Editor’s note: Get to know the design director behind the popular App! Today, the interviewer is the teacher @xiaodarling dad from Mint Technology. Since joining the industry in 2004, I have studied web design/front-end development by myself. After getting involved in App design, I learned UI/UE design and iOS development. The App he was in charge of was recommended on the home page of App Store for 7 times. His strong ability impressed people. Let’s see how he learned design and led the team.
Guest Introduction:
Zhang Zhichao, graduated from Tongji University, engaged in web design from 2004 to 2011, and worked as the design director for overseas outsourcing projects, responsible for web design and front-end development of all projects.
He joined Mint in 2011 as design director. Lead the UI design team, responsible for the UI design and interaction design of the company’s APP, cooperate with engineers to complete front-end development, and continuously optimize the user experience of the product.
I have been responsible for the UI/UE design of 7 apps in Mint, among which “Mint” has been recommended on the home page of app Store for 6 times, and “Food Bank” (now renamed “Food Pie”) has been recommended on the home page of App Store once and once for special topics.
Self-study ability is relatively strong. In the university when self-taught design, poor students have no money to buy books, every day to the library, bookstore to see the course; In the stage of web design, I learned the front end of web page by myself (there was no special front end department at that time, and the front end work was taken charge of by the design department). Later, I worked on mobile Internet and taught myself iOS development.
Recently transitioned to product Manager, responsible for an innovative project, from Design-product to Product-Design.
Usually like to listen to podcasts, listen to more miscellaneous, business, products, design, history, etc., including excellent micro radio.
Address of Miss Zhang: dribbble.com/itisalex, and Address of Behance: www.behance.net/itisalex
Work piece:
1. Your self-learning ability is very strong. Could you share your self-learning methods with us?
Why do many designers fail to learn programming? I don’t think it’s a problem of ability, it’s a problem of perception.
The first point of view to change is that it’s good to have your design done, but it’s good to put it in your portfolio.
If an idea exists only in the head, no matter how great the idea is, only one person knows it. Designers will express this idea through visual means, and people will know more. A lot of designers would think that at this point my work is done. But I think this is not enough, only when the idea is realized, let users use, it is really meaningful, otherwise it is just the designer’s YY.
Programming is a means of getting your ideas off the ground. The simplest and fastest way is to make a web page. Designers who find programming difficult recommend starting with the front end of a web page, starting with the simplest purely static pages (HTML + CSS), and getting started in two days on weekends.
The second concept to change is: design is good, it doesn’t matter what it looks like when it goes online.
Many designers have an obsessive need to be pixel accurate. The question is, is your obsession limited to designs? Wouldn’t it bother you if your design got a 90 and the programmer only got a 60?
Five years ago, I moved from web design to UI/UE. In order to maintain the quality of the design draft of the app, I learned iOS development by myself. You haven’t read a book on iOS, and I don’t recommend reading those tomes. Practice is the best teacher. Do not understand to ask Google (do not use Baidu, who pit who knows), do not understand to ask engineers.
Mint interface design
2. Has my understanding of design changed from web design to UI/UE design to the current product manager?
My perception of design, my perception of products, is changing all the time. What’s changing is the importance of something.
In the beginning, I thought the details were the most important, such as the Angle of the shadows, how much transparency. This is the “good-looking” aspect.
Later, I decided that the layout of the entire page was more important, where the user’s eyes rested, where the user’s fingers pointed.
Later on, I think the interaction is more important, how the user experiences the whole process from page to page. This is the “good to use” aspect.
Later, I decided that it was more important to be useful than to look good or to work.
Later, I decided that it was more important to decide what to do and what not to do than to be useful.
I may soon change my mind about that.
3. Tell me about the most frustrating stage of your design career. How did you spend it?
The most frustrating stage has two times: one is in a state-owned enterprise, obviously have nothing to do, but also pretend to be very busy. Another time, though I had something to do, I did the same thing every day. Both of them had one thing in common: they found themselves unable to learn new skills, exposed to new ideas, and making no progress.
I am not one to change jobs easily. I have stayed at the last two companies for at least five years. When I find it difficult to make progress, I first communicate my ideas to my superiors and look forward to new challenges. If you don’t get a good opportunity, put up with it for a while. Maybe you can wait for something new. If you can’t wait a month or two, jump out of your comfort zone.
4. From an ordinary designer to a director, what changes have taken place in your functions and what new skills should be developed?
Another way to think about it is, if you were the boss, what kind of person would you like to have promoted from designer to director?
First of all, this person has to be professional. Among his peers, his professional ability should be the best. Only after I promote him can I convince them. Secondly, the man has a job, I leave the matter to him, he will do it all right, I don’t have to worry about it.
As long as you remain professional and professional, the door to advancement is always open.
In terms of functions and skills, ordinary designers only need to mind their own business, and execution is important. At the level of supervisor, it is necessary to manage the affairs of a group of designers well. What is important is the ability of organization and coordination. At the director level, in addition to the design area you are good at, you will also be exposed to areas you are not familiar with, such as product, development and even business. Communication and learning skills are important.
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▽ Wave following works
5, design is not a single fight, to form an excellent design team to pay attention to what problems?
1. Don’t be too sentimental. If he’s not doing well, don’t let it get to the end of the day, but give him immediate feedback (and be careful how you criticize him). If he is really bad, not that he is bad, but that he is not suitable, then ask him to leave, it is good for everyone. Good team is not fighting.
Don’t use one way to all people. Also point out the other person’s shortcomings, some people will feel very beneficial, others will think you are very wordy. You have to understand each person’s temper, eat soft or eat hard, suitable for letting him try, or hand in hand with a period, have to vary from person to person.
Don’t do it alone. Designers in our company are assigned to each project team, which makes people feel like they are fighting alone. So we need to get together, talk, share and communicate more often to promote each other.
6. What do you think a good design Leader should look like?
A good Leader is like a good parent.
Respect his nature and treat him as he accepts it, not as you are used to. Respect his ambitions and set goals for him that he wants to challenge, not ones you think he can. Respect his choices and let him do it the way he thinks is right, not the way you think is right.
Finally, when he reaches his goal and grows up, give him the reward he deserves, such as asking the boss for a raise ^_^
7. How do you feel when your product has been recommended on the first page of App Store seven times?
First of all, getting your product featured on the App Store is a team effort, not an individual effort.
What kind of apps are featured in the App Store? The rules we find are: 1. Small but beautiful. 2. Excellent design. 3. The first indication of apple’s upcoming features.
It’s nice to be recommended, but don’t be too happy, you just happen to meet one or some of the above criteria. And not to be recommended, also do not need to be sad, but the conditions do not meet it, than to be recommended, the more important thing is: live. (Some of the recommended apps, because they can not make profits, the company will not continue to operate)
At the beginning of a project, it is easy to be “small but beautiful”, and if you add “well designed”, it is easy to be recommended. Such as the project up, the number of users dozen, have to face the problem of commercialization, easy to become “big and mediocre”, it is difficult to be recommended.
It’s a bit like a movie. It’s hard to have it both ways.
8. What do you think is the most critical quality for a new designer?
To the new design entry-level, people will not have too high requirements on you, can tolerate your immaturity and mistakes, but no one will tolerate it all the time. You have to be seen to be improving, and that depends on the ability to learn, and the ability to learn depends mostly on motivation, which is passion.
Life story:
1. Let’s talk about what’s in your bag.
I don’t want to take too many things when I go out. They are all necessary: mobile phone, wallet, keys, traffic card and access card.
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2. People want to see your desk, too
A 15-inch Macbook (designers should use an iMac or a 15-inch Macbook with a larger screen), a laptop stand (to protect your neck and eyes), a Wacom drawing board, a notepad, an interactive dot book, a teacup.
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What do you like to do in your spare time
I am a nerd, and my business time is mainly watching movies, listening to podcasts and spending time with my children.
4. Recommend some of your favorite design podcasts
I listen to podcasts every day, and I listen to them a lot. Recommended podcasts for design: Anyway.FM, YouTube and UX Coffee.
5, share a most handsome team photo/personal photo for this interview
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Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to complete this interview.
There is nothing to make fun of, Optimus has done a great job and has helped us a lot. Hope optimus continues to do better and better.
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