Copenhagen,  October 28th, 2020.

Nicole Terte Andersen is a project manager at the design agency B14, a position she has hold for over four years.

Andersen moved to Copenhagen when she was only 16 years old and since then has developed a successful career in the industry, now carrying out diverse projects at B14. She works closely with many clients, turning their needs and ideas into concrete products.

In an interview with TIA, Andersen described a day at the office and her main responsibilities. She reflected on her professional path so far and highlighted the challenges brought in by the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, she shared some of her most recent projects at B14 and gave some tips newcomers into the world of design agencies.

What makes your city an attractive place to work and live?

Copenhagen is small, and I love that I can bike or even walk almost anywhere. Our office is walking distance from where I live, and I love my daily walk from Vesterbro to Frederiksberg. And there’s so many good food options! I really enjoy all the good take away.

Please explain in brief your position and what you’re currently focusing on.

I’m a Project Manager, so my work consists of different crafts combined. I use design thinking as a process
from understanding the client’s needs, defining and ideating these in collaboration with my team and then test and produce and finalize in close collaboration with the client.

I always focus on better understanding the craftof my colleagues — graphic designers, frontend designers and developers. I’m a generalist with a Master degree in Digital design and Communications and knows a bit of everything, but they’re the experts.

How are you evaluating results in this context?

Our evaluation is mostly based on the client’s happiness, we don’t measure effects, since we mostly creating the basic tools for our client’s communication and are rarely involved in campaigns. Secondly we aim to be proud internally and the best feeling is when both the client and my colleagues are happy with the result.

Can you name a challenge your team is currently facing?

Trying to stay true and consistent to a design system within a newly created visual identity or a website, when the client is pushing for minor changes without seeing the bigger picture. In this process, design is in the dialogue and the gap can be hard to bridge.

In your opinion, what makes B14 stand out?

I think we’re pretty good at thinking ahead. Being strategic and understanding possible future needs. When our client request one solution, we ask questions and make sure we cover situations they haven’t thought of
themselves.

What upcoming initiatives do you find particularly exciting?

Every new project opens new possibilities. 3D, animations and new features are changing the field and the tools for administration such as open-source web content management, is getting better all the time. It’s very satisfying to introduce this to our clients.

Please share one of the agency’s most recent projects you worked at that makes you really proud.

I’m actually often proud of the websites we create. Also those I haven’t been part of.
I love how playful this one is: https://luckyboysunday.dk/ or this: https://the5011project.com/. Or how minimalistic and simple something like this is: https://diees.com/.

Lately I’ve been working on an updated site for a Danish NGO, that isn’t live yet. It makes me proud how we can rethink what they already have and rebuild it in a much simpler way that makes their use of it so much easier. I’m a sucker for making life for content admins as easy as possible. And make their websites look pretty at the same time.

How can you focus on problem-solving when working under pressure? (I.E deadlines, mistakes)

I always keep a good tone and remember that everyone is doing their best and want the best result.

Are you interested in global issues? If so, which one and why?

Guess the Covid 19 situation is affecting us all and hard not to be interested in. When it comes to work, I’m really happy we’re an ‘old’ agency with 15 years behind us. It must be hard to be a new agency struggling to survive.

What advice would you give someone going into your position for the first time?

Begin to love Google Sheets. Write everything down, make notes. Listen to all your clever colleagues. Remember to drink a beer at the office once in a while, shouldn’t all be work.

Can you share a fun fact people would be surprised to learn about you?

When I first moved to Copenhagen at age 16, I lived in a one room apartment at Nørrebro with three other people. Me and a Chinese exchange student shared the living room. The Indian lady who rented out the apartment lived in the kitchen. She turned off the fridge at night, because it was too noisy. I guess that’s when my take away addiction started.

Thanks Nicole!

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