Name: Krystalyn
Age: Mid 20s
Works for: Acumentum
"ICT is a great environment to work in because there are a lot of talented people, doing amazing things."
Music-loving Krystalyn will dance to anything with a good beat. She is also interested in fashion and likes to dabble in photography. Krystalyn is a self-proclaimed ‘techno-tinkerer’ of gadgets such as her iPod and her mobile phone.
Outside of work, family and friends are the most important part of Krystalyn’s life. ‘I’ve got a very large family. We’re all very close.’ Krystalyn also loves cooking and enjoying food. ‘Filipino people love food. It’s something I’ve inherited.’
Tell us what you do, Krystalyn.
I work for a company called Acumentum. We develop online applications for government, as well as a range of large companies including BHP Biliton, CGU Insurance, ANZ/Esanda, Libragirl, South Pacific Tyres (Goodyear, Beaurepaires, Dunlop). We’re involved in consultation, design and strategy for the web. So we also look at things like usability - that is, how well the people using the sites interact with them, and whether the site is working to meet the client’s goals. Aside from the services we offer, I am also heavily involved in the work surrounding our two flagship products - ScenarioBuilder and WebBuilder.
I work within Acumentum’s design team. We are the first port of call for any new web project - talking to clients about what they want and what our company can do for them. We collaboratively discuss with our clients who their audience is and what they would like them to gain from their website. After a thorough briefing we begin designing.
Your job title is Web Designer. What does that actually mean?
Within web design there are different niche roles. My real title is Interaction Designer. For this role, you first need to understand the client and what they want to achieve, and then you can begin to plan and design concepts for how a website or application will work.
What does your job entail on a day-to-day basis?
It’s quite varied. I may begin the day with some visual design. Then I could move into business analysis work, which is really getting to know the client and what they want to achieve. Everything I do is focused around the client.
This year I'm working with different clients and I’m involved in more product-based projects. I also train clients for the company, which involves talking to clients about our products, how to use them and provide them the knowledge and tools to pro-actively author and maintain content.
What do you like about your job?
My job gives me a lot of freedom. It's exciting to come in to work because my tasks are often quite varied. I love being creative but I also enjoy writing up the documentation and the training. What I really enjoy is the interaction with my team members and also with my clients. Everyone's so different but it’s always fun.
ICT is a great environment to work in because there are a lot of talented people, doing amazing things.
What skills do you need for this job?
Firstly, a good design sense. I need an understanding of trends, what's currently out there and what people like. I also need to understand what different age groups and demographics look for in a website.
Communication is also a big part of it - especially in a team environment.
There are up to 15 full-timers at Acumentum plus contractors and freelance designers helping out as well. I need to be able to interact positively with these people, to update them on what I’m working on or let them know if I need assistance. I need good written skills, as I create a lot of documentation. On top of this, I need to have good time management skills.
ICT. Where did it all begin for you?
In year 12 I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I had always enjoyed visual design and liked being on the computer. One day I was flipping through the VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre) careers brochure and I discovered Multimedia and thought okay!
I began studying for a Bachelor of Multimedia and Media Studies at Swinburne. In 2004 I received a placement at Acumentum for my Industry-Based Learning year. I loved it here and was lucky enough to be offered further work while I finished off my degree.
Is your job always changing?
Yes. When I started out as a student I performed small tasks. As I gained experience and people recognised my abilities the work kept picking up. Now I’m at a point where I can say ‘I'd like to have a go at this’ and my job changes again.
Where do you see your career going next?
I want to go to the US at the end of the year and explore the job market over there. I would like to try working for a larger company, perhaps Google or Yahoo.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in ICT?
Think about what you’re interested in. Identify your strengths. Choose to do something that you get enjoyment out of. If you incorporate a passion into your career you’ll always be excited about going to work. You’ll always have that drive to succeed. I think that differentiates those who are successful and those who are just there for the sake of being there.
Find out more about this career path at myfuture.edu.au (Note: free registration is required to access the myfuture site).