Designer Spotlight: JT Hamman

When I sat down with JT for his profile interview, I was intimidated. After all, JT has inspired every other designer in the office to grow a beard-- or worse, keep the one they already had. How would JT react to the fact I didn't have one-- the fact that I, like Gerald Allen, CAN'T grow one? These were among the many questions that plagued me as I started the interview with JT... - Your Guy @ EY

Your Guy @ EY:
JT, what brought you to EYStudios?

JT: I first came to EYStudios looking for an internship where I could learn how to sharpen my illustration skills and design ability. I did not know a whole lot about EYStudios at the time. But I did know that if I wanted to learn from the best, Eric was the man. I soon found out he had developed his own niche in the world of e-commerce design with his illustrated headers and unique graphics.

YG@EY:
What were some of the hardest things you had to learn in order to do your job effectively?

JT: One of the hardest things I had to learn was what e-commerce actually was and how to design for it. I had little web design experience behind my belt when I started, but e-commerce website design is a
different ballpark. You have to learn real quick what works and what doesn't; what detracts customers and what increases conversion rates. It's vital in this business.

YG@EY:
Describe a typical day for you at work.

JT: I come in and turn on my computer. While its loading, I usually eat my awesome pop-tart or drink a protein shake. I chat with my co-workers and catch up on the latest news. Someone usually always has a funny story, so it's a good way to start off the morning. Next I check my email to look for any pressing projects or assignments that I need to get started on right away. Darren, our Productions Manager, will bring over a list of client projects for us to work on for the day. I'll work on anywhere from three to five sites a day.

YG@EY:
You work on a lot of sites. Is it hard to shift from project to
project each day?

JT: It was a little hard at first to switch gears as often as we do. But that's something you have to adjust to; and quickly. Now, I love working on multiple projects throughout the day. It never gets boring. It's always something new. It keeps your mind creative and your brain thinking hard.

YG@EY:
What kind of personal disciplines do you use before starting a new site design?

JT: I like to sketch out new ideas on paper first. Experiment with different ideas/techniques and visualize exactly what I want to do with each project first. I go back and look at previous sites I've designed and make sure not to design anything too similar. I like to have a pretty clear vision before I start on anything. This way there's no room for mistakes and the project flows more smoothly.

YG@EY:
What advice would you have for people wanting to design stores for e-commerce?


JT: Know this business inside and out! Read the forums, be up to date on new design tricks and programming features. Research what works, what sells and what helps create high conversion rates.

YG@EY:
Would you say there's more competition or camaraderie in the design team?

JT: That's a great question actually. First off, we have an incredible camaraderie amongst the EY Design Team. It's very important to have this within the workplace, especially with the designers. We feed off high morale, energy, and creativity amongst one another. Even with strong camaraderie, there's got to be some competition in there. Competition is good. It keeps all of us designers on our A-game, trying to out-do, out-design one another with new tricks or styles.


YG@EY:
What are some of your favorite sites that you've worked on at EYStudios?

JT: First and foremost, I'm going to have to go with ToyWiz.com. This is a huge toy store that I was fortunate enough to work on and design. We're constantly updating ToyWiz with the latest graphics and ads. Getting to work with Zensah and their seamless performance compression apparel was another really fun project. For Zensah, we wanted to brand their company and give it a slick streamlined, sporty look. I'm currently working on a site called Camping Survival. This site was right up my alley. The new design has a very rugged, weathered look and feel to it that questions how well can you survive in emergency situations. Another notable is Eureka. This was another great experience where I was able to talk to the people at Eureka and design the online store for Eureka vacuums. Really, with all of these clients, it's an amazing feeling you get knowing that your designs will ultimately be seen by millions of people.

YG@EY:
What are some of the most common web design mistakes you see on
e-commerce stores?

JT: One of the most common mistakes I see on a lot of these stores is their lack-of branding. These sites that have these cheesy templates and two-minute logos are not cutting it, people. Personally, I would not buy from an online store that looked like one of these. I want to buy from someone that has a well-built, user-friendly site that has eye-catching graphics and is visually pleasing. Other mistakes include having your products listed far down the page, below the scroll. You want to grab the viewer's eye within the first seconds they land on your site. If all of your graphics are well below the scroll, you may have just lost a conversion.

YG@EY:
What do you want to see happen at EYStudios in 2009?

JT: 2009 is going to be a great year. We are already off to a kickin' start! I look forward to taking on many new projects this year and see new design styles and programming features emerge from the EY Team. I also am excited about the plans for the new EY "complex."

YG@EY:
What goals do you have for your career going forward?

JT: I look forward to working harder sharpening my design skills and eye for detail. I look forward to being able to work more closely with and train new hires and interns.

YG@EY:
Thanks for your time, JT... anything else you'd like to share?

JT: Don't be afraid to try something new. Hey, it usually works. One more thing... Love What You Do. If you don't, you're probably in the wrong career.