The Designers at Snapper

Our friends at Snapper show us how to do work culture and teamwork right. We met with two previous UX/UI design interns (circa 2021), Kristine Brooks and Wenjing Xie, who have since been promoted into the Grad programme. They tell us why working at Snapper is so awesome, the benefits of working with other interns and what they have learned from working in a team so far.

What are your roles at Snapper?

Kristine: We’re both UX Designers. 

Wenjing: We did the summer internship together, and both got full-time grad roles once we’d finished. 

What is it like to work at Snapper?

Wenjing: The office is cool, a great location with friendly people. At the end of last year, we were able to work in the office full time, which was great. Starting our internship remotely would have been hard. I had just come out of university so putting the design skills I had learnt into practice was great. It was nice to work on something real. 

Kristine: I enjoy working here as Snapper allows us to share our opinions. Not only are we learning, but we’re sharing our knowledge and our opinions are valued. We have a small, friendly team, all with different skills that we can learn from each other. 

What do you enjoy most about working there?

Kristine: The people within the design team. We’ve recently started getting to know more people in other teams, like the developers. That has helped give me a different perspective, which helps me be a better designer. I’ve also started researching, which is fun and adds a real-life element. 

Wenjing: For me, it’s the people and the projects. The company culture is amazing; they care about you and encourage you to put your family and mental health first. We’re also working on impactful projects that are meaningful. 

How did you find the experience of working with other interns?

Kristine: That was my highlight. Snapper is built on interns. It’s a supportive environment with no hierarchy. Everyone is there to learn, and they are open-minded to the knowledge you bring and the suggestions you make. It’s a great place to grow. 

Wenjing: There were 10 of us interns, so we felt like classmates. We got to be super close and would hang out after work. The onboarding was amazing. It was good not to be doing it alone. 

What was a highlight of working together as a team?

Wenjing: Our team would trust me even though I was new. They would give us projects and believe that we could do them. It’s really important to trust each other and your team as you’re working towards the same goal. 

Kristine: When you’re new, you want to do things right as you’re scared of failing. But actually, it’s been nice to fail as that’s how we learn. We’re closer to finding out the solution when we fail. It’s a good way to learn when you have an environment where it’s ok to fail. 

What have you learnt from each other?

Wenjing: I can speak a lot when I have an idea. But Kristine and also the team taught me that if I have an idea, sometimes, it’s best to wait to hear everyone else out, especially in online meetings. I enjoyed coming up with solutions together. 

Kristine: In our design team, we have lots of strengths. So knowing what their strengths and interests were, helped me know what I could learn from them. Wenjing has a wealth of knowledge, and it’s so fun picking her brains. 

Who do you go to for guidance or to ask questions?

Wenjing: We got a buddy each as well as our Design Manager, so we can go to either of them. 

What have you learnt from your mentors or supervisors?

Kristine: To take ownership of our personal growth and development by identifying areas we want to learn more about. When you enjoy something you’re more likely to add value to, it’s good to ask, “what do I like?” Learn from other people, see what they do well and think about what you can learn from them. 

Wenjing: Our mentor let us know that it’s ok to enjoy some things more than others, and it’s ok to not be an expert on everything. Try everything to help decide what you want to gain more expertise in. Now that I have some experience, I have more idea about what I want to focus on. 

How does your team celebrate success?

Kristine: Giving shoutouts. If you think someone is doing a great job and sharing the celebration.

Wenjing: It was easier before COVID when we were in person! We could go for a drink after work and watch UXNZ together. Now that we’re together in person again, we’re looking to bring that back. 

If you could describe your team in 1 word, what would it be? Why?

Wenjing: Equal. You don’t see any hierarchy. I feel like I can speak out and give honest feedback to everyone.

Kristine: Growth mindset. We’re always looking at new processes and new ways of doing things. I feel supported and am not afraid to fail. If I feel those things, then that ticks the boxes for me.