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Mick Santapaga
Visual Design & Design System Lead at Fjord
Professional Background
Mick Santapaga is an accomplished design professional with over 17 years of dedicated experience in the design industry. His journey in the creative realm began with a passion for graphic design, which he pursued through formal education at Tshwane University of Technology, where he obtained a BA in Print Design. However, it was his innate curiosity and self-directed learning in CSS and HTML after graduation that opened the doors to the dynamic world of web design. Drawn in by the ever-evolving landscape of the internet, Mick quickly found his niche in the structural elegance of HTML and the semantic language that the web offers.
His career took off in the early 2000s, when he transitioned into the creative agency space, dedicating more than a decade of his professional prowess to web projects for notable clients and large corporates. Throughout this period, Mick honed his skills in designing websites, micro-sites, Flash sites, and email marketing campaigns for industry giants such as Nike, BMW, and MTN. His extensive work led him to become a key player in presenting innovative design solutions and compelling campaign concepts that met the high standards of these blue-chip clients.
After ten years of thriving in the agency landscape, Mick recognized the need for a more significant impact on users' experiences and took a pivotal step in his career by joining Accenture. This move allowed him to immerse himself in meaningful design initiatives and delve deeply into valuable practices such as Design Thinking, design strategy, workshop facilitation, and comprehensive user research. His time at Accenture not only sharpened his existing skills but also broadened his perspective on the integral role of design in enhancing user satisfaction and engagement.
Today, Mick's primary focus lies in Design Systems, an area that perfectly marries his love for structured design processes with systems thinking. He believes that this multifaceted approach engages numerous touchpoints and stakeholders, resulting in a deeper understanding of his interactions with teams, products, and users. His commitment to continual learning in this ever-evolving field reflects his belief that as designers, there should always be opportunities to grow and refine one’s craft, ultimately leading to the development of thought-provoking and meaningful experiences.
Education and Achievements
Mick Santapaga began his formal education in design at Hillview High School, where he laid the groundwork for his future studies and a career in design. He further pursued his passion at Tshwane University of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Print Design. His formal education provided him with essential skills in traditional design, and from there, he blossomed into a versatile designer who embraced digital mediums, specifically web design.
Over his impressive career, Mick has contributed to and led various design projects that have garnered attention for their creativity and user-centric approaches. His significant roles at reputable organizations have shaped the environments in which he has worked, such as his time as Visual Design Lead at Fjord. Here, Mick led teams in creating exceptional design outputs that consistently met and exceeded client expectations. His previous positions include notable roles such as Visual Designer at Accenture Interactive and Digital Lead at Aqua Online, which equipped him with a wealth of knowledge in both design and strategy.
Achievements
Mick's distinguished career is marked by several key achievements that highlight his expertise in the design field. Some of his notable accomplishments include:
- Leading successful design projects for high-profile clients such as Nike and BMW, where he developed innovative web solutions that effectively communicated brand messages.
- Pioneering the integration of design systems in his current role, which has streamlining design processes and enhanced collaboration among teams.
- Utilizing Design Thinking methodologies to elevate user experience across various platforms, ensuring that stakeholder needs are met while delivering outstanding results.
- Establishing himself as a thought leader in the design community by consistently advocating for continual learning and adaptive design practices that respond to changing user behaviors.
Mick Santapaga's impressive track record in the design industry positions him as a knowledgeable expert in web design, user experience, and design systems. His relentless pursuit of excellence and passion for the intersection of creativity and logic are evident in all aspects of his work. As he continues to push the boundaries of design and foster meaningful interactions, Mick remains a trusted figure and a source of inspiration for aspiring designers and seasoned professionals alike.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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