The Beginning of my UX Journey
Credit: UX Store
As I shared previously, I am currently studying UX. I took up the Google UX Design Professional Certificate on Coursera, and it has been a month. I have completed the first three modules of the course so far.
Process as of March 2022.
I had a hard time putting aside time to study for the course. On top of that, there are assignments too. I decided to set a goal - Study for a minimum of 4 hours every week. With this solution, so far, I clock in 6 hours of studying every week without fail. It was not easy to slot in the 6 hours on top of my current commitments. I try to work on my assignments when I have the time. I am grateful that I committed to it.
Here are some insights that I have learned so far from the course. The insights could apply to other situations in life.
1. Reframing Thoughts
One important lesson that I learned from the course is reframing thoughts. By that, I would mean to use another word or phrase to make the sentence sounds more optimistic. For example:
You might have different perceptions towards each sentence. One might think the latter sounds more positive.
It is a good learning point, as sometimes, you need to use the correct words to engage with the users or give feedback. Even in day to day life, this can come in handy for any form of communication.
2. Designing is time-consuming but it is certainly worth it.
I took several hours to create the paper and low-fidelity wireframes for a cafe ordering and payment app. Initially, I can't stop myself from editing the wireframes. I had to remind myself to focus on the user's needs. I realised that I like to make everything “perfect”. As cliche as it sounds, perfection is the enemy of good.
Now I can fully appreciate the time and effort that are involved in creating or improving an app. A lot of effort not only went into the research but also into the design. It can be a long process, but it is worth the result.
3. Blend of Marketing, Design and Psychology
I realised that UX is a good blend of marketing, design and psychology. I have a background in both marketing and design. It felt like a refresher when I learnt about persona in marketing. I have to put myself in the consumer's shoes when I need to observe the user journey or use the app. The design of the app must be in line with the brand. Hence, it's nice to be exposed to different fields when learning about UX.
Here are three things that I am grateful for:
1. Background in Marketing and Design
As I mentioned earlier, I have a background in marketing and design. Hence, I do find it easy to follow through with the programme. On top of that, I know the basics of Adobe software. Thus, I am thankful that the same shortcuts apply in Figma too. It took me a short while to learn Figma and figure out how to prepare a prototype. At the same time, I am thankful for all the YouTube tutorials too! All of these resources do help to make learning easier.
2. Google UX Design Professional Certificate is an online course.
I get to determine the schedule and pace of study. I am also thankful that there are deadlines for the assignments. Due to the deadlines, there is no reason for me to procrastinate.
3. Having the motivation to push myself to study UX
I am glad to enrol in the online course. It has always been a dream of mine to do design. I am honestly thankful for all my past learning and experiences. Somehow, the stars align. Hopefully, after I completed the certificate, I can have a career move.
Nonetheless, I am still learning. I am working on my first UX project (assignment) right now. I will be sharing my learning journey on this blog, so stay tuned. If you are a fellow learner, share your notes with me!
x, Esther
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