Inspiring Journey: Johanie Gagnon

The Inspiring Journeys initiative aims to highlight members of our teams who stand out for their diverse backgrounds and unique experiences.

What is an inspiring journey at Frima?

It’s a career path that reflects both personal and professional fulfillment. This can include career development, involvement that has had a positive impact, alignment with the company’s values, etc.

We invited Johanie, Lead UI Designer, to share her most memorable moments at Frima. Voted the person who best embodies our ‘fun’ value, her personality is as colourful as her wardrobe and she breathes creative energy into the ambitious projects she works on.

1. Johanie, tell us about your journey at Frima. 

When I joined Frima in 2016, I was initially hired as a UI designer and started working on a mobile game project with a team of three designers. It wasn’t my first job in the field, I had worked in different studios as a tester and also as a UI designer. Thanks to my experience, I quickly progressed in my role and then became Lead, the position I currently hold.

2. What is your fondest memory of working at Frima so far and why?

One of my best memories was working with the same client for five years. Working with this team was a daily pleasure, we were tightly knit and our synergy kept growing. What’s more, this project gave us a lot of creative freedom, which was really enjoyable and motivating. I truly have good memories of these five years.

3. Which of Frima’s values do you feel most strongly about?

My answer is fun, of course! It’s a value that represents me well, so much so that I was named as an ambassador for this value at the 2024 Recognition Gala. Even when we face difficult situations or daily challenges on our projects, we have to find a way to get through them, and for me, the best way to do that is to find ways to laugh and have fun as a team. In my opinion, laughing with colleagues every day leads to better collaboration.

4. What advice would you give to someone starting out in the profession?

I imagine it’s a little bit like that for all professions, but be able to take a step back from the work you’ve been doing. Love the work you do, but don’t fall in love with your ideas, because they will change. Don’t hesitate to put your ideas forward and discuss them, but also be willing to get feedback and be challenged without getting discouraged. I think you have to see this as a way of constantly improving your skills. In a nutshell, being open to learning is really what’s going to make you better at what you do.

5. What was your first impression of Frima when you arrived?

I remember that during my interview 9 years ago, Jean-Francois (who is still my director today) made a very good impression on me! I felt like I had a really good vibe with him and I could see myself working with him on a daily basis.

When I arrived at Frima, I was met with a wonderful welcome! I felt welcomed by everyone very quickly and, as time went on, I’ve been able to see how welcoming our new resources is a strength that continues to improve. We take the new recruits to lunch, we communicate a lot with them and their integration into the team is smooth and efficient. Friendships develop very quickly.

6. What is a typical day like in your role?

In my role as Lead, I always start the day by making sure that everyone in my direct team has what they need and that they don’t have any blockers. We then often attend meetings, make assessments and help production to draw up plans for the project. Throughout my day, I have to communicate regularly with the client to keep them updated on the progress of the project, follow up, give my team constructive feedback to make improvements, do technical troubleshooting and help with day-to-day tasks. In short, my role is to organize the work of designers and the overall project at the UI, UX level.

7. What is your favourite video game ever?

My favourite game of all time has been Final Fantasy tactics since I was young! So having the opportunity to work on a tactical RPG (Triangle Strategy) with Square Enix Co, Ltd. was a great honour and source of pride for me. This project was really close to my heart because when I was a kid and saw non-Japanese names in the credits, I thought ‘Wow, that’s awesome, but to experience that I’d have to go and live in Japan,’ and finally Frima allowed me to do just that! It’s still my favourite project so far in my career!

8. What other departments do you work with the most on a daily basis?

That’s the great thing about UI: you get to work with everyone! First of all, I work closely with the other leads and the producers. On a day-to-day basis, we work a lot with the programmers because we’re preparing the visuals that they’ll have to use. We have to explain to them the result we want and make sure that the right behaviour has been achieved. We also work closely with the QA team, because when I ask the programmers to implement elements, I have to check with the QA team that it’s working right and also ask for their opinion, especially on the UX side.

9. What has been your favourite event or activity since you joined Frima and why?

The Christmas party has always been my favourite event for the past nine years! In fact, for the last three years, Frima has outdone itself in organizing memorable parties! My favourite party is the one that took place at Le Capitole, partly because it was the first Christmas party after the pandemic. Every year it’s a different formula and there’s always a good turnout. I always look forward to treating myself to a beautiful dress for the party! 

On a smaller scale, I usually organize a St Patrick’s Day Bingo with the Social Club. It’s the most popular event each year, and I’m quite proud of it!

At Frima, it’s the people who make all the difference. Whether it’s through their projects, their attitude, or their team spirit, employees are at the heart of everything we create. Want to learn more about our culture ? Take a look at our careers page.