work for microsoft?

Out of context: Reply #14

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  • jfletcher0

    For me, I enjoy MS as a designer. I I’ll be clear it's certainly not for all designers. I do interaction design for MS, and currently am a Design Lead/Manager.

    It's certainly not an easy environment and you have to fight and debate a lot with people who don't know design. However it makes you a shit load stronger as a designer. You learn to articulate your arguments and explain the story of your solutions, not just dump a solution and expect people to buy it. People who have left MS have started up offices for Frog and IDEO amongst other things... not too shabby.

    For an interaction designer, there aren't a ton of companies you can work for that have the difficult problems that MS has. When you have to cover 90% of the computer market issues with you design solutions it’s not easy... to design for millions and millions of people. There also aren’t many companies with the reach of Microsoft. I know my work is seen by millions of people each day.

    I know it doesn’t look like MS is the best company for a designer, but it’s changing. Xbox is doing great work. Zune is coming along, some of the things in Research are amazing. Office and Windows are getting better. A long way to go, but moving...

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    • I'm sure it's better than being a designer at Apple (Jobs and Ive are the word of god)ismith
    • designers at apple have more pressure, people are expecting work going to be amazing..Meeklo
    • One of the guys I work with came from Apple. Both companies have the good and bad.jfletcher
    • you're the man jfletcher! as a developer who uses MS technology, i would consider working there an honor..bliznutty
    • you mention Office and Windows, but do you have an office with a window?Point5
    • I don't. I actualy have a shared space I work with my team in.jfletcher
    • but the general perception is that microsoft is not good on the design area, so a lot of good chances to shock peopleMeeklo
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