Part of our #meettheteam mini series

This week we’ve spent some time getting to know Rob, one of our junior designers. He first came to Integrity for his work experience and returned after finishing his final year at Brunel University.

Rob’s got a great eye for detail which makes him the perfect fit for our implementation projects (as well as making a cracking cup of tea).

1. Tea or coffee?

I’d say coffee in the mornings, tea in the afternoons. But more recently I’ve probably had more tea than coffee.

2. What’s your guilty pleasure?

I’m not normally a very competitive person, but for some reason road cycling brings out a weird competitive and sadistic side of me (watch out folks)… Where I HAVE to be first to the top of every hill on a group ride, and I get really annoyed at myself when I’m not.

If no one wants to race, I’ll just make sure I’m at the front of the group and go at my own pace but if someone tries to race me, I will bury myself to beat them. Even if it makes me feel terrible, I’ll still do it as that makes it feel even more rewarding. There’s been times after particularly hilly rides where I’ve got home and nearly passed out!!It’s just a weird habit I’ve developed, I can’t stop myself. I just like beating everyone else to the top.

3. What’s your favourite animated film?

WALL·E or Wallace and Gromit. I love WALL·E just because it’s so well made. There’s not really much talking, it just tells the story so well. It’s just music and animation, and you get the whole story, all the emotion

And what is it about Wallace and Gromit?

It’s something I grew up watching – the whacky adventures and making things that don’t always works. I just loved it as a kid, I thought it was fascinating. The original trilogy are the best, but I think the wrong trousers is my favourite. Feathers Mcgraw is one crafty penguin.

Did you ever try and make anything?

Probably, and they probably never worked.

4. Can you remember what it was that made you want to be a designer?

At school my favourite subject was either design or history. I liked historybecause I found it interesting; I loved learning about new things, cultures and stories. And researching to find out more. But I didn’t want to go to university and read for three years. Making things seemed more appealing at the time, and a bit more fun to be honest. At university is probably when I really got into design.

5. What part of your job do you enjoy the most?

The Monday morning meetings because we get donuts…

Nothing about work?

Nah, I do quite like donuts… [laughs]

I think with work, I like how I can build things up from scratch, detailing it slowly until it builds up to the finished picture. Then getting to see the finished thing in real life afterwards. So going through the process of drawing things from scratch to finish. But donuts are still my favourite

6. When are you most creative?

I’m most productive in the mornings, but creativity comes randomly to be honest. I don’t think I’m particularly creative at a certain time, it just comes on every now and again.

7. How do you get over a creative hump?

I go cycling. Get out on my bike as it gets me thinking a bit more. At least that’s what I like to think to use as an excuse to go cycling. When I go out by myself it’s a great time to think, you have a lot of time to be by yourself whilst out cycling, which definitely helps.

Rob's self portrait

So to round up our interview with Rob, he’s a competitive cyclist none of us would like to meet on the roads any time soon, he loves Wallace and Gromits’ whacky adventures and has a penchant for our Monday morning meeting donuts.

See you in a couple of weeks when we get chatting for our next #meettheteam interview with Josh Rex