In this interview with Scott Burke we talk about discipline, resilience and creativity.
Scott is a designer and researcher currently working at Objective Experience in Sydney.
His objective is to have a net positive impact on the lives of other people and the world we live in.
He operates under a dichotomy of humility, objectivity, and leaving ego at the door.
How did you get started in design industry? How did you get to where you are today?
Most of my professional career has been in the Army as I’ve always wanted to help people. Design has the power to do exactly the same thing sans the sleep deprivation (most of the time).
I started out by learning some development over 6 months while I was still in the Army as a side hobby. I’d also previously done a big chunk of a psychology degree, UX seemed like a perfect intersection that aligned with my objectives in life using what I’d learnt from life, development and psychology.
The journey I took was on the back of an overseas deployment which gave me some financial freedom to take some time off and study UX through Academy Xi and spend half a year working with startups.
After about six months, it paid off and I was approached by a consultancy to jump onboard.
What transferrable skills have you learned in other jobs that have helped your career in design? How do you apply them?
Discipline, ownership and critical thinking.
Discipline through setting yourself a standard in everything you do, and not allowing yourself to fall below this standard. I apply this by setting measurable goals and standards, and working to accomplish these. It applies to all areas of life i.e. if you have a meeting, plan to be early.
Ownership; you’re responsible for most things that happen in your life. How can you own these and come out stronger? If you see something needs work or isn’t delivering the outputs you need, jump in and have go at reworking it. I often try to find little projects when I’m on the bench that can deliver quick wins.
Critical thinking is something that comes with spending time in the military and understanding that there is intent behind everything. At face value, something may look meaningless or uninspiring, but it’s all part of a bigger picture. Work on developing yourself to identify this and think critically about what you do and why you do it and everything will become clearer on a strategic and tactical level. I translate this into everyday life and work by not approaching things a defined expectation of something.
What work/project are you most proud of?
I’m proud of all the work that I do because none of it is perfect. What elements I’m proud of are the imperfections and flaws that let me put a spotlight on where I need to improve. Working on accessibility for a ridesharing startup called PeepsRide was the most eye-opening project to date. This project was a showcase for why empathizing and researching with people when they have an impairment or medical condition is crucial.
Was there a time when you have messed up and felt like you have failed? What did you do? How did you deal with it?
This is a great question. I’ve been a follower of the Jocko podcast for the last few years. It’s centered around leadership and mindset, Jocko being a former commander of a Navy Seal task unit. One of the main principles is that mindset is more important than anything else. Rather than seeing something as messing up and failing, it’s an opportunity and a good chance to counteract it.
Personal example: You didn’t perform very well in that design challenge and didn’t get the job. Good, you should be looking at why that happened and how you can be better for the next one. They didn’t agree with a niche design decision that was backed by your research? Great, lets learn how to communicate more effectively for next time.
What advice would you give to those just starting in the industry?
Ego is the enemy.
Be humble and use initiative and welcome feedback. Work for startups to learn. Spend time doing courses and learning things that are outside of the norm. Condition yourself to become comfortable with being uncomfortable because researching in those conditions is going to deliver the most actionable insights.
The biggest piece of advice I might offer is to consider everything you’re told and inform yourself. John Smith that’s been in the industry for 30 years tells you to something a particular way, because that’s how he’s done it. This doesn’t mean you should do it without investigating and understanding why. Consider the variables and the reasons why. Make informed decisions, but do it in a respectful way.
This ties into feedback. Feedback is a positive mechanism, welcome it. Feedback from peers, yourself or users is incredibly useful as often they will see things differently to you. Be thankful for feedback and accept it with humility.
Who are your mentors?
Alison Williams – she offers support and ongoing mentorship at Objective Experience. She has taught me that communication is incredible and that keeping things simple and universal can be a tremendous help as it helps keep everyone on the same page. She has seen a diverse range of projects in her time as a practitioner and her guidance on research and design is always invaluable.
Phil Hughes St-Clair – a serial entrepreneur paying it forward through his weekly podcast and long-form blog posts. Phil met up with me and offered me some great advice when I was new to the design industry and gave me some real, usable direction. I now check out all of his podcasts to continue learning about startups and mindset on a strategic level .
Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration comes from research. Remaining objective and unattached to an idea through the research we conduct helps us open up pathways to inspiring solutions that we may never have thought of.
Do you have a “productivity hack”?
Plan your day and do what you plan. It’s as simple as spending a few minutes every night planning a Google Calendar for the following days/weeks and sticking to them and pivoting as needed.
Second ‘hack’; exercise. It really helps in a very tangible way. The difference between a day I’ve trained in the morning, and a day I haven’t is quite noticeable to me in terms of energy and brain function.
What tools do you use on a regular basis?
Laptop: MacBook Pro.
Software: Sketch, Axure, Keynote/Powerpoint, Adobe Creative Suite
For user testing, we have a bespoke setup here that allows us to stream for remote viewing and to our dedicated viewing rooms. We flex around what each project requires and work to come up with the most effective setup for it.
For prototyping, it’s either Axure or Sketch through Marvel or Invision. Often clients provide their own stimulus for testing.
A great resource to use is Mobbin.design – it highlights some great design patterns by some award-winning apps.
What books/websites/podcasts would you recommend?
Extreme Ownership and the Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink along with Jocko’s Podcast.
Design related would be Pinterest and Dribbble to have a look at what people are commonly doing. I try to avoid floating phones with the visual elements hovering over the interface though. They’re misleading to me.
I try to be aware of what the industry is pushing out through LinkedIn and other sources like Fjord and AJ&Smart’s 2020 trends. Often I’ll spend hours looking for papers on relevant research that might be useful in future projects.
Recreationally, I’m currently trying to read the Gulag Archipeligo by Solzhenitsyn however that’s not happening as consistently as I’d like.
