Volunteer of the Month for December 2020
01/12/20
The RGD thanks Magued Hanna RGD, Freelance Designer and UX Leader, for his contributions to the RGD community.
“Magued is an invaluable contributor to the RGD community. As a Member of the Events Committee, he has been an active leader in not only tackling challenging objectives, but also playing a mentorship role to the younger designers and less experienced of us within the UX field of practice.
His passion and dedication to contributing his experience, knowledge and skill set has made our Committee stronger in teamwork, as well as talent.”
— Greg Dubeau RGD, VP and Chair, Events Committee
How long have you been volunteering with the RGD and in what capacity?
I started volunteering around 2005, reviewing student portfolios. Over the years, I’ve hosted several Future by Design webinars in my office, where design professionals and enthusiasts from the local area attended and networked. Lately, I joined RGD's Evaluation Committee, evaluating portfolios of RGD Certification Candidates. I am a part of the Events Committee and am helping to organize an accessibility webinar series–which is very timely given the fast-approaching Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliance deadline.
What contribution are you most proud of / What experience/memory stands out for you?
Student portfolio reviews are an insightful window into the state of the up-and-coming designers and their preparedness to tackle the design landscape. They represent the future of visual design in Canada–and I have seen some very promising talent.
What is the most surprising/unexpected thing to come out of volunteering with the RGD?
Planning the upcoming accessibility webinar series made me realize that there is a hunger for this topic in the Canadian design community. Seeing as accessibility can often be put on the back burner by organizations when planning their design strategies, I was pleasantly surprised by the interest.
What have you learned about the industry since volunteering for the RGD?
The digital side of the industry has given rise to so many relatively new disciplines, like UX design and research, accessibility and UI engineering. There is a strong appetite to build knowledge-sharing communities within these specialties. I believe RGD can connect, shape and bring structure to this part of the industry as it did–and continues to do–for traditional graphic design.
Based on your experience volunteering with the RGD, how would you describe the role of the organization in the industry?
The RGD sets the bar for design standards, but it is also a place where Members can nurture and grow their talent in a collaborative, supportive and inspiring setting. More than that, at a time when design is being commoditized, the organization serves to promote and raise awareness about what constitutes good design.
What have you gained from being an RGD volunteer and why would you recommend it to other Members who might be thinking of getting involved?
I find volunteering at the RGD to be very rewarding. I enjoy lending my experience and supporting young designers. However, it also benefits my craft. It can be easy to remain in the “design bubble” of one’s own office, so volunteering becomes a great way to stay connected with the industry and get inspired by design talent.
Do you have thoughts on what you might like to do as a volunteer with the RGD in the future?
I have been nominated for the RGD Board of Directors and look forward to serving in this capacity if elected at the Annual Meeting in April. That being said, I would be delighted to be involved in initiatives that advance UX and accessibility.
Magued is a creative leader with over 20 years of strategic, management and hands-on expertise across media and industries–from fintech and real estate to high tech and automotive. As one of only a handful of UX Master certified professionals in Canada, Magued has a deep understanding of UX for web and mobile, as well as a passion for accessibility. He also knows what it takes to grow a successful design team from the ground up–and how to foster collaboration, innovation and excellence in cross-functional teams.
