Week 1 - My Experience Learning User Experience

Senior year is finally here! My final semester of undergrad has finally arrived! Fresh off a year-long break from school to focus on another area of personal passion, I've been looking back on all the decisions, unforgettable moments and memories, and lessons learned thus far while here at Baylor University.

I soon began to stress over the same concerns other graduating seniors were possibly worrying about: 

• Did I choose the right major? 
• Will I make enough money to live comfortably when I graduate?
• Can I find a job that I actually enjoy enough to deem my career?
• Is this what God has planned for me and/or my vocation? 

After much prayer, research, and counsel, I have been feeling that God has been telling me to keep my options open. But for what? 

Reggie, my Music Manager, recently introduced me to the topics of UX & UI design. He recommended that I watch a specific episode of Netflix's original series: Abstract: The Art of Design. This particular episode followed Instagram’s Head of Design Ian Spalter's journey of "experimenting with new product designs." 

Since I watched that episode, I've been extremely drawn to the idea of learning more about user experience design, and how I could potentially get into the field. Then I made probably the most unique decision ever --  I created my own Introduction to User Experience course (Since I'm only taking one class this semester anyway, why not? 🤷🏾‍♂️). Jam packed with quizzes, 2 semester-long mini projects, assignments, tests, and a final, I wanted to not only keep myself dedicated and disciplined to this self-taught experience, but also hold myself accountable with what I knew would motivate me to work harder -- grades! 

But why study UXD (User Experience Design)?  

UXD allows me to equip several of my passions and areas of interest into a single, homogenous subject. From critical thinking, to problem-solving, cognitive task analysis to visual design, I was finally introduced to a subject that allowed me to unite my appreciation for technology, design, and psychology. In summation, UXD simply allows me to serve as an "Internet & digital psychologist." With each project and task, I study, understand, and leverage the minds, behavioral patterns, and experiences of users in an effort to design a particular product or service for the user that ultimately enhances their cognitive intelligence, conduct, and experience when using said product/service. 

This week's course load has been extremely overwhelming yet exciting. Getting introduced to wire-framing, personas, and a myriad of other useful skills key to the responsibilities of a UX Designer has truly been eye-opening. 

After taking my first quiz (I got an 80% on my own quiz; definitely studying more next time lol), being assigned my first mini-project of the semester, and introduced to useful tools like Adobe XD, Figma, and Sketch, I am truly excited to see not only how well I do in my own course, but also how much I will grow to love and appreciate a career as a User Experience Designer. 

Until next week,

EM