Design and strategy in action: MDM student Viola Hernandez validates career horizons through self-publishing

As she finishes her Master of Digital Media (MDM) program and prepares for Fall graduation, Viola Hernandez is reflecting on a journey that blends creative passion with strategic discovery. She previously self-published an illustrated children’s book, Can You Hear the Halcyons Sing?, through her personal brand, Fishy Design Studio. To evaluate its long-term potential, she used a self-directed course (DG8009), guided by faculty member and supervisor JP Silva, to examine her creative work through a rigorous business lens.

Through comprehensive cost analysis, user experience evaluation, and market research, she set out to answer a pivotal question about her career trajectory. “I wanted to evaluate if independent publishing and studio ownership could be a sustainable full-time career for me, or if I’m better suited for traditional corporate roles,” Viola explains.

Origin Story & The Book

The seeds of Viola’s book were planted during the isolation of the pandemic. While sifting through mementos and old letters exchanged with friends from her days in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets marching band, she found herself revisiting the simple, grounding words of encouragement from her youth. Inspired to commemorate those bonds, she wrote and illustrated Can You Hear the Halcyons Sing?

The story follows a Lion and a Bunny who share their dreams and aspirations with each other while wondering what it means to grow up. As they journey toward their dreams together, they encounter twists and turns that lead them to places they never expected to be. Written in rhythmic, rhyming verse paired with soft, nostalgic illustrations, the book serves a dual purpose: an engaging bedtime read for children and an uplifting visual poem for young adults. “The story really grew out of a desire to capture that feeling of reassurance and connection,” says Viola.

Her desire to bridge creative expression with real-world application eventually led her to the MDM program. Drawing on a background in business marketing and interactive design, she sought a graduate environment where she could pivot her perspective, gain clarity on her professional direction, and test her ideas against industry standards.

The MDM Ecosystem & Research Findings

The MDM ecosystem provided the ideal framework for Viola’s exploration. Through her directed studies course, she leaned into digital workflows. Leveraging tools like Adobe InDesign, Procreate, and Shopify, alongside generative AI assistants like Google Gemini to streamline market analysis. Rather than replacing creative execution, Viola used AI tools to scrape, categorize, and synthesize reader feedback from competitor titles on Amazon and Goodreads. “Using AI tools as a research assistant helped me digest competitive market data far more efficiently,” she notes, allowing her to identify underserved niches in wellness-focused literature.

Her financial research yielded concrete strategic takeaways. Initial cost-modeling revealed that traditional full-colour hardcover runs required high capital outlays. By evaluating alternative trim sizes, paper weights, and localized print-on-demand services, she mapped out a production model capable of achieving a 30–40% margin on individual sales.

Yet, the ultimate insight was structural and personal. Mapping out long-term operational tasks, inventory management, fulfillment logistics, and continuous marketing, revealed that running the business single-handedly took time away from her primary passion: design and visual storytelling. While the venture was commercially viable on paper, the workload analysis proved full-time studio ownership did not align with her preference for more structured roles.

“Even though the financial models proved it could work, I realized full-time entrepreneurship wasn't what I wanted for my day-to-day life,” Viola shares. Supported by faculty and peers, she embraced this outcome as a true research victory: validating her career direction by finding a clear, authentic answer.

Future Vision

Looking ahead to graduation and transitioning into the MDM alumni community, Viola views Fishy Design Studio not as a high-pressure commercial venture, but as a fulfilling personal creative outlet. “Fishy Design Studio will remain my creative sandbox, a space where I can experiment without the pressure of needing it to pay the bills,” she says. She plans to keep exploring side projects, including testing limited-edition physical merchandise using the TMU Design Technology Lab’s advanced fabrication tools, and hopes to eventually bring a sequel to Can You Hear the Halcyons Sing? to life for her readers.

Her advice to current and incoming MDM students with creative passion projects or startup ideas is simple: 

“Don’t be afraid to try new things, and don’t sit on an idea so long that time passes you by. Put yourself out there, talk to your peers, and build community. The value of this program isn't just in what you build, but in the connections and perspectives you gain along the way.” — Viola Hernandez

Connect with Viola: LinkedIn (external link)  | Instagram (external link) 

Purchase Can you Hear the Halcyons sing? Amazon (external link)  | Indigo (external link)  | Fishy Design Studio (external link) 

Can you Hear the Halcyons Sing?