Grad Process Book 2024

Emily Carr University of Art

Contents.

Acknowledgments.

First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to my family, friends, and teachers who have supported and encouraged me throughout these past four years at Emily Carr. It has been nothing short of a transformative experience. I am immensely proud of myself for achieving this goal despite the inevitable challenges and obstacles along the way. I eagerly anticipate the next chapter of my journey, wherever it may lead me.

-William Briggs

Who Am I?

Born and raised in Vancouver, BC.

Inspired by Dieter Rams principles of good design, I view them as foundational pillars guiding my creative exploration. From childhood, design has been my driving passion, propelling me towards Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Here, I embrace innovation and meticulous attention to detail as indispensable elements in crafting user experiences that are honest, impactful, and aesthetically pleasing, echoing Rams ideals. Currently, my focus is on “Break Free,” a project aimed at aiding individuals in navigating the emotional challenges of relationship endings, enriching my understanding of human resilience and cognition.

As an Interaction Design major, my curiosity is boundless, propelling me to constantly seek new avenues of exploration. With a background as former realtor, I’ve cultivated empathy and effective communication, enabling me to connect deeply with others. In essence, my journey as a designer is characterized by a commitment to innovation, compassion, and creativity—a journey I eagerly continue, driven by the desire to make a positive impact through design.

Micro-animations

JargoQuest Movement. Loading, Volume, Like, and Menu. Starting point is brand logo, 3 second loop

Type + Motion Class 2023

What Drives Me.

Few things elicit as much discomfort as encountering poor design systems, and this belief significantly influences my approach to creating designs. I recognize the pervasive reliance on technology in our daily lives, particularly in the digital realm, which presents vast opportunities for substantial improvement. The ability to freely express creativity and solve problems brings me immense joy. For me, good design should exude personality and possess an energy that resonates long after its creation.

While I appreciate the complexity of design, I also value minimalist approaches that function intuitively. Visually, I find beauty in negative space when used appropriately; breathability becomes a luxury. Witnessing an idea evolve from a mere sketch on paper to a fully realized prototype is incredibly gratifying—it validates my efforts. In this field, where constant evolution and change, akin to the regular updates of your smartphone, present new challenges each day, I find continuous stimulation for my mind.

Curiosity ignites my motivation to explore.

Mobile App

Redesign

DoorDash

Menu page, focus on Hierarchy and color

UX Sketch Prototype I 2021

The Process. In My Head.

I tend not to pigeonhole myself into one specific ideation method, as the context and scope of each project vary, necessitating different approaches to achieve the final goal or outcome. Typically, I initiate the process with research, often scouring images and videos online for inspiration. Sketching and brainstorming quickly aid in flushing out ideas and transferring them to physical or digital mediums. While I strive to maintain a timeline, I also allow for flexibility as needed. Selecting the appropriate medium upfront can significantly streamline the process, particularly when unsure how best to showcase a piece of work.

During productive phases, I easily lose track of time, fully engrossed in my work. This approach has served me well throughout my life, although I now prioritize breaks when energy levels wane and begin to affect visual accuracy. Feedback is invaluable in the design process, offering insights to reconsider and improve upon moving forward.

Occasionally, inspiration strikes immediately, streamlining the process and saving time. I find music playing in the background enhances my focus while working.

In my experience, design is never a linear process; it flows in and out like a river. My design thinking typically starts out very chaotic, resembling a scribble that gradually gains clarity as I delve deeper into it. This iterative process often repeats itself.

Scribble.

On The Horizon.

Where I Want To Go.

I’ve always dreamed of working in an old brick building somewhere in Yaletown. It’s something that has stuck in my mind from watching TV shows and movies. Initially, I thought that working for a large company, such as Google, Apple, or Microsoft, would be the ultimate goal. However, my perspective has shifted over the past year or so. As I embark on this new journey in the field, I envision myself starting out at a smaller firm to absorb as much knowledge as possible and grow from there.

I aspire to be part of a collaborative team that thrives on bouncing ideas off each other in a welcoming and energetic environment. While the flexibility to work remotely is important in today’s world, I believe that working alongside someone in person provides a much more stimulating experience. As opportunities abound, I keep my options open, whether that involves relocating to another city or even country.

Ideally, I see myself at a creative firm, perhaps even a place like Lego, where I could utilize my skills as a UX/UI designer—I have a genuine passion for building with Lego’s. Looking ahead, I’m also intrigued by the idea of eventually starting my own design firm or business, leveraging the tools and skills I’ve acquired over the years to further challenge myself and showcase my abilities.

Toggle Button.

In this interactive component exploration for my graduate project, users will engage with a swipe-left feature to transition between settings ranging from empathetic to humorous.

Grad Project.

Breakfree.

The idea came to me randomly one day while I was brainstorming three new proposals for my design core class, having just abandoned my previous project related to ocean plastic. Breakfree was born during a casual dinner discussion with my siblings about relationships—a topic I found super interesting and worth exploring further. What started as just an idea has slowly taken shape over the last two months. As I surveyed existing mobile apps, it seemed like something was missing or lacking. I wanted to develop a digital service that helps individuals manage the fallout of a sour relationship but with a fresh face lift.

The concept revolves around a “pick your own journey” preference, offering two modes: one empathetic to feelings and the other taking a more humorous approach. My teammate Jaewan and I conducted extensive research on the importance of humor and its potential to provide relief during challenging times. The challenge was how to incorporate these elements into a mobile application—what features to include and how to differentiate it from similar products on the market. Additionally, we wanted this project to be enjoyable. I reached out to a friend who is a registered psychologist for ideas and insights during workshops and private conversations.

The purpose of Breakfree is to help individuals rediscover themselves, promoting self-identity without self-loathing, and providing distractions to propel them forward. Whether through funny quotes, movie recommendations, meditations, or community forums, Breakfree aims to offer support and encouragement during difficult times.

The challenges we anticipate are those related to fostering sustained user engagement, which involves offering compelling content and features that encourage regular interaction with within the app. Additionally, we strive to maintain a diverse range of high-quality content to satisfy our users preferences and keep them coming back for more. Designing a userfriendly interface presents another hurdle, as we aim to strike the right balance between simplicity and functionality, ensuring seamless navigation and usability across different devices and user preferences.

Brainstorm Sketch.

In this interactive component exploration for my graduate project, users will engage with a swipe-left feature to transition between settings ranging from empathetic to humorous.

Low Fidelity User Testing.

The concept behind this was to craft smooth transitions between states with subtle nuances. My goal was to establish a natural, fluid user flow while maintaining a minimalist interface.

Accessibility Workshop Probe.

In this interactive component exploration for my graduate project, users will engage with a swipe-left feature to transition between settings ranging from empathetic to humorous.

Choose Your Preference. Ecosystem Map.

Understanding Breakfree’s role requires examining its position in the support ecosystem for relationship endings, including its interactions with stakeholders and external influences.

Low Fidelity

Wireframe

Breakfree

Try This Page

Places, music and food, sketching out the layout and hierarchy

Grad Project 2024

High Fidelity Wireframe

Breakfree

Adding imagery, border radius, color, context, type weight to align with concept

Grad Project 2024

Creative Vision.

Impact of Work.

At times, I consider myself an emotional individual, someone who deeply cares about people and all living things. Emotions wield immense power, especially when navigating feelings towards others and grappling with the impact when expectations aren’t met. Working on a project like Breakfree is something I genuinely aspire to develop into a tangible reality; I possess that entrepreneurial spirit within me. Additionally, it could serve as a showcase piece for my portfolio, highlighting explorations and topics of interest to both myself and likeminded individuals.

Every project I undertake differs from the last, and I find tremendous value in that diversity. It allows me to continually refine my skills and explore new possibilities. Engaging in interviews and crafting systems, from information architecture to wire frames, is always fascinating, knowing that my efforts aim to enhance people’s lives. With this in mind, reflecting on all the projects I’ve completed, including the one currently underway, I can picture myself in fields such as health design, environmental sustainability, and many others.

Design language is meant to be playful and uplifting. Balancing the use of negative space was considered. We wanted to achieve a clean user friendly interface that is easy to navigate.

Breakfree Wireframe.

Where Is Will.

Vancouver,BC

will.dbriggs@gmail.com

willbriggs.design

604.329.6211