Ziqq’s view of design has always centred around the heart. It started with his school service learning trip to Cambodia. Now, he emphasises on the importance of building trusting and meaningful relationships with clients which will help educate them on the value of design on their businesses.
“The Skills Framework is important as it formalises necessary soft skills such as communication, and helps individuals look at areas of growth and new skills to acquire to become a more rounded and experienced designer.”
If Ziqq could pinpoint the exact event that would lead him to his present position in the world of design, it would be a school service learning trip to Cambodia in 2009.
On seeing how small design interventions such as painting murals and playgrounds in a children’s centre could have a profound positive impact on people’s lives, he realised that design could be an important catalyst for social change.
Ziqq started his career in 2012 while pursuing his design education in London. He has been living and breathing design for over half a decade and is now taking on a designer position at the Singapore office of UK design agency, Foolproof, translating insights into design.
After having previously worked in London where experimenting and innovation are ingrained in the culture, his biggest challenge as a creative professional in Singapore has been guiding and educating clients about the value of design. Ziqq says that soft skills are important for creative professionals to build trust with clients and help them see how design can potentially have a positive impact on their businesses. He stresses, “Soft skills are often overlooked but they are extremely important. If we were to strip everything down to the very core, it is all about relationships and how we manage them.”
It’s not all about the mind, but also about nurturing the heart and soul, which are just as important for growth.
Of course, Ziqq also acknowledges that technical abilities are important for producing quality work and going far in this career. He’s thankful that the Skills Framework is available as a resource to help guide individuals in navigating their areas of growth as they develop the relevant skillsets to become a more rounded and experienced designer.
Recently, Ziqq made a trip to Cape Town, South Africa, where he spoke about his journey in the realm of humanitarian design at the UX Cape Town Conference. It was one of the most memorable moments in his career as his sharing brought the spotlight on Singapore as a design hub at an international platform.
In the future, Ziqq plans to be an educator and hopes to nurture the next generation of designers. He says, “It’s not all about the mind, but also about nurturing the heart and soul, which are just as important for growth.”
Ziqq’s occupation is a job role that can be found in the Technology track of the Skills Framework for Design. For more information on the Framework, please visit: Skills Framework for Design.
