UX Design and Research Review
by Soho Productions (Microsoft Studios)
This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
4.8
-
The Company
4.5
-
The Culture
3.8
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
There are struggles with every job you do, however these times were few and this was definitely one of the best jobs ever!
You're treated as a full time employee, not an intern.
I had regular one-on-one meetings with my manager(s). I could also approach any member of the studio for support if requested - everyone is more than willing to help you if you ask for it.
Sometimes I didn't have a lot to do and I was doing my own thing - this was mainly when projects came to an end and we were in a transition period. It's always good to have some downtime though!
You are given so much responsibility. I was leading research studies at many points during my placement year. The last 6 months of my placement was spent working on a specific area of the Xbox dashboard. Quite literally - if I didn't do my job, this particular section could not function and it would display errors to every person in the UK who owns an Xbox 360 and uses Xbox Live. My manager at the time expressed how valuable my input into the service was.
My placement complemented my degree quite well, so the skills I learnt were transferable into my final year.
The Company
The Soho office is part of Xbox, so the office is very modern and quirky. Fantastic atmosphere, great people, and as a consequence you feel comfortable and work hard!
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Working from home
I have been encouraged to contact them when I have finished university, but nothing is set in stone.
The Culture
My particular intern year wasn't great for socialising, however the current intern year are very sociable.
At the end of the day, you're still a student, you're on an intern salary, and you're working and living in one of the most expensive places in the country (perhaps the world?!). So money can be tight sometimes.
You are slap bang in the middle of Soho, you are in the centre of London so the nightlife is amazing!
You can do 101 things outside work - it is down to you to seek the opportunities, and create them if they don't exist yet.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Graphic Design
London
November 2013