A Brand New Skillset
With a whirlwind start, the chance and opportunity to intern at BMW Group + QUT Design Academy was incredible. The whole experience was surreal, and I am extremely grateful for being accepted as an intern. Not only was it an instant ego boost to my self-esteem, but I have gained so much knowledge from this experience.
During my time spent as an intern in the BMW Group + QUT Design Academy internship program, I have grown and progressed as both an industrial designer and on a more personal level. From the beginning to the present, it has been a non-stop development of new skills and challenges that have pushed me to where I am today. A slightly more confident version of myself.
Alongside three other interns, we were fortunate enough to have the amazing chance to work with BMW Group staff. We had the ultimate opportunity to work on a UX/UI project, with parts of it having the potential to be implemented for global consumers, depending on the final outcome (mind=blown). For the project we were split into two pairs, to create and present two separate designs and working prototypes. Working in a team, while not new, was still an unbelievable experience as I learnt so much from my teammate Hsuan. The whole journey leading to the end has not only afforded me a brand-new skillset but demonstrated how I can work effectively in a design environment.
Without revealing what the project was (it’s hush-hush), the design process involved user and market research, mapping-out flow diagrams, scoping out interactions, refining graphical layout, then prototyping animations to help navigation and user experience and engagement. By following this process, we were not only able to create a holistic design that met the brief given, but also learn from industry professionals within the Academy and BMW Group.
As an industrial designer, while we may have crossovers with interaction design, it was a whole new experience working on a UX/UI project. The internship program provided me with the chance to develop and expand my skillset. From each stage in the design process, the milestones and each time we presented, we were always improving on our skills - taking on the feedback and further refining our concept to deliver for the next checkpoint. All these milestone achieved along the way underscored to me how much knowledge I have gained. Not only was I improving and developing on my hard skills as a designer by learning new technical skills from the software we used, I was also further developing my soft skills. This involved expanding on my communication skills, improving my presentation skills, and making new connections.
Overall, my experience as an intern at BMW Group + QUT Design Academy has showed me what I can achieve as a designer in the industry. New experiences and new opportunities have allowed me to prosper as I am constantly developing both my soft and hard skills. Lastly, I would like to say that improvements are instantaneous and easily transferrable to any situation. While I am not a professional in UX/UI, I do believe I am now quite proficient in prototyping software and have already begun to utilise my newly acquired skills in my final year at university.
Thanks!
Leena Al Sallakh
BMW Group + QUT Design Academy Intern, Semester 1 2021