Jumping Into The Real World
To say this is an exciting time would be an understatement. I finally have the opportunity to take what I have learned from Interactive Media Management and apply it to the “real world”. Over the last two semesters, I have gotten a chance to develop and hone my skills in UX design, digital strategy, content strategy, interactive narrative, and pretty much every facet within interactive media. This has allowed me to pursue my interests within UX design and digital strategy, specifically aiming to help organizations design innovative digital and social solutions with their users at the forefront. I love connecting with people and understanding what makes them tick. I believe it is this sense of curiosity and empathy that allows me to target a problem from different users’ perspectives, and ultimately, come up with a creative yet practical solution.
Combining my passion for sports, I hope to take this UX-thinking and interactive media knowledge into the world of sports. In the short-run, I plan on working with the Canadian Olympic Committee and learning as much as I can about their digital strategy, social media, branding and design. Team Canada has grown in following and popularity significantly over the last 5-10 years, so it’s an exciting time to learn how they continue to drive that momentum.
As a current digital visual content intern, I have been assigned to multiple one-off projects thus far. My responsibilities so far have ranged from designing social media content and infographics, to usability testing for new websites and apps. One of the challenges I will have to overcome is being adaptable and flexible to projects that vary in size, time and budget. As a creative thinker and a fresh intern, I tend to bring grand ideas to every project I am faced with. While some of those ideas are great for long-term solutions (e.g. implementing VR or AR within existing media, developing new apps), they are not always the most feasible short-term solutions. This is something I will continue to learn as I become more familiar with the COC’s workflow and thought processes. Overall, my field placement experience so far has been great, and I expect it to become even better as I get more involved within the new websites and app development!
