Under the Hood: Design& New Horizons with Huey Min Pon

The Design& New Horizons theme explores that which exists beyond our line of sight – past the immediate and the obvious. Ahead of our Under the Hood: Design& New Horizons online event happening on 16 October 24, we briefly chatted with one of our forward-thinking speakers Huey Min Pon, Digital Designer at PHQ AKL.

Can you share a little about the path you took to get to where you are now at PHQ ALK?

I joined PHQ 3.5 years ago, starting as a junior/intermediate designer. Coming from a motion design background, it was an exciting new space to be in. I’ve since grown into a senior designer and developed my skills in digital and web design, which remains a passion of mine.

What project will you be presenting at Under the Hood: Design & New Horizons?

Get Ready! A touch screen experience about how to protect and prepare yourself should there be a volcanic event in Tāmaki Makaurau.

What was the most challenging part of the project and what lessons did you draw from it?

The whole project was visually and technically challenging. We had to break down a lot of the animation into states to ensure the world we were building was lively.

The characters had to be engaging as the game needs to attract kids age 7-12 years old (tough crowd if you ask me!). Hence we decided to use Rive. Although this is a fairly new software, we’ve managed to build four games from it with minimal bugs!

Was there an ‘Aha!’ moment when all the pieces of the project clicked and fell into place?

I don’t think there’s one, but being able to collaborate with many talented people in my team made me feel supported. The gradual support and progression of the project got better each week, which felt rewarding.

**What are you working on now Get Ready! has finished?**

We’re actually working on another project for the Auckland Museum! It’s an exciting one, with different types of challenges.

What insights to your methodological approach or philosophy can you share?

I’m always asking myself ‘what if?’ to keep things fresh. What if I try doing it this way? What if I approach it from this angle? What if I drink some coffee, surely the ideas will come?! It’s important for designers to stay curious and challenge the traditional way of doing things.

Outside of work hours what creative projects and/or hobbies are you involved with?

I’m part of Blob Collective, which we started as uni students, we spend our weekends creating digital public art and have done projects throughout Tāmaki Makaurau, so you might have spotted our work!

What areas of your work, or personal development, are you hoping to explore next?

I look forward to continuing to explore new technologies and collaborate with talented individuals on various projects. Working with people from different backgrounds always leads to better outcomes, thanks to the combined ideas and unexpected discoveries. I’m also excited to keep working on Blob Collective and take on larger projects!