What design means to me

We recently caught up with our head of design, Kieran Reilly, to chat about the real importance of design in the modern era and why he has so much passion for it.

‘What design means to me?’ is a question in some form or another that I’ve been asked numerous times since school. I’ve probably given a few different answers over the years as my opinion on things have changed and as I’ve grown as a person and a creative. 

Design is everything and everywhere, everything that we touch, see or interact with has been considered (good or bad) in some way through form or function. 

As a designer, this means that something as simple as a walk to the shops consists of constantly analysing everything around from street signs, to the typography on shop signage to packaging… the list goes on. It’s something that I find hard or near impossible to switch off from but it is not something that I take for granted. It reminds me that there can be multiple solutions to one problem and the importance of communicating the correct message for your brand.

The biggest part of our job as designers is problem-solving and it’s my favourite part of the job. Every client has a different brief, with a different set of questions to be answered and this is where my passion for design lies. Yes, the sense of achievement when the finished piece lands on your desk is great but getting stuck into the initial brief and throwing all your ideas into the open for the first time, to be accepted or scrutinised is where the real buzz comes from. 

I feel privileged to call myself a designer and to work in an industry that is constantly changing and evolving. In these uncertain times it has been amazing to see the community pull together to offer support and guidance in various ways.

To answer the question, design for me means communication, progression and trying to make things better along the way. It means never standing still, there’s always something new to learn, someone new to meet and most importantly new problems to solve.