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Today WebM.ag is Speaking with Samantha Warren, Samantha is a senior web design at Phase 2 Technology in Alexandria. Samantha also is the brains behind badassideas.com which has an arsenal of great inspiration and resources.

WebM.ag: So Samantha, Tell our readers a little about yourself and what you do?
SW: I am a web designer with a background in print design. I grew up working for my dad’s family print shop. In high school and college my summers were spent doing pre-press. Though I did a lot of painting and photography I ended up going to college majoring in graphic design.

My first job out of college was doing museum exhibit and signage design. It was a lot of fun, but it wasn’t long before I realized my heart was really in web design where I find myself today.

I have had the pleasure of working with a wide variety of clients from huge corporations like Quaker Snackbars and Ford Motor Company to small organizations and individuals.My favorite part of being a web designer is the capability of measuring success that you don’t get with print. You can hand out 100 printed brochures, but how do you know how many people turned to page 11 or answered the call to action because of your design? On the web, you know… and experimenting with how design effects the way people consume information, act, and react is what really draws me in.

WebM.ag: How do you usually get started on a new design?
SW: I think its important to start every new design with a conversation and a lot of research. I see the role of a designer as being very similar to that of a counselor. Clients are looking for solutions and they face challenges, its just finding the most creative ways to navigate those obstacles.

WebM.ag: Whats your thoughts on design contests? Worth taking part in?
SW: I took part in a lot of design contests in college and found them really valuable for creating real-world-esque designs for my portfolio. However web design contests are a bit of a different beast.
Whether web designers like it or not, advertising agencies and print design studios look to web design contests to advise them on what the industry considers “good web design”. This creates a cycle of them hiring interactive agencies to reproduce those styles and standards. Unfortunately the web design industry is still in its infancy and web design contest winners rarely reflect the best web work. In addition, criteria in these competitions may be unclear and judges can have various personal preferences. This creates an unfortunate cycle that I would love to see broken. How we break it? I am not sure… but I can guarantee you that I won’t spend $250 on an entry fee to just test the waters myself.

WebM.ag: Take us through a typical day in your life.
SW: I rarely have a “typical” day but most include some form of designing a comp in photoshop, brainstorming, sketching and CSS/HTML build-out. You can also bet there will be at least one geeky typography conversation between me and my partner, Jim… who is also a designer.
I love to attend design lectures and community events and every once in a while I teach Intro to Graphic Design at CDIA Boston University at night. I love talking to eager students about Typography and design history. It’s absolute bliss. These days are exhausting but some of the best days of my life.

WebM.ag: What social media tools do you use?
SW: Netvibes & twitter. Rinse and repeat.

WebM.ag: What do you think 2010’s next design trends will be?
SW: I think there will be more experimental typography on the web. With CSS3 and @font-face designers can really push the limits.

WebM.ag: Where do you see web design in 12 months?
SW: Sites sporting a lot of box-shadow and text-shadow and hopefully not in a myspace kind of way.

WebM.ag: What advice would you give to a newbie starting out in design?
SW: Be passionate, curious & hustle. Being a designer is not just a job, its a lifestyle. Embrace it.

WebM.ag: What are your top 5 favourite websites?
SW: In no particular order:
http://ffffound.com/
http://www.beastpieces.com/
http://thepostfamily.com/
http://www.etsy.com/
http://www.flickr.com

WebM.ag: Where do you look when you need a little inspiration?
SW: I read surf & skate blogs and magazines. I love gig posters and letterpress artwork. Signage in urban areas can also be great for typographic inspiration, I love taking walks in the city.

WebM.ag: Tell us something about you that you haven’t mentioned in an interview before?
SW: I had a brief stint as a stand-up comic. It came to an abrupt end. Much respect to those who make a good living at it, its the hardest profession on the planet. A true art. Now that you know…please don’t ask me to tell you a joke….

WebM.ag: So what can we expect from you going into 2010 and beyond?
SW: I am really looking forward to being a part of the “Beautiful Web Design Workshop” at SXSWinteractve in March, where I giving a talk on Web Typography. I am humbled and excited to have the opportunity alongside talented designers such as Matthew Smith (@squaredeye), Cennydd Bowles (@Cennydd), and Jason Beaird (@jasongraphix).
In 2010 I will be organizing several events for the Art Directors Club of Washington DC one of which I hope will be focussed on the art of letterpress printing. Beyond that, who knows… If you had asked me where I would be a year ago, I would have had no idea that I would be here.

Quick Fire:

Music Of Choice? Devotchka, Janis Joplin, & Andrew Bird. OK…and sometimes Bon Jovi. But only Living on a Prayer… and only everyday before starting work.
What are you reading? Good Magazine
IE6, love or hate? Love to hate it
PC or MAC? Mac
Facebook or Twitter? Twitter

A Big Thank You To Samantha!

Thank you for taking time out to chat with WebM.ag, if you wish to read more about Samantha or Phase 2 Technology and what they do you can visit Phase 2 Technology here: phase2technology.com or you can keep yourself inpired over at badassideas.com or speak to Samantha via Twitter: @Samanthatoy

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