“What is your new year’s resolution?” This is probably one of the most terrifying questions one can be faced with at this time of year. The list is long—start cooking more, be more patient, go to the gym, and stop procrastinating. We’ve all made—and then ditched—our resolutions as quickly as they came to mind. That said, it can be incredibly valuable to sit and reflect on what it is you’d like the coming year to look like for you. And sharing those thoughts and reflections can be a great inspiration to help others along their journey of self-improvement.
This is exactly why we gathered four designers from different disciplines in the Wix Studio team to discuss their personal, professional, and creative intentions for 2023. We chose four words as inspiration to help kickstart their ideas:
Reimagine | something you'd like to start doing that you haven't in the past
Retire | something you'd like to stop doing/do less of
Refine | something you're already doing, but would like to do more of or improve
Reflect | something you'd like to give more of your attention to
Let’s hear what they have to say, and who knows, you might find a bit of inspiration yourself in their answers.
Omri Malka | Motion Designer, Video Team
Reimagine
“Being a motion designer means After Effects is my main tool. It’s traditional software that everyone knows and loves, and it can do amazing things. However, this year I’m eager to find new motion textures using new techniques like P5.JS. Working with code-based software (JS = Java Script) would mean a whole new set of options—not just the speed at which it works, but also with new and exciting aesthetics. When I look at things created with new technologies it feels like observing a new animal in nature—you discover new textures, new ways to move and play, and it ignites the imagination.”
Retire
“I’d like to let go of a certain type of rigidity in my practice. I feel that in my line of work, we sometimes tend to get stuck on a particular way of looking at things and deem them good or bad. For example, 2D animation is primarily thought of as either linear animation or easy animation. I’d like to be able to retire from this limiting way of thinking and go beyond it to find new solutions. Be fresher in my approach.”
Refine
“This year, I want to refine my ability to take inspiration from other realms and physical worlds into my design process. I’ve had a bit of experience with this recently when I was working on the Design Threads video. The word ‘thread’ threw me into thinking about a thread in both its computerized form, a computer thread that has a very specific zig-zag shape, and also real thread, made of fabric, or ropes. Taking inspiration from these two very tangible ideas gave a different depth and meaning to the way I eventually treated their design and animation. I hope to do more of that—to broaden the ways in which I draw inspiration into the digital world.”
Reflect
“It might sound a bit utopic or idealistic, but I’d like to be more conscious of keeping a pure mind. We sometimes forget that our mind is like a sponge, soaking up every little thing it touches— a random look outside the window, a casual scroll on Instagram, or events in my personal life. I want to give as much attention as possible to keep this valuable resource—my mind—pure. That means being more in control of what I feed it. If I wake up in the morning and the first thing I do is scroll my phone, then my mind gets carried away in these directions for the entire duration of the day. I’d like to be able to keep it as fresh as possible so that when I arrive at my desk and start working, all the most beautiful things I’ve seen and consumed this day and week will come pouring out, rather than news and politics. ”
Orly Kiryati | Head of Environmental Design
Reimagine
“The biggest project I’ve worked on these last few years was the Wix Campus—planning, building, and designing the new offices for Wix employees in Israel. Before the pandemic, we had huge ideas about the process for our work, planning to visit factories, cities, buildings, and architects around the world. We managed to do a bit of that, which of course stopped abruptly in 2020. Even though things are getting back to normal, I still have this massive yearning for physical inspiration. I want to reimagine 2023 as a year in which I get to experience my design process in real-life, get to see physical spaces worldwide, meet the people behind their designs, and hear their stories told face to face. It is really incomparable, especially in environmental design. Getting to feel a space as you enter it and how it feels in your body and your senses will never be the same as seeing an image of a space, no matter how pretty that image is or how detailed it is.“
Retire
“It might sound like a cliche, but for me, it’s work-life balance. Our entire team has worked so hard this year as we prepared for the opening of the campus, and I think in some instances I really let it get the better of me in ways that weren’t beneficial. I gave me all to this project, which I’m happy about because this is how I’m wired, but maybe next year I should aim to pay more attention to a better balance and choose where and when to go all-out, and when I can let go a bit.”
Refine
“Working on this project allowed me to learn a lot about the mental aspects of work, office life, and organizational psychology. When we design an office, we design the ways the employee will experience it, and need to think about how to provide the best solutions—how to make it feel like an inviting environment and not a corporate one. This is an aspect of design and research I’m super fascinated with and would love to keep exploring, especially the cultural differences between countries and the ways they approach these dilemmas.”
Reflect
“I find myself reflecting a lot on the meaning of trends in architecture and interior design. It is so different from what I’m used to in web and graphic design, where trends move so quickly and are easy to adopt and then let go of. When you’re building something, it is there for years to come so trends must be conceived of in a much different way. Another thing to consider is the timeline and pace of an architecture project. Whatever it is you’re working on will only see the light of day years after you’ve actually designed it, because planning and building take literal years! Every decision you make has to be right and relevant, not only for now but also for the future. I think it’s fascinating to design that way, and it makes you much more attuned to what is trendy and what is timeless.”
Ido Arbel | Team Lead, Wix.com Studio Marketing
Reimagine
“I’ve just recently got into managing—up until a month ago I was still a designer. As our team grew it became necessary to restructure and create additional team lead positions, so here I am now, managing 5 designers. This is definitely my biggest focus—getting adjusted to this new role and everything that comes with it. I’m really looking forward to all this newness, and I have lots of goals and aspirations for the team. I’d say for now my focus is on building a better structure and workflow that will bring the best out of each designer, as well as helping each member of our team understand how strong our unit is.”
Retire
“It’s a bit tricky for me to think about this one, actually. I’m so focused on what needs to be done and on development that I haven’t given a lot of thought to what I want to cut down on. Probably the main thing is not around work, but just being able to take better care of myself and my well-being—like eating less junk food :)”
Refine
“One of my biggest challenges as a new manager is giving feedback, especially for people who were your peers just a moment ago. I feel like I’ve already started gaining some insight into this process—how to provide guidance rather than instructions. I’m sure I’ll still make mistakes as I go, but it’s definitely something I want to refine and get better at.”
Reflect
“One of my biggest fears in transitioning to a managing role was not being able to practice design on a daily basis. I’d like to dedicate some attention to the ways in which I find satisfaction in my work. As a designer, satisfaction was very immediate—if I created a good design and then saw it come to life, that was something I could feel very proud of. Now I’ll need to find new pathways for this feeling.”
Dafi Tamir | Designer, Design Dev team
Reimagine
“I’d love to get better at expressing myself verbally, to develop my skills with words and that type of communication. With design and visual expression, I'm in my element. I'm confident and I have the tools to come across exactly as I intend. With words, it feels challenging to articulate what I want to say, and I tend to feel like a fish out of water—not being able to find the exact words to express my own thoughts. It would be lovely to get better at it”.
Retire
“Stop saying yes to everything. Sometimes I’ll find myself spending as much time and energy on small tasks as I would on a huge new project. That’s definitely something I’d like to do less of and get better at prioritizing work that really deserves my energy and time.“
Refine
“In the past year, I started initiating projects and that’s definitely something I’d like to do more of, dialing up my entrepreneurial spirit. I’m not based in the same location as the rest of my team—I’m in New York, whereas they are in Tel Aviv—which allows me to think more in-depth about ideas and projects that need doing here. For example, this year I initiated the redesign of the onboarding process for the Wix US team. It was based on my own experience and so I knew exactly what was missing and what needed improving. I discovered I really enjoy this state of mind of not only the designer and executor but also the initiator of an idea.”
Reflect
“Moving from Israel to work in New York, I see a lot of cultural differences that I’d like to be more in tune with. I came to realize that what I might consider a heated argument where I’m from, could be perceived as actual rudeness here so I’d like to learn from and adapt to the culture in which I’m operating. I anticipate this mainly in situations where I'm unhappy about something or want different solutions. I’d like to be able to take a step back for a moment, think about it, and then return to the situation with a more positive attitude and a respectful mindset.”
