Career Pathway Trajectory
From my collective experience working as a designer at Sentosa, freelancing for a couple companies and recently an internship at Dezign Format, I was able to narrow down some factors that would influence my career pathway.

• Working Space
• In a team/agency/studio
• Create meaningful experiences
• Open to experimentation

Firstly, I would prefer to have a working space outside of my home. Working from home as a freelance designer and recently due to Covid restrictions, I found that my work life was bleeding into my personal life. I was working late into the night everyday but was unproductive during the day. It was especially difficult to stay away from my bed and the refrigerator. My relationship with creative work became sour and I felt drained. On the contrary, when I was travelling around for work or was in the office, I was able to focus and felt more inspired. Work-life balance was easier to manage and I was always motivated to get back into the office. On that note, I found it more enjoyable to work with a team or company with people around. I need social interactions with my work so I do not go crazy alone and overwork myself. Daily lunches and work meetings help me process my thoughts and also helps with creative processes. Working in a team, we can support each other with opportunities to learn from one another. Looking back at my work experience, it is those moments with my colleagues that I remember and cherish.



Next, I would like to pursue a career in experiential design; to create meaningful experiences that can inspire a change in people and the world. After freelancing for companies such as Keppel, Shiseido and Sentosa, I realise that designing for marketing and sales is deadly boring and uninspiring. I grew tired of the templates quickly because I had no space to think creatively and experiment. I do not want to spend the rest of my life selling products that I did not believe in and contribute more to capitalism. While interning at Dezign Format, Natalie and I were tasked to compose and model a life-size Christmas set piece for Wheelock Place. We conceptualised a Wintery playground for the elves and an arch for Santa and the Christmas tree. The display would be installed at the open space in front of Wheelock Place, where families can take pictures and create new memories. It was then that I realised what I wanted to do. The only downside during my internship was the lack of experimentation and exploration. While clients requested for fresh ideas with interactivity, we were directed by the sales team to stick to the status quo and recycle past year ideas. Hence, this brings me to my last factor, which is to work with a creative team that is open and willing to explore the new and quirky.

An example of such a studio is Field.io. 


Field.io
Field.io is a design studio that focuses on experimental design and research to combine art with new technology. Inspired by Nature, Humanism and innovation, they create and design new solutions that are sustainable and healing.

They have worked on many projects around the world and I was able to experience one of them at the ArtSciene Museum. “Together: the distance between (us)” is an interactive installation with lights and sound. While the installation was minimalistic, it was enlivening and memorable. It created an instant connection for the people within the space, and for a moment, we were all part of a musical piece.

These are the experiences I want to create and share with people — a moment where we all leave our judgments and prejudice behind and just be people. While I am still learning the ropes, I hope I will have opportunities to accomplish what I set out to do.

Presentation slides are here.