Get to know our first Design Lead, Heath Dyer below.
Well, I started out in print doing graphic design, learning skills like layout, typography, repro, manual colour separation etc. Later I moved into digital design, creating digital ads and other online marketing media, including designing, and building interactive websites using Flash (no one uses Flash anymore 10-15 years later 😊), as well as learning basic html and CSS.
I’ve led (and built) small and medium sized design teams, where my various responsibilities included defining and managing processes, managing, and mentoring juniors, liaising with different stakeholders, pitching concepts to clients, originating art direction and branding, creating media for different marketing and social media applications.
I’ve designed websites and apps for various functions to support marketing campaigns, or other systems to help users with specific service needs.
Along my way I’m become fascinated with human centred product design, understanding the user, their needs and designing valuable experiences that help the user. Occasionally I’ve been exposed to service design as well, this is an area I would like to explore more in the future if I get the chance, but time will tell.
Lately (the last 8 months) I’ve been freelancing and working on some interesting start-up projects.
Well, if a superpower is buying and collecting vinyl records (see below)! 😜
I would have to say the small vinyl businesses in South Africa where I buy/bought records from, these are mostly brick and mortar businesses.
I love hearing the stories from some of the older owners (you know those ‘back in their day’ stories), or them recommending an album or artist you didn’t know, it is great fun and exciting to discover new sounds!
[For the future] I would love to start my own business designing and making (with my own hands) beautiful pieces of bespoke mid-century inspired furniture. Something vastly different to working on a computer all day, something old-worldly. As a side note my granddad had his own furniture business for decades, he was a joiner / carpenter, I find that so inspiring.
Welcome to the Thriday family, Heath!