How well do you know PiggyVest at 8?

Meet The “Design Guy”: Nonso Eagle

“Not all superheroes wear capes”

Why do you need to know about Nonso?

Simple: Everything you see on the PiggyVest Platform was designed by him.

From the User Interface of the app, to the designs on product pages, posters, and videos, Nonso has been consistent in delivering unique, world-class designs that always resonates with his audience.

Today we’ll be hearing from the “GOAT” himself about what it’s like to be in charge of design at PiggyVest.

What originally made you get into design?

Drawing, for me started out as a means to express myself, so I did a lot of it while growing up. I got into Covenant University and in my first year, I discovered and fell in love with Adobe Suite. I’d spend my weekends practicing with different tutorials, always trying to create something and satisfy my curiosity on how different things worked. Then in my 2nd year, my friends and I tried to create a ‘cafeteria food order system’; a platform that students could use to order food from the cafeteria, using the school’s intranet. That sort of kick-started my design career, as I was the only “design guy’’ among my friends, and I was immediately tasked with coming up with logo concepts, print ads, web icons, etc. Unfortunately, the food platform didn’t kick off.

A few years later, specifically the year I graduated from Uni, I got together with my friends again; Somto, Josh, Odun, Terry and Ibukun, and the professional design journey started.

How would you describe your approach to design?

I’ll say my approach varies with the project I’m working on.What has always been constant, however, is the need to create functional, relatable designs that resonate with the audience. Our mission at PiggyVest is to give people the power to manage their income by making finances clearer and more transparent. So, for the user interface of all the platforms, I channeled that. A platform that is clear, convenient, easy to use and most importantly, functional.

My approach to all other projects follows the same pattern; whether campaign designs, ad designs, or print ads. We want the message we pass to be straight to the point, simple, clear, direct and fun.

What influences your designs at PiggyVest?

The user demographic, really. As stated before, finance, specifically the investments and saving culture, is quite complicated and distant to the average Nigerian. At Piggyvest, it’s important to us to create a culture around these things, that is fun, simple and sustainable. When I design, I want whoever comes on to the platform to feel safe and secure, sort of like they are giving their funds to a trusted friend for safekeeping, and have fun while doing it.

What would you say is your strongest skill and how have you honed that skill over the years?

I’ll say I’m practical. I have a knack for building stuff and conducting experiments, and the results of these experiments usually inform new projects. I see tasks as problems that need fixing, and I’m the one guy equipped to fix them.

Having to do so much work over the years has helped me develop some level of proficiency. There’s the Ten thousand hour rule that says if you do something long enough, for ten thousand hours, you become an expert at it. I can’t say I have clocked my hours as design is constantly evolving and I still have a lot to learn, but working constantly has yielded definite improvement to my skills.

What type of brief or project do you enjoy working on the most?

I enjoy working on UX/UI design projects. It’s like piecing a puzzle together; trying to figure out and designing the right interface that will appeal to the users. I’m always curious to know how someone interacts with a product. Working on the PiggyVest app was a lot of fun to be honest, very tasking, but fun. Having to take every little bit of detail, down to simple things like colors, into consideration. Taking note of possible different use cases of the app; making it user friendly and functional for everyone.

How has being at PiggyVest shaped your way of design over the years?

It has made my design process less flimsy or fancy, and more straight to the point. It’s like a lean methodology I now operate by, focused on functionality, user interaction and conversion. The reception and perception of the end product by the users largely influences how I design.

What are you passionate about besides your work?

Might be weird but I recently got interested in Theism, Theology and Existentialism. I’m curious to understand the relationship between them. I’m of the belief that individuals were created independently acting and responsible, conscious beings, rather than what labels, stereotypes or roles said individuals fit.

Do you have any rules you live by?

Yes; I believe that for every action, there is a reaction. There are consequences that can not be ignored when you take certain actions.

Before PiggyVest, what can you say design was to you?

I’ll say it was a medium for growth and expression. For the most part, my design journey has been geared towards starting and growing ideas or businesses. However, It’s always been great to have projects where I can manipulate outcomes and create art that is both aesthetic and functional.