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A few people have contacted me, wanting to know about my transition from marketing to UX design. Many came from different backgrounds because they were dissatisfied with their chosen career paths or were curious about the field.
While they had asked me about specific bootcamps they were looking to join, they also would wonder, "what is UX design exactly?". I would always say, "wait a minute, let's take a step back." Before diving into any bootcamp, certification, or degree, you need to find out whether you could see yourself in this field before spending thousands on a learning program.
With the abundance of online content, finding resources to help you get started in your UX journey can be overwhelming. And so, I want to share how specific UX design resources inspired me to pursue UX/UI design before committing to a bootcamp.
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Believe me when I say I've looked at almost every kind of resource out there to learn more about this industry. Out of all of these mediums, the one that got me the most inspired was listening to designers. This could be anything from live streams recorded on YouTube to design podcasts.
It also helps you visualize yourself in their shoes and their day-to-day lives instead of simply reading a description on a job posting. To help you get started, I recommend looking at day in the life and Q&A videos. Here are a few of my favourite videos and Youtube channels:
Topics
Channels
Reach out to designers you know or people who may know of one. There are also platforms aimed to help you network. For instance, ADP List, LinkedIn, or design communities like Memorisely.
Designers within your network can give you the best insight into what skills are essential, your different learning options, how to build a design portfolio, and so much more. But remember, a career in tech can include many other titles you may have never heard of and that may pique your interest. Ask designers who they work alongside; researchers, content strategists, product managers, program managers, and engineers are among the few.
As a starting point, UX/UI or product design short courses and blogs are great ways to build a basic foundation. Bootcamps and degrees are programs that allow you to solve problems in the form of case studies that surround these theoretical design concepts and frameworks. And so, you will not be far off by looking into these short courses to see whether the content piques your interest.
UX Design Blogs
FREE Short Courses
It is important to note that courses are great for building general knowledge but avoid the need to take as many classes as you can, especially if you decide to go the self-teaching route. Even though you may think you need to gain extensive knowledge to begin designing, getting started with conceptualizing ideas is the most crucial step to progressing your journey as a designer.
The UX design process is not linear and can vary from designer to designer. Understanding the design thinking process and philosophy is a good starting point.
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To get a general understanding, grab a pen and paper and follow designers as they go through their UX design process:
Find your own process
As you continue learning, you'll discover a few tools and tactics designers use to synthesize user research, define user pain points, brainstorm ideas, and bring them to life. However, a good designer must know when to use the most suitable one at the right time.
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Finding your process can only be done with practice. If you ever feel stuck working on your case studies, look up in-depth articles that explain particular phases where you feel stuck. You can check out my Notion database containing some of the UX/UI articles that helped me.
Design Tools
Figma has become one of the leading product design tools; there is also Adobe XD, Sketch, Invision, and much more. Typically these platforms have their own tutorials on how to use them, but you can also find specific videos for your respective tools on YouTube.
Finding Practice Opportunities
Lastly, find opportunities to create digital designs to further sharpen your visual design skills. Especially if you're considering becoming a freelancer, looking into brand strategy, brand design, and web design can enhance your technical skills and soft skills that would be beneficial to a career in UX/UI. This includes knowing how to work with clients, managing your time, conceptualizing ideas, and understanding business needs. In this case, The Futur and The Futur Academy offer well-thought-out content about design & business for freelancers and small businesses.
What is great about the design field is that it is constantly evolving and changing. Developing a growth mindset is one of the most valuable abilities. Stay curious, keep learning, and find what niche topics interest you the most!
Whether you pursue a degree, bootcamp, or start seeking jobs as a self-taught designer, I hope these steps will excite you to pursue a career as a UX/UI designer. So take it one step at a time. You got this!
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Feel free to reach out using my contact form.