We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Exodus Solutions ("ES").
Tenniel Liu is a design entrepreneur that focuses on tackling the topic of the global Net Zero goal with design and innovation. As a pioneer in this domain, he has acquired multiple cross-disciplinary skill sets and is a qualified lead greenhouse gas emission accountant/verifier. He founded Onedor to provide clients with sustainable design consulting solutions; by facilitating carbon accounting and ESG reporting as a starting point, he helps companies realize decarbonization and build profitable business innovation, thus maintaining their global competitive edge while meeting the more significant trend.
Exodus Solutions Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Exodus Solutions.
Exodus Solutions Design - Cancer Care Initiative Promotion
Designer Interview of Exodus Solutions:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
ES : I have always liked to draw since I was small, and naturally, when I was looking for a discipline to enter as a career I'd like to build on, I joined the training to become a graphic designer.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
ES : Onedor in itself is an experimental project that aims to break the boundaries of the classic definition of design; we do carbon accounting and help our clients solve business problems through all means of design, not just graphics and communication. We are also trying to innovate our own product to tackle the energy problems the world faces.
DI: What is "design" for you?
ES : A way to build a common language amongst various stakeholders and a tool to solve complex problems, as the process of design is really a series of decisions to be made.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
ES : Something out of expressionism or, not design-like.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
ES : A logo refinement for Gateway computers, unfortunately it no longer exists.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
ES : Post-its, Asana, Toggl, and Excel.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
ES : When the numbers add up or when there is a solid rationale behind what is to be designed.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
ES : Rationale and how it would actually, or quantifiably, benefit my clients.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
ES : I try to be scientific and meticulous when I work, as it is not always about aesthetics alone.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
ES : I feel great and happy that I can help with whatever the client needs. My achievement depends on their success.
DI: What makes a design successful?
ES : It is not just the designer's instinct or gut feeling; it has a solid grounding to which it represents. And it did, in fact, resolve a challenge that the client is facing.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
ES : Rationale.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
ES : Designers can do much more than they imagine; as designers, we should equip ourselves to participate in global topics in many ways, in ways more than just communication.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
ES : The future of design, or designers, should be that of an engineer; that is why one of the leading universities in the world invented the program called design engineering, which is to solve engineering problems through the means of creative process.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
ES : When I am invited.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
ES : Outside the design field; science and technology, management articles, and global topics.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
ES : Meticulous and scientific. Otherwise, we are easily trapped in preferential bias, which I believe a lot of designers are suffering from.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
ES : I grew up in the Caribbean, am trained in the States, worked in Shanghai, and now I am based in Taiwan. They all trained me and contributed to how I approach a project from different perspectives.
DI: How do you work with companies?
ES : Communication and sharing of what I know, listen, then combine with their expertise to formulate a mutually acceptable outcome. That is the reason I hold workshops quite often, almost in all the major project I handle.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
ES : Designers have to have the ability to listen and interpret, like an analyst. They have to ask hard questions and the ability to sit with data and identify the root problem of any inquiry.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
ES : Communication and sharing of what I know, listen, then combine with their expertise to formulate a mutually acceptable outcome. That is the reason I hold workshops quite often, almost in all the major project I handle.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
ES : I don't possess any designer items.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
ES : I try to think ahead for my clients and their needs, and do work.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
ES : Expand beyond design, it's only a tool, but how you choose to use the tool is entirely up to you.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
ES : It's not like the glamourous title of a PhD, or an architect even, you have to slowly build up your knowledge and skillset, which takes years of exploration and devotion, which can be a good or bad thing.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
ES : Do things properly. Do more than expected. Respect.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
ES : The ability to read data, formulate strategy, and constant curiosity to content outside the realm of design.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
ES : Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe, Post-its, anything that can help me communicate and make my point to my audience and create a shared understanding.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
ES : Choose to leave your desk when it's time.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
ES : It depends; this is a vague question.
DI: How can people contact you?
ES : tenniel.liu@onedor.co