From San Francisco to London: A Designer's Tale of Two Tech Hubs

I have been a product designer for nearly a decade now, and most of these years I spent in San Francisco. This period encompasses the gained experience at such tech giants as Twitter, Lyft, and Meta. Yet, in the last couple of years, the vector of my development has changed both professionally and geographically: from Big Tech, it switched to a smaller startup, and San Francisco became London. Such a rapid shift gave me some insights into working as a designer in certain conditions, simultaneously making me realize that being in a profession in no way depends on the place where you live or work.

The Tech-Immersed Life in San Francisco

There’s a certain energy in San Francisco that’s hard to articulate but immediately palpable to anyone who's spent time working and living in the city. Here, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and Silicon Valley, is the epicenter of tech innovation – a city that has embraced the future like no other. For many years, this was my world. Working in the beating heart of the tech industry, I was surrounded by the most innovative minds, cutting-edge technologies, and groundbreaking ideas. Tech permeated every part of life here, from the tables at restaurants and bars to the job descriptions of even non-technical roles such as lawyers or HR personnel. I would often say it felt like we were living five years ahead of the rest of the US, with things like ordering food or cabs by apps being constantly beta throughout the city over the years. However, even as I reveled in this energetic and innovative environment, a desire to explore beyond the familiar and venture into new territories started to take root.

San Francisco, fondly referred to as the tech capital of the world, is an incubator of cutting-edge innovation and creativity. It's hard to describe the energy that pervades the city, especially when you’re involved in the tech scene. There's a sense of relentless pursuit, of constantly challenging the status quo, and a genuine belief in the power of technology to transform lives and reshape the world. It's like living in a bubble, a tech bubble, where every conversation, every social interaction, and every moment is somehow influenced by or linked to the tech industry. Yet, after several years immersed in this tech culture, I began to crave a different perspective, a broader worldview. That's when London beckoned.

So, after years of designing experiences at some of the most globally recognized tech companies, I decided to venture out and swap the iconic Golden Gate Bridge's picturesque view for London’s historic skyline, teeming with centuries-old architecture punctuated by modern skyscrapers. The decision to cross the Atlantic was motivated by a quest for new experiences, personal growth, and the desire to offer my young son the opportunity to grow up in a truly global city surrounded by diverse cultures and histories.

London’s Unique Blend of Tradition and Innovation

Swapping San Francisco's tech-dominated landscape for London's diverse cultural and professional tapestry was both refreshing and challenging. I moved to London to work with Meta, and in doing that, I had to make the decision to work on smaller projects within the company, as most of the core projects in the big tech companies will be kept closer to HQ. The transition wasn't just geographical; it also marked a shift in perspective, a transition from a tech-dominated bubble to a city where tech was just one among many thriving sectors.

In London, I found a city steeped in history and tradition yet brimming with innovative ideas and an unmistakable entrepreneurial spirit. London’s tech scene was certainly alive and growing, but not quite at the scale you would have encountered in San Francisco. The city's rich banking history had a profound influence on its tech landscape, with a burgeoning number of fintech startups making their presence known. This was a marked difference from San Francisco's tech company diversity, where you’d find startups ranging from self-driving cars to healthcare tech to social media platforms. Here, London’s past and present intertwined to give birth to a unique tech ecosystem, one that combined the city’s financial acumen with its digital ambitions.

One of the most significant changes I experienced moving from San Francisco to London was the emphasis on work-life balance and personal time. In San Francisco, the line between work and personal time was often blurred. The fast-paced, always-on tech culture had a way of seeping into your personal life, turning what should have been leisure time into an extension of the workday. You can hardly have a conversation in a bar, restaurant, or cafe without overhearing the table next to you, talking about their latest round of fundraising, sprint frustrations, or startup ideas. Contrastingly, the work culture in London's tech scene, though influenced by the American paradigm, has a tinge of the European values of your own personal time being more integrated into professional life. This means an emphasis on work-life balance, more flexible work hours, and comparatively generous provisions for personal time off, including holiday entitlements. The British working culture champions the belief that happy, well-rested employees are more productive and creative, and thus it places considerable emphasis on providing employees with space for relaxation and rejuvenation.

In addition to the work-life balance, the diversity in London's tech scene was something to marvel at. While San Francisco certainly draws its own diverse set of people to come and create things, I have found London's tech industry is a massive melting pot of different industries, cultural backgrounds, and professional experiences. This mix of perspectives brought a unique flavor to the city's tech scene, one that enriched the design process and broadened my horizons.

Even though I had shifted from a world-renowned tech hub to a city with a burgeoning tech scene, I didn’t feel like I was moving backward or stepping down. On the contrary, London offered a unique blend of tradition and innovation, a chance for my family life and professional life to come together and create something exciting and sustainable for the stage in life I am in. This gave me the opportunity to expand outside the bubble I had grown to know and focus on giving my son access to world-class education, culture, diversity, and experiences beyond what I could find in the Bay Area.

Learning and Evolving on a New Path

The change in scenery also brought along a change in my career trajectory. After years of working for big tech companies, I felt a pull towards the start-up scene. I wanted to explore new paths in technology at smaller companies while having the security of a visa that allows me to take chances on younger companies. So, I made the transition from big tech to a startup.

Leveraging my big tech experience at a startup required a shift in mindset. While big tech offered a wealth of resources and the chance to impact billions of users worldwide, startups required more agility, flexibility, and a hands-on approach. At a startup, I had the opportunity to wear multiple hats, to be both a designer and a decision-maker. The impact of my work was immediately visible and tangible. And the skills I had honed at big tech – understanding user needs, data-driven design, and collaboration – became invaluable in this new environment.

Reflecting on my journey from San Francisco to London, from big tech to a startup, I’ve realized that while the settings may change, the fundamental principles of design remain the same. The core skills I developed at big tech were all equally relevant and valuable in a startup environment. As designers, we’re not defined by our geographies or by the size of the companies we work for. Rather, we are defined by our ability to understand people, to empathize with users, and to leverage that understanding to create meaningful and impactful experiences. Whether it's in San Francisco or London, in a tech giant or a budding startup, the goal remains the same: to use design as a tool to improve people’s lives.

From the relentless energy of San Francisco to the historic charm of London, from the big tech giants to an innovative startup, my journey so far has been an exciting ride. And as I continue to traverse this path, I carry with me the lessons from each experience. After all, design is about more than just creating attractive interfaces or seamless experiences. It's about understanding people, cultures, and societies and using that understanding to create products that make a positive impact on people's lives. And that, to me, is the true beauty of being a designer – the ability to influence, inspire, and impact lives, no matter where you are in the world.