A day in the life of a designer - Webfactory

Here at Webfactory we have many different departments working in harmony to create you the perfect website. From developers, designers and to customer service we have a wide range of skill sets. We would like you to get to know some of our team. We have set up a series of interviews with a member from each team. Our aim is to show you the day in the life of one of our team members. Today, we will be chatting to Becky one of our designers here at Webfactory…

Who Are You And What Do You Do At Webfactory?
My name Becky, I am a Designer and Marketing Coordinator at Webfactory. I have been working at Webfactory for around 5 years, it has definitely flown by.

What Is Your Past Experience That Brought You Here?
I have always been interested in Art. Trying to be practical, I thought I would put my creativity into digital and print design. When I left school, I went to university where I studied a degree in Graphic design obtaining a 1st with Honours. I then was selected to attend New Designers London and later was awarded a scholarship to study a Master of Arts in Visual Communication. I have always been interested in the power that design can have, Website Design and Marketing is a great way to flex those skills. When I finished my Masters, Webfactory had an opening for a Graphic designer that I applied for and I was lucky enough to get the job.

What Does Your Average Day Consist Of?
The average day starts off with my commute to the office. I am from the Valleys, so I travel by train. Although the office is a 20/30 minute walk from the train station, it’s made super easy with the Shuttle bus service that is provided our landlords, The Maltings. The Shuttle picks you up from central station at 8:45am in the mornings and drops you back there in the afternoon at around 5.05pm – it’s a life saver when the weather is dreadful! I get to the office around 9am. First thing to do when I am in the office is put the kettle on, every day starts off with a brew – it’s our design fuel. Then it is to work! We are all self-managed when it comes to our design workload. Everyone works differently, this allows us to work the way that we all feel is most comfortable and efficient for ourselves. It also allows us to work around what we have without any surprises thrown in the mix, ensuring that we can get work out on time. First thing in the morning, I typically go through any emails that have come in the evenings and overnight. I then update clients once I have read over their emails and add any feedback that has come in to my task list for the day. Sometimes we schedule calls if a client asks for a chat or we just pick up on calls throughout the day. In the mornings, I make the client amendments that have come in for that day. Around 12.30pm to 1pm in the afternoon, I go on my lunch break. We have our own kitchen facilities in the office as well as a lovely on site Café which is handy if you don’t have time to make your own lunch in the mornings.After lunch, I work on new projects that have come in or marketing, this ranges from website design, logo design, business cards, letterheads, social media, banner design, blog articles and email design. I typically finish my day anytime between 4.00pm – 5pm.

What Kind Of Questions Do You Ask Before Beginning A Design Project? Which Piece Of Information Is Of Utmost Value?
We have a really great welcome pack system. This is basically an online brief from that you fill out. The form asks you all the questions that we need to ensure a great result. I would say the most important information is what it is your company does. A website is essentially an online presence to sell your services to potential clients. Knowing what you do exactly and your USP can really help us achieve great results – especially if you are struggling to find content for your website.

What Is Your Favourite Part Of Your Job?
I would have to say Flexi time and working with customers. Having flexible working hours is hugely beneficial. As I live far from the office and the trains can sometimes be unreliable. It takes a bit of the pressure off knowing that I can make the time back. It also means I can have appointments and not have to worry. I also love working with customers, doing this job, you get to work with lots of interesting people who are starting a new business venture. It’s great working with them and helping them create a website they are really proud of – having a happy customer is the most rewarding part.

What Is Your Least Favourite Part Of Your Job?
If we get an unhappy customer. It’s rare that we do, but it’s something that is inevitable in any business. As we work from a distance, the first draft is part of the process and not the final end result. Sometimes we send off websites and it isn’t quite like how they envisioned and they panic a little. We understand that it’s important for our customer to get the right website for them. We always look into the issues straight away, schedule a phone call and do our best to reassure our customers that it’s a first draft and we can work on it until they are happy. Luckily, it’s extremely rare that a customer is unhappy with the end result.

Finally, If You Had Any Advice To Give Some On Planning To Getting A Website Made What Would It Be?
Content is Key! If you are planning on getting a website, to make the most of your money and using a professional Designer have your content prepared. A Designer’s job is to help you sell your business to new customers. They can use your content to do this effectively. If you don’t have content, they can’t.