I initially started my journey in school as an aspiring architect, hence the construction management degree that you may have oddly noticed. I always wanted to design buildings that people would love to see and be immersed in, and would intrinsically adapt to its occupants. I thought architecture was the only medium to achieve this growth, so it really familiarized myself with the process of carefully designing products, and getting them built with the optimal function of the highest priority. Out of school, I worked for an engineering company in which initially caused me to see the value in user-centered design when I realized the principles of architecture really aligned exactly with UX.

As UX designers, what we do is to have a certain empathy and sympathy for a user. This is someone who uses a product and understanding what they are going through, what their emotions are, what their frustrations & pain points are, and being able to design a product in a way to elevate those pain points & frustrations. Also beyond that, being able to delight them with the experience that they are going to have while they use this product which I have to admit is pretty fun.. also quite challenging, a rewarding one. To understand somebody, a user, is pretty difficult because most people think to themselves “Well this seems to work for me just fine” and that is something we really can't do that as a designer, and it's quite difficult. We need to search for what are these people's daily lives like, what are their concerns fears, their hopes & dreams, goals & aspirations. Which should be the focus before anything is designed.

Spotify & Dropbox absolutely. They both put a simple task such as listening to music and cloud storing in a realm that still reacts to how the user is using their product and tailors the content based off of the user's preferences.

Julie Zhuo (Facebook), Fabricio Teixeira (UX Design CC & RGA), Mike Locke, Mike Monteiro, Stephen Krug, Jocelyn K. Glei, Donald Norman, and Alan Cooper.

Designing the United Nations Jobs Dashboard and database was the most interesting project I've worked on. We designed a system that made looking for a job within the United Nations a lot more intuitive for applicants. The UN Jobs dashboard provides a streamlined application process, and it's very satisfying to know that our work helps facilitate the recruitment of individuals who will be making a significant impact globally.

The most important skills for a UX designer to have are: empathy, communication, critical thinking, and adaptability. Empathy allows you to understand the user’s perspective and create designs that meet their needs. Communication skills are essential for collaborating with team members and presenting your ideas effectively. Critical thinking helps you solve problems and make informed decisions. Adaptability is important because the field of UX design is always evolving, and being able to learn and grow with these changes is crucial.

Staying updated with the latest UX trends and technologies involves a combination of continuous learning and active engagement with the UX community. I regularly read industry blogs, attend webinars, participate in online courses, and follow thought leaders on social media. Additionally, I network with other professionals, attend UX conferences, and participate in workshops to keep my skills sharp and stay informed about the latest developments in the field.