Joey Santos is a web designer who provides creative direction and interaction design from the Philippines. He has been designing websites for the past 3 years. Joey designs with UI in mind when it comes to his clients and he learns more as he designs. He works full-time as a Web and User Interface designer and freelances in his spare time. He is very interested in how the web benefits users and improves their experiences.
1. How did you first start designing websites?
I was pretty much interested with Flash when I was pencil pushing in college. The eye-candies, animations, and some Action scripting somehow tickled my creative juices. It was all cool. I was excited coming up with ideas and “flashing” it like a bling. I would come up with flash websites of myself and anything or everything under the sun that catches my eye… upload them and email my friends.
2. When did you first start designing websites? How long have you been designing websites?
I designed my first real website 3 years ago. It was supposed to be a portfolio but I didn’t have anything to put in it. lol.
3. What did you study in school? And, has it helped you become a better web designer?
I graduated from an IT course here in the Philippines. I really wanted to take up Fine Arts but there was a monetary issue then, I couldn’t send myself to an Art School then. IT course seems to be the next best thing where I can give in to my juices and to get a decent job, shooting two birds with one stone seems to be a good idea…saves you a lot of headache. Yeah, somehow helped me. IT introduced me to the tools of the trade. Stuff like UI and usability design which I believe proved to be very important with my current job.
4. What is the biggest challenge that you’ve faced as a web designer?
I was given a task to design a UI that should cater to a very wide demographics. The design is intended for the pros of that field, down to the 7 year old kids, to the soccer moms. I was constantly designing mockups that were constantly being rejected. I did a lot of research and ended up looking at how children’s books and elevator buttons are designed. It was fun, very challenging. The frustration was also there, but every time my designs get rejected I always learned something new.
5. Which web technologies could you not live without?
Google search. This is my default page, my portal to the web. It is like a BIG door to anywhere you want to go. Almost every new website I visited, I learned it from Google search.
6. Are you currently freelancing full-time or on a part-time basis? If part-time, what do you do as a day job?
I am currently working full-time for a software company here in the Philippines as a Web/UI Designer. The mythical “Dream Job”, well it is not a myth anymore. I get to work with the best actionscript guys and backend dudes here in the Philippines and my boss is also a seasoned Web Designer, and I am learning a lot from him. It is a great thing because he understands my methods and he gives me design freedom. Yes, design freedom! He is some sort of mentor to me.
7. What are your most favorite tools to use as a web designer?
A pencil and a piece of paper. Oh and a cup of coffee and a cigarette. I like to jot down the first things that came into my mind when I see the company name or the company logo of the client. Make a big word of a feeling that the client wants to communicate with their audiences, and list things that causes, encourages, or promotes this feeling. And from there, I usually draw rough layouts of the project.
