20 March 2023
Senior Product Designer, Uber
With an impressive track record of standout projects such as the Flutterwave Design team blog and Cruuunchify, as well as her latest endeavour with Uber, her talents are undeniable. Her commitment to pushing boundaries and crafting immersive experiences is nothing short of inspiring for anyone aspiring to make a mark in the design industry.
BY MITCHELLE CHIBUNDU
I’m a Senior Product Designer at Uber and a fashion content creator. The most rewarding part is seeing people use the things I make. I’ve been a designer for years, and I will never get over the scale of my work. It doesn’t matter if it’s a million people or just one user, but the fact that someone interacts with my work and makes it a part of their daily life in some way will always be mind-blowing. I don’t take it for granted.
Tell us about your current role and the most rewarding part of your work
I used to work as a journalist. I wrote a weekly column called Airwaves, and it used to be published in New Telegraph. After that, I moved on to Social Media Management, which is where I had my first introduction to the world of design and web development.
What did you do before what you stated above?
arrived at a point where I felt stagnant; I wasn’t learning anything new. So, I made a list of new things I wanted to learn. Graphic design and web development were last on the list. I made a list because it seemed unreachable, undoable.
I ran through the list and eventually landed on graphic design. I started by editing pictures for social media campaigns for the agency where I worked, and I realised I enjoyed it wayyyy more than I thought I would. Making the switch to design was a long, exciting, sometimes frustrating journey, but it all worked out in the end!
What inspired you to pursue a career in design?
Ah, this one is interesting because I’ve two answers 😁😁.
The first one is the Flutterwave Design team blog launched in 2021. I poured my heart into creating a rich and interactive web experience for the design team, a project highlighting our work and the fantastic people who do the job. I’d say it’s the first of its kind in the global design community.
Second is Cruuunchify, an interactive music web experience that creates customised playlists based on users’ top artists, tracks, and listening habits. We built it with Spotify API and launched it in 2020. I collaborated on this with another designer and developer, and this project remains one of the most exciting things I’ve ever built.
What is something you designed, built or contributed to that you’re utmostly proud of?
I love fashion, so I enjoy trying out new looks and taking pictures of myself. It’s a new thing I’m also trying out, and I find it exciting to share this aspect of myself on my social media.
I like to play video games, read books, do my makeup, take long walks, and try out new recipes. I just want to lie in and rest when I'm not creating.
How do you enjoy spending your time when you’re not working?
Whenever someone uses design resources I’ve shared or recreates one of my designs and asks questions about interaction and motion design, it makes me feel warm. My work's impact goes beyond the resources and projects I’ve launched. I offer regular mentorship sessions and do portfolio reviews and interview preps for junior and mid-level designers, yielding remarkable results.
Designers are learning directly or indirectly from the work that I do. I love how I can serve as a source of inspiration and mentor to female designers looking to upskill or kickstart their careers in design, especially in Nigeria. This babe (me!) from Lagos, Nigeria, is a lead designer in one of the biggest companies in the world! My work and the value it brings speak for themselves and goes beyond the design ecosystem, and I’m so proud of myself.
How has your work impacted the larger community or ecosystem?
“We can prioritise inclusion to improve products and build companies where people feel heard and seen. It’s not enough to set up DEI initiatives. Doing the work and being deliberate is crucial.”
What, in your opinion, should be done to make more women in design visible?
Hire us, especially black women :)
Inclusion plays two critical roles in the design industry. First, there’s the part where people feel seen simply by seeing others who look like themselves. There’s this thing where you see someone who looks like you, and you say to yourself, “yes! this is something I can do; I can get to this point”.
There’s also the part of building and making better products because different voices and people have converged. There isn’t just one single viewpoint anymore.
We can prioritise inclusion to improve products and build companies where people feel heard and seen. It’s not enough to set up DEI initiatives. Doing the work and being deliberate is crucial.
What role does inclusion play in the design industry, and how can companies better prioritise it?
I envision a future where designers have carved a space for ourselves, where we don’t have to prove ourselves by defining what design truly is. I expect a future where we fully grasp and understand the value and impact of the work. We aren’t there yet, but I believe we’ll get there someday.
How do you see the design industry evolving over the next decade?
There’s nothing I can think of that I wish I knew. It’s hard to describe, but everything I’ve come to learn as I have progressed in my career happened at the best time I needed the lesson or experience.
Is there something you know now, that you wish you knew at the beginning of your career?
I know the botanical names of crops. Lmao, this is hardly fun, but still...... 😁
What is an interesting and possibly unexpected fact about you?
I’ll wear a tailored semi-oversized pinstripe blazer, black pants, and patent black stilettos. I imagine how powerful I’ll look right now 😂
What would you wear to a meeting that could potentially change your life?
Keep going, and stay fearless. Be bold and speak up or ask questions in a group. And it's okay to have only some answers and ask for help.
What advice would you give to other women pursuing a design career who feel stuck in the journey?
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Sharon Onyinye
Driven by the need to care for herself while in university, she ventured into tech and discovered her love for product design. Today, she is a senior designer at HubSpot, a tech creator, and the founder of Coachli, a startup that helps experts monetize their time and knowledge.