Krystal Hinckley

01/29/24 • 40 min

In episode eight I interview 2015 graduate of Russell Sage College and Director of User Experience at Upside Collective, Krystal Hinckley. In our discussion Krystal shares details of working on large-scale websites for the state of New York, including the attorney general’s website that she spent two years working on. She also talks about scrolling through the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society photos for project research that ended with her adopting her third cat. We also discuss our time together at Sage which included a trip to Boston to visit design firms and the Boston Aquarium because that’s what you do when you go to school in Albany. Krystal shares her love of paragraph styles that she gained in high school that led to her interest in the organizing aspects of UX design. And of course we talk about home projects including stripping paint from stairs, putting up wallpaper, as well as getting excited about a new roof and gutters. Now that’s adulthood! Oh yea, cats are mentioned multiple times in this episode. So sit down with your favorite pet friend and have a listen.

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Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

Show Links

The Intro Music

Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

Previous Episode

Rachel Suflita McKee

In this episode I talk with 2016 graduate of the College of Saint Rose, Rachel Suflita McKee, about her path from intern to art director at the Boston-based design studio, Pinkergreen. She talks about how the diversity of projects (Boston University Global Music Festival, Flex Rx, Flyte 70, The Bug Club, etc.) at a small studio is special and keeps her engaged with graphic design and the people she collaborates with on those projects. We also discuss a challenging design school assignment, about graphic design style, that had both of us considering some of the ethical questions involved in the creative process. We talk about the wonderful aspects of life outside of work like baking (so much butter), cooking (Bolognese), vacationing (in Maine), and of course yoga where goats climb on you as you try to stretch — it’s mostly about playing with goats. And finally, Rachel shares the wonderful news that she will be a new mom in March. Time to rest up people, episode seven is here now.

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The Intro Music

Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

Next Episode

Greg Tariff

In episode nine of season four I interview Ringling College of Art & Design graduate and Director of Product Design at BILL, Greg Tariff. We discuss his appreciation for design’s role in the business world and how to navigate a career in Silicon Valley. Greg talks about how his interest in cars led to an internship at General Motors, how networking in New York City led to an agency job in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and how a side project with some agency friends led to a career in product design. Greg also shares insights about working on start-up projects, advising start-up companies, and mentoring young designers. We also discuss collecting 1990s pop culture (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Shepard Fairey art. And of course we talk about the dogs — Shelby, Sookie, and Salem. If you are at all interested in design, business, networking, and dogs you’ll want to have a listen. Time to download episode nine and get to work.

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The Intro Music