L.L. Bean Internship; Mt. Everest Feature Design

A project I worked on during my internship at L.L. Bean. My task was to design this feature using concepts of interface design and user experience. Visit…

Internships are not always easy to come by so when you do find yourself in one you want to make sure you can get the most out of it while you’re there. Getting the internship in the first place is another post for another time I think but you can start on job boards such as the one at freelance switch. I count myself among the lucky who had a fantastic internship in which they could really immerse themselves in the work place and the everyday processes of that place of business.

At L.L. Bean they did a fantastic job of integrating me into the Web Team and really the whole creative department. I met a lot of really fantastic people during my time there and of course learned a lot. This Mount Everest Web Feature project is only a sample of some of the tasks I was involved in there which also included things like image optimization, creation of marketing banners, using the in house Asset Repository, and general design and layout practices.

Aside from these actual tasks I was included in meetings concerning many projects and this was really helpful to me as well. I got to see how an actual project went from concept to completion and I contributed whenever possible in the design and brainstorming process. Working on a team and taking design criticism is a crucial skill in this kind of setting. If you can get this kind of opportunity while you are in an internship don’t hesitate.

In many cases including this mine, an internship may be the first opportunity to test out your design skills in the real world and work on projects that aren’t exclusively yours, an opportunity to either sink or float. Your employer knows that you are only an intern which makes it the perfect excuse to knock their socks of as much as possible. No socks allowed. If you strive for that you will be remembered and you may even have the opportunity to intern again or, better yet, convert your internship into a job.

Project Description: Mt. Everest Web Feature

L.L. Bean Interface

The goal of this project was to create an interactive mini-site on the larger retail site that would tell the story of Bill Yeo, an L.L. Bean employee of 20 years, and his trip to Mt. Everest and back using L.L. Bean products. The team was to tell this story through a photo feature using his photos and trip description while highlighting the gear involved.

My part in the project was to complete a Photoshop flat of the layout for the image gallery interface. I was challenged to optimize the area of the full size image with the size of the navigation and how many images could fit there. This process involved many revisions and criticism which as a designer you have to be able to take in stride.

The final product from me was turfed to other folks in Creative, who would implement the design into code and eventually into the form in which you see it now.

Other projects from L.L. Bean Internship:

L.L. Bean Heritage Email Design…