Milan-born Marketing Design and UX Director Marzia gives us an insight into her working process, shares her views on AI, and explains what aspiring designers should focus on to get ahead

How did you get started in design?

I’ve been interested in design since school. It was a subject in which I achieved good grades, and I was encouraged by my teacher, who told me I was very skilled.

I loved painting and learning new artistic techniques, and my interest led me to study graphic design in high school for five years. I knew at this point it was what I wanted to develop, particularly as it involved a broad range of other subjects, such as psychology, technical drawing, and photography. I then went on to do a specialization in web design.

After this, I worked for eight years at a small marketing company. While I was there, I freelanced for several clients and collaborated with an Italian social network startup, where I specialized in UI and conducted user testing for the platform.

Then I moved to the UK, where I continued freelancing, before I got a job at the data analytics and consultancy firm GlobalData. And this was my final role before I joined SmartFrame.

So, my journey to date has been varied, shifting between print and web design to digital publishing.

What has been the biggest change you’ve witnessed during this time? And what has surprised you the most?

I think the biggest change is how technology has advanced over the years. The tools we have today, between advanced software to AI technologies, have really transformed the way we execute projects.

When I think back to my first job, something as simple as removing background details from images was a lot of work. Now, with tools like Photoshop, it’s almost a one-click task. It’s incredible how technology has changed and how it continues to evolve.

Right now, there is a lot of discussion around AI tools, specifically on how these may impact creative fields. What are your views on this?

I think there are two schools of thought on this. On the one hand, AI is fantastic because it can streamline workflow processes for greater efficiency, and even help designers with research and analysis. As designers, we can decide whether to use those ideas as a starting point to accelerate or validate a creative concept, or to integrate them into a project.

In some roles, AI is even being used for proof of concept; for instance, you can generate an AI image to give a client an idea of what something might look like. This is a real advantage that AI offers.

On the other hand, there are concerns about AI taking over design jobs. Personally, I don’t see this as a problem because I think creative jobs, such as writing and design, aren’t just about setting and following rules but about expressing thoughts, emotions, and ideas.

AI can help, and I see it as a tool that can assist us and enable collaboration between designers and AI, but I don’t see it as something that will replace creativity and take over jobs. But I appreciate there’s a lot of discussion among designers about this.

Are there any particular brands or designers whose work you admire?

I tend to follow companies rather than designers to see how they integrate design into what they do. Apple is perhaps an obvious example, but its minimal, modern, high-quality design is understandably an inspiration to many.

Actually, design is one area where AI is making an impact. I know some brands like Coca-Cola, for example, are using AI for some campaigns. I think that’s inspiring.

I also really like the Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani, and the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci.

How do you approach a design task? What’s your work process like?

First, I make sure I understand the brief and ask as many questions as possible.

The second step, which is imperative, is research. This typically involves a combination of internal and external research, studying existing competitors, and examining market trends, all of which will help me generate design ideas.

I then start designing with a couple of sketches, which I present to stakeholders. I’m quite old school: I really like to take a pen and sketch everything on paper, rather than using a laptop or tablet.

The final step is to review all the options before coming to a conclusion.

What advice would you give someone looking to enter the design world?

My advice is to never give up. The design industry can be very competitive and challenging, and rejection is part of the process, so it’s very important to keep going.

You should always stay curious and keep learning. Our industry keeps changing, and it’s very important to stay up to date with trends.

I think it’s also important to attend online courses and workshops, and to stay in touch with design communities. Networking is also essential.

I would also underline the importance of getting feedback. Sometimes, as designers, we hesitate to share our work with others, but it’s very important because it’s how we can improve and refine our skills.

Also, because design is such a wide industry, I would also advise someone to experiment in different fields. You can do graphic design, web design, UI and UX, product design, conventional design and so on, and then see what resonates. And once you find what you really want to do, you should master one skill to stay competitive in the market.

It’s very difficult to stand out nowadays because in many companies, particularly smaller ones, you end up doing everything: UI, UX, product design, and so on. But once a person knows where they want to specialize, that’s where they should invest their time to be unique.

How do you find working at SmartFrame?

This month marks six years since I began working with SmartFrame – and it has been quite the journey!

When I joined back in 2018, we were still a relatively small team. We worked in a completely different office to our current one, and the dynamic reflected where we were at that time. Today, we have nearly 40 people across four countries, which makes us far more capable as a company.

Much has changed in that time, most notably with the pandemic, which forced us to adopt new ways of working. Despite the chaos and uncertainty, it made us more aware of how to collaborate effectively when we’re not all in the same location.

As for my role, every day looks different. I appreciate it’s a cliché, but we’re an agile team that adapts as demands arise.

My primary focus is on developing creative solutions that reflect and reinforce a distinctive brand personality across all touchpoints. This might involve creating a long-form document from scratch, designing sales collateral, or crafting visuals for our newsletter, or something as small as developing graphics for our social media channels.

Since becoming Marketing Design and UX Director, much of my attention has been on the look, feel, and usability of our website, as well as the various libraries we’ve developed for brands like Manchester City FC, Everton FC (above), and New Zealand Rugby.

Whatever I’m working on, everything involves close collaboration with teams across the company. Our mission is challenging, but seeing how far we’ve come makes me incredibly proud to be part of this amazing group of people.

How do you switch off when you’re not at SmartFrame?

A lot of food. And wine! Traveling also makes me happy. Taking a break from life is important.

I like traveling because I’m always interested in different cultures. My last holiday was in Greece, and seeing how the culture over there is completely different from how it is here was fascinating. I also think life is too short to be at home and watching television.

I took up the piano a few years ago too, as I really wanted to learn an instrument. But it’s like learning a language – you need to constantly keep at it, otherwise you’re back to square one!