Bowen Wei

EA-Internship

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UX Design Internship @ Electronic Arts

Tools: Sketch, Adobe XD, Illustrator, Photoshop

My Role: UI/UX Designer, Design Researcher

Type: Summer Internship

Duration: 12 weeks (May 2020 - Aug 2020)

 

Brief

 

In the summer of 2020, I had the opportunity to work as an interaction design intern for The Sims 4 team at Electronic Arts, where I participated in the design and development of The Sims 4 's expansion game pack and engagement features.

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Even though my 2020 summer internship was all virtual, I learned a lot from my team and fellow interns and I gained a comprehensive understanding of the Game/Entertainment industry. I also gained hands-on experience as a UX designer working with engineers and producers to design and develop large AAA video games.

During what has been a challenging year for everyone in many different ways, I am so grateful for the opportunities and help my team gave me during my internship, especially my mentor Alister for his guidance along the way. Feeling supported during my virtual internship gave me the confidence to push myself and build my skills as a designer.

 

Showcase

This summer I worked on two projects. One was the notification board background design for the Snowy Escape expansion pack, and the other was a feature redesign of The Sims 4 base game. If you would love to know more about the project, please reach out to me.

 

Reflection

Summer 2020 has definitely been the most unique one of my life and career. My grandma passed away and I couldn't go home and say goodbye. My internship was remote due to global pandemic. Not to mention countless other injustices and unrest happening in this country. Over just 3 months, I grew so much as a person, designer, and a teammate. I had the opportunity to learn so much despite the lack of in-person interaction.

  • Be proactive and communicate effectively:

    • In a virtual work environment, communication is extremely important. To ensure a smooth progression with my projects, I checked in with my mentor face-to-face on a daily basis and conducted regular process checks with my stakeholders. Effective communication lets the team know what I'm working on and provides me with timely help when I need it, allowing the team to run more efficiently.

    • Additionally, by attending and sharing my designs in twice-weekly design critique meetings, I am able to get immediate feedback from my team on my designs, and also stay up to date on the progress of other designers.

  • Bring all key stakeholders on-board at an early stage:

    • Design requires the consideration of users' needs, business requirements, and engineering feasibility. Involving key stakeholders at an early stage enables a holistic view of the design, making design decisions that balance all requirements.

  • Embrace the learner mindset and build inclusive community support:

    • The games and entertainment industry is a small, welcoming community. During my internship, I had 1-on-1 virtual chats with over 50 talented people from different fields/teams at EA. I learned so much from their experiences, guidance, and feedback. In addition, I did my best to share my knowledge and experience with those who were interested. It's this constant support and learning from each other that makes me a better designer and keeps the industry thriving.