OUGD602 - Placement Report 'Pinpoint'

Starting the week of 13th March, I did a week and a half placement at Pinpoint; a 'web design and digital marketing agency' based in Harrogate, Leeds. I first contacted Pinpoint for my Context of Practice work asking to interview some of their team members. My dissertaion was exploring the the reasonings behind corporate rebranding failures and the role of customer's relationship with the brand. Pinpoint, previously Pinpoint Designs, had recently undergone a rebrand and a slight name change. I wanted to ask the team why they decided a rebrand was needed, how it was executed, as well as the reaction and outcome. I was able to get responses from the Managing Director, the Creative Director and the Head of Digital Strategy. This proved to be very helpful for my work and it definitely allowed me to move forward with that module.

After the dissertation was completed I asked whether they take interns at all as I thought website design could be a good career choice; in the past visiting professionals such as Only have told us that being able to code is not a requirement for web design. Rather than an internship of sorts, they offered me a two week placement. I took this placement hoping I would get good experience and advice regarding my future.

During my time at Pinpoint I didn't meet the team's graphic designer. A last minute situation arose which caused him to work from home from the Isle of Man. I didn't see this as an issue although I would have liked to have talked to him about certain decisions or more information on web design, but I was still looking forward to working with the rest of the team in the office.

The work I was doing for Pinpoint was not exactly what I like doing or plan to do in the future, but I was able to do it and wanted to help the team. It was more illustration work than anything designed to be uploaded to their clients' website blogs. Examples below.

Looking back, I do regret not getting a placement somewhere more suited to my design interests and aspirations, and this is something I plan on amending over the summer once I have submitted all of my work. The work I was doing at Pinpoint was not what I enjoy or wish to persue, I felt like I was doing the work for them just because I know how to work with Photoshop and Illustrator. I wasn't doing much thinking or creative design work.

In the future I definitely want to gain more specific experience that directly supports my own design practice aspirations.