5 Minutes with Emma Taylor
Members of Design Assembly make up a network of Friends working together to build a thriving design scene in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our ‘Five Minutes’ series profiles the breadth and depth of design practice in our network.
Our Friend Emma Taylor has been drawn in by art and creativity, ever since she was a child – from painting as a toddler to crafting things with her hands – her passion has gradually evolved into a career as a graphic designer.
Emma, please tell us about your “gradual creative evolution”:
In high school, I was fortunate to have outstanding art and design teachers who nurtured my passion and introduced me to the possibilities of design as a career. This led me to pursue a Bachelor of Design at AUT, majoring in Communication Design. Alongside my studies I worked at two design studios that really allowed me to apply what I was learning directly into practice.
Since graduating in 2020, I have worked as a creative designer at KPMG. My time there has been incredibly rewarding, and I am excited to now embark on a new journey as I relocate to Ōtautahi, Christchurch.
Tell us about the studio you work in:
As an in-house creative designer at KPMG, I worked within a talented design team of 10. The in-house team supports the firm with marketing design support and a range of client deliverables – primarily focused on document design, including proposals, presentations, posters, and thought leadership articles. The team increasingly has the opportunity to expand on our skillset, working in videography, motion graphics and illustration.
One of the things I enjoyed most about working at KPMG is the variety. Even though we’re an in-house team, there were hundreds of different projects every year with many of Aotearoa New Zealand’s top clients, meaning I got the opportunity to design in both KPMG and client branding, which always keeps things fresh and exciting.
KPMG’s purpose, “Fueling prosperity for New Zealand, for all New Zealanders. Tītokona tō tātou tōnuitanga, mō Aotearoa, mō Tātou,” is also something I align with. They do work that matters in areas such as healthcare, sustainability and infrastructure, and I love that we get to support that work through design.
What does a typical day as an in-house creative designer at KPMG look like?
No two days are the same, it is a fast-paced environment. The team operates on an internal booking system and typically know what they’re going to work on each day, there are always unexpected requests for urgent design support on high-value bids. This has taught me to be an adaptable designer, able to pivot and address the highest priority. The fast pace has also sharpened my ideation skills, allowing me to create and explore within tight time frames since we may only have a few days on a project before starting the next booking.
A typical Monday for me starts with getting into the office early to check emails and review my workload for the day. I dive straight into my design tasks and attend our design team WIP (Work In Progress) meeting, where we discuss workloads, showcase projects and explore new design trends. We are also partial to the stuff quiz! Afternoons typically involve a design briefing with internal stakeholders to round out the day and gain an understanding of what is to come.
What’s your favourite studio tool?
My favourite tool has to be Adobe Illustrator. It’s something I jump in and out of every day, whether I’m designing illustrations, components for a diagram, or patterns to elevate the design of a document. It’s such a versatile tool that adds immense value to my design process.
What are your favourite types of projects to work on?
Alongside my 9-5 at KPMG, I also take on freelance design projects under my studio, Emerge Design. Most of my freelance work has been for not-for-profits, and it’s a real passion of mine to create designs that give back and support organisations that are making a difference.
What project are you most proud of?
One of the most rewarding design projects I’ve worked on in the last year has been the design of the Transport Sector Climate Scenarios report, produced by Aotearoa Circle and KPMG. The report explores three different climate change scenarios, highlighting potential impacts on New Zealand’s transport networks, if we fail to adapt or mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
As the designer on this project, I was tasked to familiarise myself with the Aotearoa Circle branding and set up the document’s styling to ensure consistency with their previous reports. A key aspect of this report was the illustrations for each scenario, which I co-designed with our team at KPMG. We went through several iterations to accurately capture the sentiments of each scenario.
You can view the full report here – see if you can spot the hidden kiwi in each illustration!
Would you believe me if I told you this was designed in PowerPoint alongside Illustrator? Due to the numerous contributors and reviews, this document was created in a live PowerPoint file, allowing for simultaneous edits by multiple people. While PowerPoint is not my design software of choice, I enjoy challenging its limitations and proving as a designer I can create cohesive, professional, and well-designed documents, regardless of the platform.
Do you have any advice about our industry for emerging designers or career changers?
Don’t discount working as a designer at a corporate company. When I was in university, this career path was often overlooked as a career avenue, to the extent that it wasn’t even on my radar when I graduated. However, I’m incredibly glad I took the chance and applied for a role at KPMG — I couldn’t imagine a better start to my career. Working for a large organisation has provided countless opportunities to upskill. I’ve designed for many of New Zealand’s top businesses and collaborated with incredible people. My advice: be open to every opportunity that comes your way.
Where can people connect with you?
I always love connecting with like-minded creatives. You can view more of my work on my website or connect with me on LinkedIn Emma Taylor.
I’m currently settling in Ōtautahi, Christchurch, and have just started a new role as a designer at Plato.
Members of Design Assembly make up a network of Friends working together to build a thriving design scene in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our ‘Five Minutes’ series profiles the breadth and depth of design practice in our network.
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