I transitioned into product design in 2020 after working as a dress designer in NYC for 8+ years. I found the need to recalibrate my path. My personal values were diverging from that of the industry and I had to step back and reassess what I wanted to do in my professional career and how I could better use my talents to make a meaningful impact in the world.
I was at a crossroads and all signs pointed to ‘travel.’ I took a leap of faith and made plans to actualize a dream of mine to backpack Southeast Asia. I sold my things, quit my job, and fit my life into 2 backpacks. There were only whispers of covid and my plan was to stay ahead of it as I landed in Nepal at the start of 2020. Unfortunately, I returned home to a country in lockdown 5 weeks later.
It wasn’t the year I planned for, but it’s the one I got. As did everyone else.
Which brings me to transitioning to UX Design. It was something I had been considering for quite some time and the solitude of quarantine allowed me the space to research the field in depth. I made a plan of action and dove right into building the foundational skills I would need to transition. I found that my design thinking and soft skills seamlessly translated well into this space. After all, the things we design are just tools for people to improve their lives, whether it's a dress or a digital platform. This journey, though it has been humbling and challenging, has granted me the opportunity to utilize my creative skills to design products that make an impact.
I'm glad you asked! I talk about the similarities and differences between the two mediums in these blog posts.
