My Path to UX

Summer Champagne
Prototypr
Published in
3 min readFeb 18, 2019

10 years ago, I decided to get a master’s degree in Instructional Design (ID) as a way to incorporate my interest in layout and design, with that of dissecting and assimilating new information and knowledge. If you’re not familiar with ID, it’s basically the process of designing materials intended for educational and training purposes with specific end-users in mind, usually, on topics you know nothing about, while heavily depending on subject matter experts (SMEs) to impart said knowledge through carefully planned SME interviews. My program also focused on the ADDIE design model (analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation). Does any of this sound familiar? (Hint: it’s mostly UX)

The next chapter (post-grad) involved me moving to Austin, applying for a million Junior ID jobs, and landing a Presentation Specialist role in the communications and marketing department of a very successful investment firm with billions of dollars under management. In the context of financial advising, Presentation Specialists design materials intended to inform clients on portfolio progress and potential clients on services offered, while adhering to very strict branding standards. I interviewed subject matter experts (SMEs) in person, over the phone, or via email, to further understand the scope and purpose of each presentation, to gain an understanding of mathematical and economic terms used, or to review and decipher many spreadsheets of complex data. This was an iterative process that included submitting drafts for feedback throughout its duration until the stakeholders gave final approval. At that point, the presentations were handed off to the legal department for further review which began another set of iterations. During the final step of the process, the presentation was sent to the editors for any final changes. Finally, the presentation would be shown to it’s intended audience, then the process would start over again with updates on data and iterations on design based on client or audience feedback.

The freedom to maintain my own schedule drove me towards my next move into real estate as a Realtor for the past 6 years. This career has afforded me the luxury of creating my own processes that ensure my clients are having a great experience. It is important to me that I quickly not only gain an understanding of my client’s needs, desires, concerns, and financial constraints but also their level of comfort with compromise. Empathizing, connecting, and gaining the trust of people who are in the midst of making a huge financial investment, or a major life transition are the most important attributes I’ve built during this time in my career. It has been a challenging and rewarding time.

In recent years I’ve begun to feel a deep desire to enter into a more collaborative work environment that would allow me to more directly utilize my master's degree. When I heard about UX design through friends in the tech space, I was immediately intrigued; it seemed an obvious culmination of my education, varied professional experiences, and interests. This led to weeks of research on UX and the ultimate decision to make a career change. I enrolled in the immersive program at General Assembly a month later, and have since completed the program with some valuable real-world experience under my belt. In addition to concept projects we also worked with local companies who needed UX help. My team created an app for the local non-profit organization Moolah U, whose main goal is to promote financial literacy in children. This app is an addition to their already established workshops and programs. The Moolah U app gives parents the ability to transfer money to their children while utilizing a budget system that helps kids understand how to spend and save money. Check out the hi-fi prototype here.

I’m excited to have found a career path I feel so in alignment with. I look forward to continuing to learn and grow as a UX Designer and Researcher. I’d love to collaborate with you on projects or discuss available and upcoming positions! My portfolio and contact info can be found on my website.

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Published in Prototypr

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