It's a way to explore and connect with the world.

Is there something you're currently working on to help you become a better designer?

Definitely! I'm working on improving my critical thinking and writing skills. I try to read as many articles as possible — especially those outside of design — because I believe the ability to articulate yourself verbally is essential as a designer, especially in meetings.

When did you first realise you were a creative thinker?

I realised I was a creative thinker when I was very young, around seven or eight years old. I was always questioning things and trying to find abstract answers.

What's your biggest pet peeve when it comes to your life as a designer?

My biggest pet peeve is when people call design an art and mistake me for an artist. I believe there's a distinction between the two. I would say design is more of a science than an art.

Is there such a thing as too much freedom when it comes to a design brief?

It depends, but I think allowing people to design based on their actual skillset is important, so I'd lean towards saying no. Really an ideal brief should include the scope, budget, and target audience, and that’s about it.

How important is it for you to feel like you're doing something new?

It's super important for me to feel like I'm doing something new and pushing boundaries.

What was the first piece of design you created?

One of my first designs was a terrible attempt at creating an Apple billboard. I copied and pasted an image I found on Tumblr, added the Apple logo, and placed it on a subway billboard. It wasn't even aligned, but I thought it was super cool (at the time).

How did you get your first job as a designer?

I got my first job as a designer by voicing my frustrations about the art industry on Instagram. A connection from Bumble introduced me to a back-end engineer for Shopify, and that's how I landed my first design role.

Why did you change your career path? What did you do before?

I changed careers because I grew tired of art academia. Previously, I was pursuing a career as a fine artist. I found that design was more solution-oriented and allowed me to practise empathy a bit more which drew me to the field.

I grew up thinking that all that mattered were accolades. So I spent a lot of time trying to accumulate a lot of them and get as many degrees and diplomas as possible. Throughout that process, I didn't like it — I felt like it was a lot of talking and not a lot of doing. But with design, I found it very solution oriented. 

With design ultimately there isn’t much to talk about, you have to have to practise what you preach — and the whole point is to be led by empathy. To me this is one of the most amazing things about design, so was the main reason why I made the jump.

How has your education impacted your career?

My education laid a critical foundation for my design career and taught me how to collaborate with various creatives. My interdisciplinary background in film and sound has also influenced my creative thinking.

My masters — or at least my attempt at my masters! — in fine art and sound really laid a nice little critical foundation for me to go forward and design. Also the ability to cross-collaborate amongst different departments and different artists and creatives. 

The bachelor's degree I would say was a little bit more important — not just because I finished it! — but because it really allowed me to build more confidence in myself which when I left home at 18 to move to San Francisco was a big deal.

Do you think it's important for creatives to be interdisciplinary?

While it can be beneficial, I don't think it's necessary for every creative person. I believe individuals should pursue what aligns with their passions and interests without feeling pressured to be something they’re not.

Because really you shouldn’t do anything that you don't feel is a part of your DNA. What makes it weird is when we start telling people what they should and shouldn't do. Of course I think you should open your ears and open your eyes to the idea of becoming interdisciplinary, but I don't think it's necessary to be a really good creative.

Does your design aesthetic infiltrate other parts of your life?

Design absolutely infiltrates my life: from relationships to even how I set the plants on the floor of my new apartment. The most obvious thing for me is my constant need to evaluate the user experience. 

Now I can’t go into hotel lobbies or restaurants without analysing the whole experience of how I dine, how I sleep, how elevators are laid out in a whole completely different way. It's ridiculous, but it's really addictive.

Is it a good thing?

It’s a beautiful thing. Because again, it is tapping into that critical psychological aspect of design that we forget about sometimes — everything is built around some sort of design framework for this reason.

How would you describe your style as a designer?

Experimental and very very aesthetically focused — and not at a surface level — but mainly from an emotional aesthetic perspective. I'm continuing to evolve and would say I’m quite contained right now, because I’m afraid and because I’m new — so I’m just soaking everything in.

What mediums or styles are you getting experimental with?

I'm grappling with motion design right now because I see a lot of agencies are wanting a designer who can do graphics but also make things move in a very cool and subtle way. 

What mediums or styles are you getting experimental with?

I'm grappling with motion design right now because I see a lot of agencies are wanting a designer who can do graphics but also make things move in a very cool and subtle way. 

What's been the most challenging user group you've designed for?

I'm actually working for a mental health startup, where I am a product designer for patients with schizophrenia. It is one hell of a challenge to try to come up with a digital solution for patients who have something so severe that I had no experience or knowledge of. 

Everyday I walk into the office and I work with a psychological therapist — it's quite rewarding (even though it is a challenge). It's very daunting. 

When it comes to accessibility, what would you like to see improved across the industry?

But one accessibility feature that I think is underutilised is sound. I used to study sound. And I was thinking recently that if I was blind and I still wanted to use a dating app like Tinder for example, it would be extremely difficult to be part of that community.

How would one find the right balance between creative design and accessibility?

User research. I think you can't really speak that language or address an accessibility issue or any design issue without really refining the research and really grounding any creativity around what the users’ actual needs are. You want to be talking to the people instead of guessing. 

What's your biggest issue with poor UX?

My issue with poor UX is that I think people misjudge it for good UI. Thinking that something has good UX design because it looks really good. But that simply isn’t the case, and UX really is a lot of invisible work — and more psychological. It plays a part in helping shape the UI, but really it's not UI at all.

Thanks Barry!