Helen Truong

Co-Founder & Head of Design Super Effective

Helen twitter link
Michal profile pic
Michal
Helen profile pic
Helen
Michal profile pic
Michal
What would you do, if you weren't working as a designer?
Helen profile pic
Helen
Creating ceramic pieces, being a food stylist or hairstylist
What design tool do you currently use?
Figma & Sketch + Adobe Suite
What's your favorite band or artist to listen to while designing?
I listen to a lot of 90's music, but a lot of Punk Rock & Alt Rock
Your favorite font? :-)
Totally Gilroy right now
Favorite book or movie (non-design related)
Up by Disney. I watched that like 3 times
What's your favorite color in hex or RGBa? (gradients are allowed too)
#E83058
What was your first real/paid design project and when did you make it?
A forum signature art piece when I was 13. LOL.
If you could write something on the loading screen of all design tools, so all designers can see it, what would it be?
Go crazy, have fun and be proud of what you're making.
Did you study design, or are you self taught? And how did that path influence your work style?
I'm completely self-taught. I dropped out of high school to pursue being a hairstylist. One thing led to another and here I am, 10+ years later running a digital product agency with my partner working with awesome clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Being self-taught really taught me the ability to problem-solve and seek answers through less "traditional" methods.
The biggest innovation in product design right now is...
The ability to work remotely and collaborate on design tools in real-time.
With all the current experience, what would you tell yourself when you were just starting out?
You see the results from the effort and hours you put into anything. It definitely gets better as you go. The imposter syndrome is always there but you know your stuff.
What do you think is the biggest problem in the design industry right now and how can it be fixed?
There's a lack of proper guidance for newer designers breaking into the industry, and what the career journey is for designers once they exceed the level of being a Senior.