Michael P. Pfeiffer
Michael P. Pfeiffer curates and organises CSSconf EU, a community conference dedicated to the designers and developers who build the world’s most engaging user interfaces.
Working for ideas and innovation company AKQA, Michael is constantly looking for new ways to advance interdisciplinary collaboration. You can find him on Twitter @m_p_pfeiffer, where he is sharing ideas and insights about his work.
10 questions for Michael P. Pfeiffer:
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What did you do before becoming a designer?
Having had the privilege of being exposed to technology at a very young age, I’ve always been tinkering with various forms of Digital Media in one way or another.
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Where do you turn for inspiration?
I really love the inspiring atmosphere of community events, be it meetups or (un)conferences. Meeting an interesting group of like-minded people always sparks my creativity.
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Which are your favorite studios, designers or agencies?
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Designers: @kriesse, @toomanyclouds, @schneidertobias, @derekhessart
Agencies: AKQA, SinnerSchrader, R/GA, Fantasy Interactive
Studio: Invisible Creature
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Is your city a good place for designers?
London is a creative hub abound with great talent. That, combined with its cultural diversity, makes it a truly unique place that inspires every day.
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Which technologies are you excited about in 2015?
VR, wearables, io.js && jspm
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Do you listen to music while you work? Describe your playlist.
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Tell us your funniest anecdote related to your work.
At our very first CSSconf EU, @jedschmidt gave an introduction completely in CSS. It was comic gold.
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What are you cultural influences? (Music, books, films, ideologies, etc.)
While various books, films, galleries, etc. come to mind, I would regard travelling as the cultural force most influential to me.
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Have you got an academic background or are you self taught?
Although I’ve studied Digital Media, most of the skills I employ these days have been self-taught and/or acquired with the help of fellow community members.
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What do you do in your free time?
I love photography and travelling.
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Where do you see the industry in 5 years?
What really excites me about our industry is that it is close to impossible to predict what will happen in the next 5 years. I’m looking forward to all the new technologies that will be available to us, enabling new kinds of services that are unthought of today.
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Are you working on any personal projects?
Although organising CSSconf EU takes up a huge part of my spare time, I always try to work on at least one other personal project at a time. But there are definitely more ideas than time to implement them (feel free to contact me if you’d like to collaborate on a project).
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If you could give one piece of advice to newbie designers, what would it be?
Do not be afraid to ask. Given the pace at which our industry evolves, it is impossible for one person to know it all. Even the smartest and most senior designers/developers ask for advice, so don’t be afraid to do so, too.
