What do you do?

I’m a Product Designer at Microsoft, currently working with the Wunderlist team.

What led you into design?

I had a Super Nintendo when I was growing up, my dad surprised me with it after one of his business trips. I used a play Super Mario Bros. all the time and ever since I’ve been always interested technology. I initially wanted to create games. but when I got my first computer, I was even more fascinated with that. Spending more time with it I realised creating was what I wanted to do.

Describe your working environment and hardware setup?

Where I work changes almost every day. I recently moved to London and I’m now mostly working remotely with the team in Berlin. I spend some days in cafes, or at my home office. I often take calls out and about, walking around East London. I usually leave the house with my 13” MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and my iPhone. I’m not a fanboy, I promise.

What apps do you have in your dock?

What apps do you have on your iPhone?

What’s your design process?

I haven’t really found a process that works for me. It changes with each project. A book I recommend is Sprint by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky.

What do you use to plan initial design concepts?

This is changing every day, I’m still figuring out what really fits best for me. I’m drawing more and more on the iPad. It helps convey idea much faster than firing up Sketch, at least for me.

What pieces of work are you most proud of?

The new things I work on are often the pieces of work I’m most proud of. Recently we launched Microsoft To-Do in Preview which is a product I've really enjoyed working on. The rest are more passion projects which I loved working on.

Where do you go to get inspired?

I love listening to new music all the time. It's probably the one thing that helps the creative juices flow. I also like exploring spaces, walking through the streets, looking up. We're always looking down at our screens and miss out on really great architecture, lines and shapes. When I'm online I like browsing Siteinspire and Sites We Like.

What apps do you use when designing?

Sketch, pretty exclusively. Sometimes I fire up Principle if I need to add some movement to communicate a specific feeling.

How do you go about testing your design or gathering feedback?

I usually walk around with a prototype and it to people, closely watch their faces and their fingers and then ask questions.

What music do you listen to when designing?

I often listen to my Discover Weekly on Spotify.

What’s a great website for inspiration?

Siteinspire.com

How do you keep improving yourself as a designer?

I constantly try and do things I haven’t done before and solve problems I haven’t solved before. I’m also trying to give myself more constraints around colour, style, layout etc.

Why did you join your company?

I love to learn, when I joined I knew nothing and by no means do I know it all now but I can definitely say over the past 4 1/2 years, I’ve learnt so much. And come one, if someone offered you a job in Berlin at 19, I think you’d probably take it too.

What’s it like working at your company?

Microsoft is a big company, but I work in a very small team, the same team I’ve worked with for the past 4 years more of less. It often feels like family which I think is what helps us truly build products people care about.

I often also describe working at Microsoft being like swimming against a current. Coming from a design-driven startup into a 30-year-old, 140,000 employee, multi-billion dollar organisation can sometimes cause you to be… complacent. It becomes harder to build the best experiences because you’re no longer fighting for survival. If you’re not careful you can get swept away by the current of mediocre.

What design challenge do you face at your company?

Microsoft serves hundreds of millions of people every day. People from all walks of life, diverse in every way. We truly strive to help each and everyone and that means being more inclusive in the way we design and build products. This is both exciting and challenging.

How do you handle design disagreements at your company?

The best experience wins. As designers, taste and preference can only take you so far. Don’t get me wrong, It’s important to be opinionated in design but at the end of the day, what I create isn’t for me. It is for all of you. I have you in mind when I design and whichever experience helps you and solves your problem in the simplest and most delightful way is the one that wins. Full stop.

Is your company currently looking for designers?

We’re always looking for designers. Our vision will always outweigh or resources. Best way is to get in touch with me via Twitter @timothyachumba

Any tips on designers getting a job at your company?

I think it’s important to make it personal. Who you are is more important than what you can do.

What product have you recently seen that made you think this is great design?

Pinterest!

Do you have a cool design trick/hack/shortcut?

I think I probably have a lot but I don’t know or see them as shortcuts, tricks or hacks.

Any advice for ambitious designers?

Surround yourself with people who are ahead of you. It’s the best way to learn.