Adding a domain name, handling payments and making sure your SSL certificate has been added. If all those actions usually seem boring, it is because they haven’t been exposed to a creative soul. At Funio, we are lucky to have Vincent to add a brushstroke to our products. His Mona Lisa is the Funio Customer Hub. Today, Vincent takes some of his time to entertain us and shed some light on the everyday of a Funio graphic designer.
How did you first hear about Funio?
At first, I didn’t know Funio, nor iWeb for that matter. And I’m talking about 2011; shame on me. I received an email from someone (who is, today, my immediate supervisor) asking if I were interested in a job interview for a position. I went for it and got the job! I have no regrets in taking that decision. It has changed my life.
What makes Funio unique to you?
Here, at Funio, the atmosphere is very interesting since I am surrounded by people that are truly passionate about their work, therefore boredom is almost impossible. Despite being young, the team gives me a fair amount of responsibilities and challenges. Moreover, they help me evolve and become a better designer everyday.
What is your favourite Funio project?
I really love the work we did on the Customer Hub. It is a constantly changing interface because we never stop making enhancements on it for our clients. And the best part is that our community loves it! We started from old interfaces conceived by iWeb during the late 90s. Those obviously did not meet today’s clients needs. Now, however, I am proud to say that we were able to make the Hub visually attractive and easy to use, while being in a constant state of evolution.
What was your biggest challenge while creating the new Customer Hub?
The greatest challenge, not only for the Hub, but for any user interface in general, is conception. Before you even start on the creative process, a designer has to know how the interface works. Then, it is a matter of turning an abstract concept into a concrete idea. Later, usability comes into place. When we don’t understand the founding roots of an interface, we are automatically blocked.
We know each other, but the members of our community have just learned of your existence; can you tell us a bit about yourself, beyond your job title?
Beyond my position at Funio, I am a creative soul. While growing up, I was intrigued by a lot of things: music, illustration and more! As a teenager, music led me into becoming an artist. Therefore, my hobbies were marginal. For example, I would be creating websites during the summer time, without seeing much daylight in our family’s basement when I was 14 years old. The Internet was growing and the resources were limitless – I was born in the early 90s. I learned design, HTML and CSS at a very young age. Since then, I have never stopped being a basement geek.
What are your sources of inspiration?
I have always had a very modular and calculated style when designing, which was a perfect match with the Customer Hub. In my spare time, I take the time to read various blogs on design and creativity. I also like to take a look at any form of design, graphic or not, to get inspired by other artists.
If you had 5 words to describe the Funio Customer Hub, what would they be?
Simplicity, Versatility, Speed, Evolution, Consistence
If you had to create a mascot for the Hub, what would it be?
I see the Hub as a tiny and faithful robot that can adapt to our customers’ needs very easily.
Quickly…
- Mac or PC? I am sold to Mac.
- Android or iOs? Windows Phone 7.
- Application that you use the most: Photoshop.
- Montreal is… A culturally blooming city .
- Your best quality: Logic and creative, but since I have to choose only one I would answer : logico-creative!
- Your worst trait: My stubbornness.
