Shark Bite

This was a challenging growth experience for me as a designer. Communication issues arose due to my personal mistakes. When I received the invitation to design for the project, I told the Lunchbox Production Team and Director that I was an unconventional designer. The team assumed that I meant unconventional aesthetics, rather than process, which could have been clarified further. We never had a clear conversation about each other's expectations, which led to many implicit assumptions and made communication harder and harder each day, ultimately triggering trauma responses in me. I became frustrated because they initially expressed interest in me as a designer, but we never had a chance to clarify what kind of designer I am. Ultimately, it was a lesson in realizing how important it is to have synchronous conversations before accepting a project. Communication about communication is essential in a multicultural context. From my cultural background in Brazil, I appreciate when people are direct and forthcoming about conflict or tension, but that's not true for all people and cultures.