Staff profile: Caitlin McArthur

Caitlin McArthur is a Visual Communications Specialist in the NZ Post Design Team. She’s been working with NZ Post for just over a year.

What’s your design background?

I studied visual communication design at Massey University and graduated in 2021. After graduating I did a bit of freelancing as well as contract work before starting at NZ Post in September 2021. NZ Post is both my first corporate and my first fulltime role.

What’s your approach to design and what do you enjoy about it?

I see design as an avenue for problem solving. I approach design jobs through a human-centered design lens. I bring the audiences’ and clients’ feelings, values and beliefs into the work I do, which helps me to hone in on what is truly needed. I enjoy human-centred design because I love learning and research. Design is a holistic process for many of the jobs I do, and there is a lot of behindthe-scenes research and development that helps enrich the end product. Being able to fuse these elements with design ensures that the end product not only meets the brief but is thoughtful and purposeful. Being able to see the value in what I do makes my work enjoyable. Stamps and coins are popular collectors’ items. Tell us about something you’ve collected.

A large chunk of my childhood was spent on the West Coast in the South Island with my relatives, specifically my grandparents. As cliché as it sounds, I would spend time on the beaches collecting shells. These shells were mementos of my time on the coast. As a gift, my grandad collected shells and framed them for me. Till this day I still have a few of the shells I collected, along with my framed shell collection that sits in my family home.

If you could design anything, what would it be and why?

What makes designing stamps different from other kinds of design work?

For me, stamps are a portal in time. They are one of the smallest creative vessels imbued with rich stories. This idea of scale makes them different from anything else. I love storytelling and finding ways to bring research and history into design and I think that’s what stamps are particularly effective at. The idea that you have to combine all of this into a method of effective storytelling at such a small scale sets stamp design, apart from its creative counterparts. Adjusting to the small scale was something that I had to do in my first stamp issue. Something could look perfect on screen; however, until it’s translated to print material, you can’t truly assess its appropriateness.

I’m particularly interested in human-centered design, a method that focuses on design thinking and working with the people you’re designing for. I would love to use this method more and design with groups of people. The idea of starting my own thing, whether it be a business or small venture, also really excites me.

BLACK FERNSBLACK FERNS

Celebrating Aotearoa New Zealand’s world-leading women’s rugby team.

collectables.nzpost.co.nz/black-ferns /NZPostCollectables