top of page
Search

Everything should be an experience

Writer: Vanessa Kirby
Vanessa Kirby
Oct 31
3 min read

Updated: 7 hours ago

I'm painting my hallway this weekend. Dark walls, in a dark hallway. It's made me think about why I do things the way I do.



Everything I do has to be an experience.


It's true in life. The way my home feels. My dinner parties. My travel, and where I've lived. I've lived in 19 towns and cities across 9 countries, and travelled to 58 countries. Always thirsty for experiences. I genuinely believe the more variety you experience, the more you can bring to creating experiences for others.


And it's true of product work. The joy of my work is the range - some of it is boxes and arrows (apps), some is fabulous multimedia (Sydney Festival), and then there's everything in between. But the admin side of work also needs something - meetings, timesheets, reporting.


Inspiration

The key to executing the right experience is inspiration, preparation and being bold. The key to getting it right is to understand who you are creating it for - what will resonate with them.


Taking a gamble (being bold) on dark walls has taken some time to get to. Now, of course, AI can visualise it for me (will it feel right? how will it be perceived?). Gone are the days of colouring in a photo to see if it might work. I've gone through so many ideas, at speed but my driver is always "how do I want people to feel when I open the door to them?" welcomed with a bit of a warm cuddle was where I was headed....


Product design is the same. Before you start, look at how others do it, ask what the target user feels about them; show them and watch the reaction. Borrow from a totally different industry. Many (many) years ago, a frontend developer took my From and To dropdowns on an airline site and turned them into a map. She took something mundane and made it fun. Back then, that was innovative.


Preparation

As I write this, I'm waiting for my green frog tape and replacement roller heads to arrive. Dreading the prep work. But we all know it's necessary.


Meetings need prep too. I use a method from an agency I worked for, so I can't claim it as mine - but we all still use it:

  • Purpose - a one-liner on why we're here

  • Objectives - what we're trying to achieve

  • Agenda - the order we'll work through things to get there

  • Deliverables - what we walk out with


If you can't fill those in, you don't need a meeting.


Why I'm like this

Fundamentally, I like change. I like variety. I was a trustee for several years partly because it gave me something else to think about, and a chance to do things I don't do at work. That's not for everyone. It shapes how I work too - I actually relish a crisis. But that can cause problems for others - my zeal can unnerve people.


Tip

Many, many people don't like change. They like stability. If you're like me, don't unnerve people. Learn to take them along for the journey - let them enjoy it with you.



Starter for 10 - some useful links
 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page