What’s your background?
My professional background is working in software development and data analysis. I initially worked in software development, starting from a modern apprenticeship and then moving into a full-time role.
One thing I enjoyed was working on the front end of applications and thinking about how their design could be updated to better facilitate how users interacted with them.
I thought, “Oh, I’d like to look into that a bit more”. After having done a bit more research, I thought that working in UX sounded really great and something that I would like to pursue a career in and that’s why at the start of 2021, I enrolled in the UX professional diploma and UI courses with UXDI. Now, at the beginning of 2022, I am delighted to say that I have completed both the Professional UX Diploma course and UI Certificate course and have started working as a full-time UX Designer with Ripple Energy.
What was it about software development that you weren’t enjoying anymore?
I liked working as a software developer at the start of my career, I was mainly working with C# and the .Net framework. It was interesting but I always found myself drawn more to the design side of things. When I was working on the front end of applications, I found myself spending a lot of time thinking “Right? How’s this gonna work? How’s this gonna look and feel?”
Why did you decide to switch from software developer to UX Designer?
When I was thinking about the career transition out of data, my initial thought was that I would like to move back to software development. I went for a couple of interviews but after them I found myself thinking: “I don’t really think this is the career path for me anymore”.
I always thought that I would like to be a UX designer but I thought you would have to take additional career steps to get there, that you would need to be a front end developer and then progress from there.
I didn’t realise at that point that you could enrol in courses specifically for aspiring UX professionals.
What was it about UX that drew you to it?
It’s funny. People always ask me that because my career path change goes from working with databases, which is right at the back of everything, to UX, which is right at the forefront. It’s something I’ve always been interested in. It sounds really geeky but I’ve always appreciated well designed interfaces. I always notice them because it enhances your experience of an application or website and makes you want to come back to it. I knew that it was something I would be interested to learn more about and wanted to find out about the building blocks that go into designing a great user experience.
Why did you choose UXDI?
I chose the UXDI because it had everything I was looking for! The courses had glowing reviews from previous students and many success stories where previous students from the courses had gone on to be hired in full-time UX and UI roles. The course structure looked really good as it covered the full UX design process by providing clear and informative video lessons in focused modules.
Throughout the course there were also projects in each module which allowed me to build on my practical skill set and learn tools such as Figma for wireframing and prototyping while creating a portfolio of work, which I saw as a great benefit.
At the end of the UX course students achieve a university accredited diploma which is a relatively unique offering and makes you a stand out candidate while looking for a UX role. Also the incredible team at the UXDI who took the time to answer all my questions about the courses before I enrolled and then continued to support me throughout my time working on the courses.
What appealed to you about our UI Design course?
I feel that good UI design compliments good UX design to create an engaging and memorable experience for users. I wanted to learn how to use UI design principles so I could hit the ground running in my first design role and confidently apply things such as typography, colour, layout, iconography and imagery to my designs in a way which would be coherent with the brand and personality of the website while also enhancing the user experience.
How did having both the UI and UX certificates help with your job hunt?
Having the certificates definitely helped me in my job hunt, especially the Professional Diploma in UX Design.
Interviewers were interested in the course and the work it involved. At that point, I was able to present the portfolio of work that I had completed for the projects in the courses.
Being able to discuss the steps involved in the UX design process and how each piece of coursework fitted into this was a great asset and it allowed me to confidently demonstrate my understanding and knowledge of the work involved in a UX role.
How has having a background in software helped you as a designer?
My role sits within the tech side of the company where I work closely with the development team and product owner so it has definitely been useful.
My background allows me to have informed discussions with the development team around the feasibility of designs from a technical perspective and any potential dependencies to be aware of surrounding upcoming work.
I have a good understanding of the tools and technologies used in software development and how the team works in an agile environment.
How important is it for UX and UI designers to be able to communicate with software developers?
I think it is important for designers to be comfortable communicating with developers as it opens up opportunities for collaboration on new projects and starts good discussions on how design and development can work together to create a robust and efficient workflow.
Any advice for those considering a change in their career?
For anyone considering making the move to a career in UX, I say go for it!! Working in UX is an extremely rewarding career where every day is different and there are always new and exciting projects to work on.
