Bronco Spotlight: Ed Ryan
Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design, 2017
Designer at GHD Partners, New York, NY
As a graphic designer at GHD Partners, I work on a wide variety of design projects in small teams, working with colleagues to design environments, publications, signage, and experiences for clients in the technology, cultural, real estate, retail, and non-profit sectors. As a small independent studio, teams collaborate closely through every step of the design process for each project, beginning with research and progressing through design iteration, development, production, and implementation. On any given day, I might be researching content for an upcoming workplace branding project, drawing symbols for a signage system, developing sketches for a client's visual identity, or meeting with fabricators to discuss new production techniques and ideas.
What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is the fact that I can often see people interacting with a project once it is finished. Much of my work has been in environmental graphics over the last year and a half — projects in offices, often, involving bringing to life a brand or idea in a meaningful way within 3D space through installations, custom graphics, and signage. This means that the end result is a physical space one can walk through, or, with the case of doing work in offices, work in. Seeing this once a space is completed is exciting — certainly more tangible than other types of projects — and has been a great part of the job thus far. The most challenging part of the job is managing multiple projects and deadlines at once. We're a small(ish) studio with a staff of entirely designers, meaning we all wear the hat of project manager as well as our duties as designers.