My first six months have flown by, I literally can’t remember a day where my schedule hasn’t been jam-packed. I’ve rediscovered that I love it that way, it energises me and makes me feel like I’ve left my stamp on the day. It’s fantastic to be part of a dynamic thriving agency at a time when a lot of design agencies are really struggling for work.
Ash and Louise are great at managing the creative team and our client’s expectations! The leadership works really hard to ensure that work is consistently coming in and that we have the resources to deliver to really high standards. The transparency of the businesses plans and how we’re going to achieve them has also really impressed me.
I joined just as the StrategiQ rebrand project was kicking off and jumped straight into helping with that. It was great to get stuck into a project in my sweet spot of brand design, iterating and fleshing out the work Sam (Burrows) had already done and progressing it through into the website design. It was also a great way to immerse myself in the company and collaborate with the team here. Getting stuck straight in certainly integrates you into a team much quicker!
The design team here is choc-full of talent. Across the board, through all of the other disciplines in the agency, search, SEO, and marketing, everyone’s really great at their job and gives 100%. My previous role was as a ‘Head of’ with responsibility for hiring, so I know how valuable that is!
I won’t pretend that there haven’t been some struggles along the way. From adapting to the Google tech stack to persistent car engine issues, there’s been a lot to navigate in my first 6 months. That said, I’ve found that goal-setting has been a great help. StrategiQ has a proprietary Operating System (OS) that not only supports client account management but also each employee. It enables us to set weekly, quarterly and annual personal and professional goals, ensuring that we have measurable outcomes to work towards.
I couldn’t celebrate my 6 months at StrategiQ without mentioning my boss, Josh, who has been a great mentor from the outset. Teaching me lots on the platforms I’m not familiar with and supporting my development with monthly coaching sessions. He’s also been open to feedback on the different areas I have previous experience in, truly championing the #oneteam mentality. At Josh’s suggestion, we invested some of our training budget into Data Camp. A platform providing training on all things data in a fresh, gamified way. This has been invaluable in furthering my knowledge of R, JavaScript, Python and SQL. Which has and will continue to be beneficial in our move towards the cloud.
I’ve also learnt lots about myself in the last six months. The opportunity to do an insights assessment has been eye-opening, bringing a perspective that’s difficult to achieve through introspection alone. Being able to reference colleagues’ insights is also a game changer when it comes to developing strong working relationships. In addition, carrying out MOJO mapping has given me greater clarity on what ‘makes me tick’.
We have some really interesting internal and external projects coming up which I’m excited to be part of. Getting to grips with the increasing number of tools available is a great way to aid both my growth and benefit my clients. I’m looking forward to diving deep into data warehousing and getting my teeth stuck into Mintel more. I’m really grateful for the first 6 months at StrategiQ, here’s to the next 6!
While I consider myself to be an all-round designer, I love to centre my work around a brand, its audience and target outcomes. It’s great to build a brand from nothing to something sensational. Today, web is the main brand touchpoint and motion design is a great way to express a brand’s personality. The latter takes me back to my roots in motion graphics and visual FX, working on CGI and animation for films. This role sees me working on lots of motion and web design projects which is fantastic. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into some more brand design in 2025.
I’m evolving in my role as senior designer, looking into what’s next in the industry, and what we should push and look to achieve in 2025. Things move so fast in this field, it’s hard to keep up at times and takes a conscious effort. Part of that is exploring new programs that will change the way we work, some of these include the ability to move from MP4s to plugins with vector data for web-based animations.
I’m seeing the use of AI-to-video applications being used more and more. While the technology isn’t yet at the level to execute a whole video, it’s getting pretty close and it’s really only been in development for a short while. The tech has almost become self-evolving. I’m fully expecting that in the next couple of years, you should be able to type in a prompt to get film-related video output.
People are using AI to write code, which is great for sourcing the scripting used in animation. Where before you needed a coder with Javascript or Python expertise, now designers can use AI. These kinds of advances can provide new tools that provide efficiencies, enhance creativity and improve workflow.
I’ve worked on 16 different client projects in the last 6 months including projects for Cornerstone, TraditionData and Progeny. Each project has provided me with a wealth of experience and opportunities to learn from the rest of the team.
I think that one of my favourite projects so far has been the Stoke Park website which is launching soon. My first week at StrategiQ saw me producing a couple of homepage designs for the pitch, which led into designing the rest of the site. I’ve enjoyed working alongside the client and their team, visiting Stoke Park and experiencing their facilities and ultimately being responsible for bringing a vision to life. It’s been so satisfying to be involved in a project from start to finish.
In the time I’ve been at StrategiQ, I’ve definitely added to my skillset. This has included adopting the use of AI in delivery and using more advanced Figma functionality as the program continues to evolve and provide a more comprehensive suite of tools (potentially rivalling Adobe’s offering!).
I’m learning RIVE, a new data-driven vector output tool for purely digital animations for websites and apps. It’s a really exciting tool which I think will change the way we work, allowing designers to design and devs to deploy. One of my goals for next year is to deliver that in a project.
There’s loads to look forward to in 2025, the business is growing to accommodate its ambitions and I for one am really excited for what lies ahead.
What colleagues say about Will:
“He’s incredibly kind, passionate about his work, and his ambition is truly inspiring.”
“Since joining us, Will has jumped straight into projects at the pace that we’re used to, as well as maintaining the high level of standards we hold ourselves to. I’ve loved seeing his work for Stoke Park come together – the level of detail in his research, mood boards, as well as ideation, has been meticulous. All whilst finding time to support animation work, print work and every other challenge that he continually offers his help and expertise to. Well done mate and look forward to working alongside you on more projects.”
“Prince William gets the vote for me this month. We’ve been gradually seeing more and more of his animation work recently and I am blown away by both his approach and his final execution. The time and effort that goes into each phase of the animation really is paying off with the end product. All that alongside the great work he has been creating for the Stoke Park website. You’ve smashed it these past couple of months. Keep up the good work! #designer #animator #futureking”
“Since coming on board, Will has been nothing short of dependable brilliance – as epitomised by his design work on Stoke Park. That, in addition to his work on Cornerstone throughout October – delivered on time, on budget and at great quality (with a tight timeline and budget) was remarkable. Anything you ask of Will, he approaches with his usual relaxed nature and desire for honest, unrelenting feedback. Keep it up Will, excited to see what your next project brings!“
“Will approaches his work with quiet confidence and consistency, always delivering exceptional results. A true team player, Will is a pleasure to collaborate with—always ready to lend a hand and bringing a positive, upbeat attitude to every task. His outstanding work on the Stoke Park website is a standout achievement, showcasing his talent and dedication, and he continues to impress with other fantastic projects like Cornerstone and Wavensmere. Keep hitting it out of the park, Will!”