Daniel Gu

"Just try to explore more, to learn more while you still have time."

Q1 — Why did you choose ArtCenter and Interaction Design?
A: I was originally interested in music, especially drums, but Interaction Design felt like a good balance between design and coding and ArtCenter stood out when researching schools.

Q2 — How has your experience at ArtCenter been so far?
A: Academically it prepares you well for industry; courses like Interactive Prototype helped me understand engineering workflows. Campus life feels more like work than a traditional college experience.

Q3 — What's been your most impactful class at ArtCenter?
A: Rapid Prototyping was transformative; it introduced tools like SolidWorks and shifted my focus toward HMI and product interface design.

Q4 — How have you grown since your beginning terms?
A: I've become more open to different types of design—moving from web/app toward product interfaces and HMI after trying new tools and classes.

Q5 — What's been the biggest challenge during your internship at Segway?
A: Communication across disciplines is challenging—working with product managers, engineers, and transportation designers requires learning different languages.

Q6 — What advice would you give incoming students?
A: Try as many things as you can while you still have time; explore areas like game design, motion, and product design, and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Q7 — Can you tell me more about your internship at Segway?
A: I worked for six months designing websites and HMI for concept vehicles, creating design systems for the global site and interfaces for concept cars.

Q8 — What are you working on now?
A: My graduation project is designing a carbon-neutral train experience for 2035, collaborating with product design on physical and digital experience.