Set It Off: Jenifer Vandagriff
Name:
Jenifer Vandagriff
Aka:
Futurista - that technosexual, sentimental, futurist girl who’s into digital media, human computer interaction, computer science, design, and new media theory; also known as the awkward one; aka most likely to succeed; aka the quintessential leo; aka mixed baby, kim kardashian/anne frank lookin’ ass; aka wild thing you make my heart sing; aka harajuku mouse.
Website:
fem-fATL.com
jenifervandagriff.com
twitter.com/jeniferv
Where are you from?
I’m a military brat. Born in Charleston, SC; grew up in San Antonio, TX; moved to Germany for 2 years; and landed in Atlanta when I was a sophomore in high school. I’ve been in Atlanta for the last 7-8 years.
Who do you work for?
I work as an interaction designer for an Atlanta based interactive marketing agency IQ Interactive and as a graduate research assistant in the Wesley New Media center at Georgia Tech. I also co-run a female perspective blog on Atlanta nightlife, entertainment, fashion, sex, technology, etc called fem-fATL.com.
What are your Current Project(s)?
My current focus is on my master’s project; which is a mobile activist campaign whose interaction model draws heavily from performance art practices from the 60s and 70s.
With fem-fATL.com we are currently gearing up to launch a campaign against domestic violence. We’d like to use our influence as female leaders as a way to generate empathy and aid towards social injustices that particularly affect women. As a woman, I empathize and feel compelled towards the struggles of other women.
I guess you could say I have an activist vein pulsating right now.
Who would you love to work with?
I’d love to work with Yoko Ono! She’s an art figure I’ve always admired and have become particularly fond of as my research interests have turned towards performance art.
These are instructions from her project ‘100 Acorns: 100 days of conceptual instructions by Yoko Ono’:
Walk in the footsteps of the person in front of you.
1. on the pavement.
2. in the mud.
3. on ice.
4. in the snow
5. on fire
6. on water
I think it’s brilliant; I think these Fluxus like instructions resonate with procedural code; and I’d like to make a movie documenting myself enacting them all!
If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep?
Sneakers? I’d be sure to hang on to my Jeffrey Cambell wedge gladiator heels! But if I had to choose, I’d probably have to hang on to my pair of black converse sneaker boots; with without I could not complete my nerdy bomber chic look.
What’s on your iPod right now?
My iPod is embarrassing because I hardly use it and I don’t have a robust iTunes collection. My favorite album on my iPod is the Fugees. I also work out to Linkin Park’s old school album Hybrid Theory. I don’t think I have anything on my iPod after 1999! I’m more a proponent of cloud computing and internet radio. I’m an avid Pandora Radio listener and my favorite stations are ‘Wild Thing Radio’, ‘Mono Radio’, ‘Massive Attack Radio’, ‘Krwing Radio’, ‘File Under Futurism Radio’, ‘Dubstep Radio’, ‘DJ Shadow Radio’, and ‘Bitter:Sweet Radio’.
What’s your Favorite ATL food?
My favorite Atlanta restaurant is Two Urban Licks. The other ladies of Fem-fATL.com and I are trying to find the best calamari in the ATL and think they are the winner thus far. We haven’t found a spot that beats them yet. They have this amazing sauce that is sort of sweet and the calamari isn’t too soggy or too fried… it’s just right! It’s a really great ATL restaurant because they serve up southern style soul food, play live jazz, and serve vino out of a keg! They also have amazing high ceilings and a beautiful patio. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that I get off on their bistro steak! I want Two Urban Licks now!
What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
I’m a regular at Tilt Coffee Shop in the Castleberry Hills neighborhood where I live. I love this spot so much that I say I have regular office hours there. I also host along with my fem-fATL crew a weekly film series every friday night. We are finishing up a Hitchcock series now and starting a French New Wave series for the rest of November and December. I’m fond of Octane also, but in my opinion, Tilt’s got the quirks that make you fall in love. The place is chill enough that you can start a conversation with the guys who work there, who are all super cool and down to earth. They do their job right when it comes to coffee and they can also serve up some mean sandwiches. The golden child of Tilt, however, is their banana split. It’s amazing… amazing. It comes with green kiwi lime syrup! Another thing that makes this my favorite spot is it sports a permanent collection of artwork by scrap metal sculpture artist Grant Spafford. There are all these cool metal, robotic looking animals and lamps all over the place.
I wrote about Tilt and put some pictures up on fem-fATL.com
What are your Pet Peeves?
I absolutely can not stand when people are late to meetings, appointments, dates, anything because I’m always early; which means I’m wasting more time when people aren’t on time!
Also I have a problem with other people using my computer. I literally feel anxiety. I probably should not feel this way, but I seriously have a relationship with my computer and it just feels so awkward. It almost feels like my privacy is being invaded. Or I’m obsessive and feel jealous. Either way, that’s a bit of an awkward pet peeve.
Another pet peeve when it comes to computers is when things take way to slow to load. I always default to ‘Preview’ or a basic ‘Text’ program than opening up some bulkier application when it isn’t necessary. I feel agitated sometimes waiting for programs to load. hahahaha
Shout outs?
The rest of my fem-fATL.com crew Brittany aka justB and Kristen aka the UrbanSocialite, our fem-fATL readers, my Twitter followers (@jeniferv), Cobra Corps, WhiteLight ATL, Joy Tolentino, Fres Co Society, Justin Huff, freshiam.net, Tilt Coffee Shop, Halo, Graveyard, Sutra, Luckie Lounge, and all my Georgia Tech larping, video game playing, self righteous nerds!
November 4th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Thanks so much to my dudes at Epidemik. I love the site and what you are doing to promote the movers and shakers of ATL.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Ahhhh!!! I love it!!! You rock my world you digital girl!
November 4th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
kudos on the spotlight
glad to see one of my favorite ladies getting some creed !!!
November 5th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Her profile is kind of a lie. I work at IQ Interactive, and Jennifer has never been anything more than a contractor doing IA work (Information Architecutre). She’s never been a designer for IQ Interactive. She is a fake and needs to be called out. I pretty much lost all respect for her after reading this.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
A friend working at a magazine passed this on to me. Jenifer is not an interactive designer at IQ Interactive. I don’t like that she’s passing herself off as one - especially when you look at her portfolio. This article could have been really cool, but it takes a turn when she’s claiming a profession that she has no qualifications for. She works in information architecture and has mainly prepped wireframes for IQ on a contract basis. And doesn’t have the best rep with the creative team b/c she isn’t exactly social OR friendly. Just not right.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Wow guys, thanks for your comments, but I’ve gotta say that in support of our blog/company and Jenifer’s sake, we wanted to interview her based on her blog and reach within the nightlife scene here in Atlanta.
Although I understand your frustration, I don’t condone putting her on blast in this forum. I personally would’ve handled it differently, via management, etc.
My first instinct is to CLOSE comments on this post but I’m not going to because I feel like this is a place where discussion amongst our readers needs to take place.
-LL
November 5th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
btw - I’ve done some contract work with IQ Interactive myself. Am I allowed to SAY that? What’s the web protocall yall?
November 5th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Wow, I really cannot believe the two IQ posters above me. Really low class. I have not worked with Jennifer on any specific project, but she has worked at IQ (under contract) and getting upset over what she deems that title and what you think of that title is a bit ridiculous. I apologize for the people above me.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
The moral of the story is “Don’t lie about your title.” Just be real. By the way, Larry is awesome. No one doubts your credibility as a designer.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
not sure about the work situation you guys are talking about, but I was pretty turned off by the Yoko Ono and Linkin Park mentions. Yoko broke up the Beatles. Linkin Park…well, need i say more?
November 6th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I’m embarrassed by the comments of some my coworkers. If you have something critical to say about someone use your real name (or just keep them to yourself) Otherwise it’s pretty cowardly and petty.
Jenifer your awesome keep doing your thing.
What up Larry and Co.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I agree with Mason. The anonymous posts above do not in any way reflect a collective view at IQ. I’ve worked with Jenifer several times and she’s always been great. I’m quite sorry that these views came out in such an unprofessional way.
Do what you do Jenifer - you do it well.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Wow! Lots of comments… a few hurtful and a few very kind.
First I’d like to clarify that I am NOT a contractor for IQ. I began with IQ as an intern about a year and half ago and because I’m still in school I’m only in the office part time. So unfortunately I don’t get face time with as many of my coworkers as I would like. Perhaps that is why there is confusion on my role and perhaps my personality. I’m fond of all my IQ people and hope that some of the nastier comments are from colleagues who do not know me so well.
On the issue of my title: At IQ we call my position a ‘customer experience architect’. Titles for this position are called many different things from information architect, user experience design, to interaction design. I used interaction design partly because its a more commonly used term. One of the biggest communities of individuals in similar positions as myself is the Interaction Design Association (http://www.ixda.org/). But also I think the name better encompasses my own understanding of the field that I study, work in, and am passionate about. IQ has always been a creative house and the user/customer experience team is a fairly young leg of the team and is still trying to integrate into the overall creative process at IQ. I think there may be confusion between my use of the title ‘interaction design’ and a title used at IQ that is a ‘interactive designer’. This is a very different position at IQ and may be what set off the angst. Despite all this, I do see myself as a designer. I’m not merely prepping wireframes, but thinking strategically about the way that people can have meaningful and enjoyable interactions from the artifacts we create. I’m drawing from a whole pool of tactics. This is one of my favorite references for deliverables in the work I can do http://s3.amazonaws.com/konigi/notebook/morville-ux-deliverables.jpg Some of these deliverables aren’t required of me in our process at IQ, but it is a part of my overall design process.
Design is a broad term and there are many different types of designers. Call me an information architect, a customer experience designer, or an interaction designer (if you like), in my mind I’m still taking a problem and trying to come up with solutions.
Thank you to my supportive friends and colleagues. No hard feelings towards the meanies either; that’s what forums are for!
November 6th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
ps yoko ono is cool… and she broke up the Beatles! and i knew i’d get laughed at for the linkin park reference- o well its true!
November 6th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Just keepin it real - in today’s time, you know you’re doing something RIGHT when you have HATERS (plural) out to besmirch your reputation.
a. With the blog’s reputation - show it some respect. Why lower the quality of the discourse to that of YouTube commentary? Don’t like what you see, keep it moving. If it really irks you and leaves you so restless at night that you had to go and keep it real, do the GROWN thing and approach her. Better yet, give someone the benefit of the doubt as you found yourselves focusing on two words “interaction designer” - really, THAT caused all that anxiety and made you to lose respect for her?
b. As co-workers, it’s understanding that people can very easily be misunderstood and egos, pride, and emotions can and will run rampant. I understand the territorial position you may have over that title (even if it’s not your own), especially given the recent changes in IQ, but it was not in any way copacetic to direct your pent up frustrations on someone as unsuspecting as her.
Jen is an amazing YOUNG woman - accomplishing things that will make heads turn - her portfolio, the very one ridiculed, actually extends far beyond designing alone and incorporates various artistic mediums and humanitarian efforts. She is that uniqueness: passionate, caring, intelligent, motivated and driven, creative, witty, and still humble and is very much so the first one to laugh at herself. She is a human being that is doing exactly what she does best - living and experiencing constant growth. If she comes across differently, then it’s ‘cuz you don’t know her. She’s dually confident and shy, nervous and proud, and goofy and steadfast - it’s about having a true multifaceted character.
Take notes.
She’s different, accept it. Yoko Ono and Linkin Park - they comprise who she is because its what appeals to HER - not you. Next time, wait your turn until it is YOUR name as the one being interviewed as “Set[ting] It Off”.
If you can’t, then it’s ’bout that time already - Out with old, and in with the new.
Brava Jen - keep it up, your an inspiration to us all.
V
p.s. just cuz I know it’s needed:
Disclaimer - All questions asked were rhetorical. We already know haters will keep doing what they do best. Try acknowledging the strengths and the very things that Epidemik Coalition is trying to PRAISE as forward moving.
November 6th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Sandra- Get a life, its not your interview, its Jens….once your lucky enough (if ever) to score an interview on a well known blog, then you are more than welcome to defend exactly why you don’t like Yoko Ono or Linkin Park…until then please stay in the background….You hating on another female is really not a good look.
And to the Haters who posted above, WOW…I hope you really feel good about yourselves. You clearly don’t know what your talking about, and don’t know Jen at all. She’s an awesome, creative, social, and down to earth individual. You might learn a few things if you actually took the time to sit down and have a conversation with her, she’s extremely intelligent….instead you decided to take the cowardly route and ASSUME. All you did from assuming, was make an ASS out of yourself, NOT Jen. That was EXTREMELY unprofessional of you, and in my opinion you made yourself and your company look bad….
Shoutouts to Epidemik Coalition for featuring my homegirl Jen, she was the best choice for this feature!!
Jen- Keep up the good work! Always remember, that your not making a mark unless people are talking about you…good or bad. Clearly you’ve made your mark
Ciao!
November 13th, 2009 at 9:51 am
i don’t care who she works for in what capacity…this lady has grace, style, and the HOTness!
August 24th, 2010 at 8:26 am
Jen is on a mission to the top and she won’t stop. She has incredible work ethic and zest for her career… And in her personal time, she’s a goofball and nerd enthusiast who finds humor in the not usually funny things. She’s not an open book for everyone, so I am very lucky to be in her circle where she shares her story with me. I encourage her to ignore the sour grapes when hearing people thru the grapevine. Its not common to have someone as brilliant, beautiful, and young to have mastered what she has, so plenty of sour grapes will try to knock her hustle. Keep it comin Jen. We’ll see you at the top.