Pause For A Moment With Matt White

What do you do and why do you do it?

Hi I’m Matt, the UX Design Director at Icon Agency.

I’ve worked in this field for too many years to mention (think pre-dotcom bubble, enough said). I’ve stayed in this profession because I love everything about design, from the aesthetics of a beautiful brand to designing the behaviour of products, services and communications.

I’m an advocate for human-centred design as a process and how it can elevate a brand experience and protect a brand’s reputation going to market.

What excites you about Pause Fest this year?

Perspective; that is, seeing the world through other people’s eyes and their approach to solving creative problems. It’s always humbling and you’re always waiting for someone to say something that spikes an ‘Aha moment’. We all stand on the shoulders of giants, it’s what makes our own personal toolkit for creativity.

I’m looking forward to those moments.

Why is creativity in business important?

I think a successful business has a creative and intuitive mindset built-in, at least to some degree. I know there are cases where a business might ride a wave or trend to make them successful, let’s leave them out of this point.

Creativity in a business is when the company vision aligns with its innovation layer. Think about every touchpoint that a business has with its customers – every time you improve a touchpoint, you’re adding to the innovation layer. Having a creative mindset and thinking outside of the box can make greater leaps. Using techniques like ‘Design Thinking’ is great for that.

What are you hoping audiences take away from your keynote?

To rethink what design means to a business.

I hope to shift people’s thinking of design – away from a design department or a design role – and more towards design as a creative problem-solving technique, for anyone who wants to make better customer-focused design decisions before they go to market.

I want them to see the three facets to design, including aesthetic and design systems, and how getting this right will improve their overall brand experience.

At least that’s what I’m hoping!