The drive to design

As Senior Designer for Design Strategy & UX/UI Design with the BMW Group in Germany, Sebastian Gier has a very challenging job, but is still motivated to regularly connect with and mentor other designers

What does it take to design a brand-shaping and positive human experience?

SG: In my personal view, products and services are the core of every brand and the best way to create a brand that people love is to design the best product and service experience. These products drive the brand and ultimately shape its perception. I believe designers should strive to create positive human experiences and emotions with every product and service and go beyond just rational needs and function. People might forget a feature and function but not how you made them feel. Ultimately, this will create a strong bonding between the brand and the people.

How important is a formal design education?

SG: I feel design education is what you make of it – personally, it has brought me an incredible network of designers and friends all over the world. If you are interested in becoming great at what you are doing, look out for people who share a similar interest within your class or university. I have learned a lot by competing with other students when trying to deliver the best project results. The motivation as well as the different expertise from everyone in the group will lead to a better outcome in every project. Use design education as a canvas and space to develop yourself and don’t stick around in one area for too long.

What inspires you?

SG: Inspiration can come from everything: daily life situations, a documentary, experiences from the past and many other things. I think we learn with each project, life experience, failure and success. I draw a lot of inspiration in my work from human behavior, consumer trends and digital interactions. It’s very interesting to observe how people interact and understand what people are actually capable of integrating into their daily life, considering that everyone lacks time. I love to observe trends in design, technology and business, and to discover red threads.