ILMxLAB has launched Inside the Studio: Our Stories, an interview series thats highlights the career journeys of the team in Lucasfilm’s immersive entertainment division, and next up is Senior User Interface Artist Amy.
In your own words, tell us a little bit about your role and what you do here at the studio.
As a Sr. UI Artist here at ILMxLAB, I help maintain a healthy relationship between interface aesthetics, functionality, and user experience. In other words, I make sure users have a great time navigating and using these story rich experiences we are creating for them!
What led to your passion in wanting to work in this field and study graphic design in college?
I have always wanted to pursue a career in the creative field. I took a few years of traditional 2D animation and photography before landing at graphic design. At the time, graphic design seemed like the most practical way to pursue a creative career, all while retaining some aspects of the visual problem solving that I love.
An amazing user interface is integral to any experience, since users interact with it at all times. Is there anything you feel is the most important aspect to keep in mind when you’re designing new interfaces?
I’m a firm believer that, while usability should be first, the user interface should come together visually with everything else, such as characters, environments, etc., to tell a cohesive story. Good user interface should never just feel like a colored wireframe that can easily be repurposed.
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of designing interfaces that are unique visually, but also intuitive and user-friendly for players?
For a lack of better phrasing, the most challenging aspect is to always remember to think from the perspective of the target audience, and I constantly remind myself that just because I like something doesn’t mean the target audience will.
How do you collaborate with other disciplines to ensure that your UI work blends cohesively with what they’re also working on?
Always ask the question “why?” when working with others. Understanding the purpose and goal behind decisions from other disciplines helps me make informed decisions and challenges me to find creative solutions!
What’s your favorite part about being at the studio? Is there anything in particular that makes you excited to work each week?
My favorite part about working here is working with all the other talented folks on IP’s that I’ve loved since I was a child. I’m constantly inspired by others and it’s never a dread to come to work.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever gotten?
At my first job, I admired my Art Director a lot. I spent a lot of time trying to be like her but was failing to do so. Upon leaving that job, she told me not to try being like her, but to try to be better than her. That has encouraged me to find my own path in the industry.
For someone interested in a similar career, is there a program or class that you’d recommend taking, or a skill they should learn?
Instead of a particular program to learn, I would instead highly recommend a book, The Design of Everyday Things. Programs and tools are always evolving and can be learned at any point. This book talks a lot about the design methodologies that are in everyday life, many of which are ones that we don’t even notice. I think this book adds a lot of value in leading our brains to develop our own ideas and methodologies.
Take the link below for Lightspeed Questions with Amy and stay tuned for more interviews highlighting the career journeys of the team in Lucasfilm’s immersive entertainment division.
