SO Suet-fan || BA (Hons) in Design || Yu Ming Lung Design Co., Taiwan

Compared with a school project, a business project is a whole different kettle of fish. Having had a placement opportunity in Hong Kong before, the final year Design student So Suet-fan had a different experience at Yu Ming Lung Design in Taiwan this summer, returning home with a brand-new perspective on her future design career.

Suet-fan joined the design team at a good time right before The World Games 2009 were held in Kaohsiung. Her company received a project from the Taiwan Government and Kaohsiung authority regarding the Game’s promotion materials. “It was a golden opportunity to learn how to manage a big project,” she says.

Be conscious of limitations

Due to limited resources and time, one of her designs was turned down. “I proposed to add some handcrafted elements in the design, a common practice in school work. But I didn’t notice the human resources incurred. I learnt that a good designer not only had to consider the outcome of the design, but also the cost,” says Suet-fan.

Another design project Suet-fan undertook was to design a logo for the tourist souvenir campaign of Kinmen, a Taiwanese island. “Since I had no concept about the island at all, I wrongly chose black color which symbolized bad luck to the Kinmen people.” She then spent more time on researching the culture and customs of Kinmen. Whenever she came up with a new sketch, she asked her colleagues for advice to keep her mind refreshed and inspired. “Design is not just artwork, but the combination of humanity and creativity,” she realises.

After work, Suet-fan was taken to visit various production houses and designers. The interaction with real designers ignited her passion and ambition to be a good designer. “I was so moved by their determination. They keep creating new works, aiming at opening their personal exhibitions to enhance their publicity,” says Suet-fan, who was encouraged to participate in different design competitions.

The internship experience has been a beacon lighting up her career path, enabling her to realise which design discipline her real interest lies in. “I want to get more involved in managerial level work. I will utilize my final year to further broaden my horizons and equip myself for the future,” she says.