What did you most enjoy about the IDA judging process?

The broad range of categories and executions that are submitted. It demonstrates the talent of the world of design and the recognition that the award brings.

Was there one particular design which really stood out for you?

It would be hard to say that just one design stood out. I think it’s more the offering as a whole that really impacted my judging process.

What did you think about the quality of the entries in the IDA?

With exceptions that were purely conceptual, the quality of the entries was very high – demonstrating the level that is required to win the award.

How did you feel about the quality of the students’ entries?

I love judging student entries! They are free from business constraints and allow an alternative kind of thinking which is very creative and often paints a picture of future needs.

After reviewing the IDA projects, did you see evidence of current trends or challenges in the design industry?

Although not all projects reflect current trends, I was positively surprised to see the amount of sustainable, eco-friendly design that was presented to the award.

How much influence does your own personal taste influence your decisions in judging a design award?

Above personal taste, I would say that the expectation of high quality and strategic thinking is what rules my decisions when judging design awards.

What advice would you give to future entrants?

I would recommend that they take a lot of time to think about the presentation of their piece. If they can visually represent their design and thinking, they will go further than those who place more value on the copywriting behind the award submission. After all – the pictures are what gets seen first, and then, if it’s remarkable and there’s a doubt between two designs – the copy will then get taken into consideration.

What did you learn from this experience, and is there anything that you learned that you will take back to your respective business?

I learned about the broad range of entities that exist within our industry and how they are performing. It motivated me to think deeper about what it is that I am producing and the quality of output that is being presented.
What are you working on, what is in the pipeline for you for 2021?

2021 is a very exciting year, we are building our consultancy and are in talks with clients to produce impactful work. Additionally, as we are a company that makes products, services and experiences for both our clients and the general population, we are thrilled to have launched Sans Hands, a suite of applications that shows the power of gesture-based interaction and how it can take smooth digital use to the next frontier. We hope to expand on this include a hand-based gesture recognizer that will allow users to control interfaces from the future – a product that we hope will impress our clients, allowing us to place the technology in different industries across the world.

What do you think are the biggest challenges and opportunities in your career/industry now?

We are in an unprecedented time due to the way COVID-19 has shifted the world and industries as a whole. The biggest challenges ahead are how we adapt, cut through the endless noise of agencies and help our clients fulfil their challenges via digital transformation, in a way that positively promotes their business and delivers value to their clients.