Meet Creative Computing Diploma graduate Jade Pughe

The former course leader for the UAL Diploma in Creative Computing, Joel Gethin Lewis, hosted an inspiring lecture series that introduced us to creative computing. Honestly, I didn’t understand 90% of it but he was so passionate about how endless the possibilities were with creative coding, which was infectious. It was genuinely the first time that maths, science and coding seemed artistic and beautiful to me. What also stood out to me, was that it centred in being an accessible additional year for people of any background and gender, acknowledging the steeper learning curve for women, non-binary and gender non-conforming folk as well as people from different socio-economic backgrounds.

I was excited by the idea of a genuinely inclusive course. It was a refreshing pitch in a culture where there is a huge disparity in wealth. The diploma made creative coding seem more approachable which gave me confidence that I could give it a go despite not having the strongest foundation in maths or computer science. I could see how my practice could benefit from adding interactivity to my work and exploring more experiential methods of design, but I couldn’t get there with just the short introduction we received in first year. I understood we could just Google the answer, but I didn’t have the tools to know how.

How was the transition to studying the diploma and how was the transition afterwards?

I did the diploma at the height of Covid-19 and therefore, learning about complex topics like machine learning, coding principles and electronics entirely online was difficult. But it was refreshing to learn tangible skills from talented lecturers. While I was able to develop soft skills through my Graphic Communication Design course, I now had the opportunity to focus on developing my hard skills which was really fun. Transitioning back to my original course, I was able to integrate creative technology into my practice to a whole new level. Though I was still a beginner, I now knew how and where to look for resources I needed to communicate what I wanted.

NoVe, short for non-verbal, was a handheld non-verbal communication aid inspired by the traffic light system used in BDSM. The device recognises “yes”, “no” and “maybe” sign language, triggering red, yellow and green LEDs that allow you to safely communicate with your sexual partner. The device was designed for those with trauma or disability, allowing users to take back their power in the bedroom. This was one of my favourite projects as it allowed me to find the perfect Venn-diagram of all my interests, feminism, liberation and accessibility. There was a lot of testing, trial and error in order to solidify my creative coding process.

Tell us about your current career and how studying the diploma helped you become more employable?

I now work as a full-time Creative Technologist. My days consist constantly learning new technologies as they are released, building prototypes for proof of concepts and coding websites, apps and games for clients and internal projects. I am a generalist through and through, so I am often learning on projects depending on what is required from the client or creative. This ability to learn in a fast-paced environment and to be adaptive is a tribute to the principles I learnt at CCI. It also allowed me to join a huge network of insanely talented people across multiple industries and disciplines which I still tap into when we need to source freelance work or look for new people to expand our team.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about doing a UAL Diploma in Creative Computing?

The entirety of CCI, students and staff, are a really caring community. They're  always there for you if you need it. Completing the UAL Diploma in Creative Computing will teach you so much and at times it will be challenging but the sense of achievement at the end is unbeatable!