The Journey of Learning Experience Design
Learning the craft of user experience design can be a daunting task, and if you’re just starting out you might be wondering where to begin. Recently, Adobe’s ExperienceLab program set out to help answer these questions in the form of a seven part series called Learn UX with Elizé in partnership with RCA Records and Adobe XD.
This series of lessons delivered by Elizé took learners on a journey from just getting started with a UX project, through to the completion of a project and presenting it to a panel representing the client. The course covered everything from user testing, sketching and ideation, prototyping, understanding data, and pulling it together into a story. The final results were a website design for a fictional artist named Echo.
I caught up with some of the participants to hear about their experiences, what they took away from the course, and to get a deep dive into their design process on the Echo website.
Meet Katie Vukovic
Katie joined the Learn UX with Elizé course during her transition into UX from a career in museum and non-profit fundraising. Her transition was sparked while searching for a creative outlet in the midst of lockdowns during the pandemic. After completing an online program and receiving a UX Design certificate, she was looking to further her learning.
With a background in the arts, and skills in communication and storytelling from her career in fundraising, she found a natural fit with UX design. Katie is excited to leverage who new skillset to continue pushing mission-driven organizations forward in creative and beautiful ways.
Thus far, the biggest hurdle in my design career has been getting off the ground. It can be a real challenge for new designers to gain enough meaningful experience to a) feel confident as a designer and b) land the first job out of bootcamp. That is why my experience with Learn with Elize was so helpful! It was a great way to augment my learning through CareerFoundry and my first opportunity to work collaboratively with other designers and stakeholders.
Katie took full advantage of the course and put tremendous thought into her solution for the project.
I favour a data and research-heavy approach to UX, so the hardest part of the process for me was the short time frame, which didn’t allow for a lengthy research phase at the start. I was able to work around this by conducting desk research and relying on user insights that RCA Records already knew. Then later in the project, I made sure there was time for user testing and iteration to correct as needed.
View Katie’s case study and prototype on Behance.
When asked which feature or design element she was most happy with, Katie mentioned “I am most happy with the UI design of my version of Echo’s website. Of course, there’s always room for improvement, but I am satisfied that the visual design of the product met the client’s requirements, was consistent, conveyed Echo’s brand, and furthered the overall UX design of the website.”
Of course, this course had a quick turn-around and participants needed to work within tight constraints.
With more time, I would love to consider more in-depth solutions for users’ lack of interest in pre-saving. I think there is still a lot to be learned through user testing and research that would improve the overall design and lead to more conversions.
I think she did a great job given the constraints on the project and being early on in her career. I asked Katie what drives her, and what types of projects she wants to focus on in her career, and she said:
My ideal project is one that is very creative and visually focused, like Echo’s website! I would also love to work on projects that push forward cultural, sustainable, and women- & minority-led initiatives. I get a lot of motivation from supporting causes and organizations that I care about personally.
To see more of Katie’s work, connect with her on Behance, Linked-in, or visit her website.
Meet Noemie
Noemie joined the Experience Lab program as a design bootcamp student looking to augment her learning with a practical, hands on project experience. Noemie’s interest in the design world is driven by her interest in creative problem solving, and is excited by ideation and prototyping.
As a designer starting out in the field Noemie has faced challenges and turned them into learning opportunities.
I’m still very new in this industry, but one of the biggest challenges in my professional life was not to take feedback personally, which is also relevant in this field. I have progressed a lot in that regard, especially during my design bootcamp, to the point where I now ask for feedback whenever possible. It definitely helps me become a better designer.
The learnings continued throughout the Experience Lab program, becoming more immersed in the process of user experience design. One of the most important lessons a designer can learn is to avoid working from your own bias and assumptions.
Don’t make design decisions based on assumptions. When I designed the pre-save feature, I had to look up what pre-saving was — which should have been a clue, we can agree on that ! I assumed that it was a well-known feature that I didn’t know about (it also showed me that I have been listening to the same songs for the past 10 years). I therefore designed the feature without explaining to the users what it was, based on that assumption. Turns out most users didn’t know what it was either, so the feature was ignored, and I have now learned the lesson!
Noemie’s project took on a completely different vibe from other projects, chasing a rustic look, with photos and concert tickets spread out across a wooden backdrop. This turned out to be one of her favourite characteristics of the design.
I love the overall feel of the visual design. I wanted the Home page to feel like someone emptied their handbag on a wooden floor, hence the bits of paper, concert ticket, etc… The Echo Lounge also has some cozy vibes which I really like ! This project allowed me to express my creativity in a very different way, I wanted to create a connection between artist and fans through visual design.
View Noemie’s case study and prototype on Behance.
Noemie expanded on her process and said if she had a chance to do it over she would take a mobile first approach.
It is the first time that I started with a desktop version and now it is much harder to design for mobile. And if I had had more time during the project, I would have done more primary research. I think user interviews would have helped save time later on.
Noemie recently completed her bootcamp and is looking to continue expanding on her design skills and develop her career. Her dream is to work for a video or music streaming platform one day like Netflix, Disney+ or Spotify.
See more of Noemie’s work on her Behance page, or connect with her on Linkedin or via her website.
Meet Sarah Kuo
There are many parallels to UX design found in other industries, and Sarah’s story is a great example of this. During a rewarding career in Occupational Therapy, Sarah was inspired to make a switch into UX design when she realized that she could expand her skillset to help a broader population instead of just one person at a time.
Sarah saw first hand the troubles with accessibility and usability as her patients struggled to interact with and use their smartphones, assistive devices and other technology that is standard in day to day life. Seeing them struggle with what many of us consider simple tasks like paying bills, shopping, or communicating online, Sarah felt urged to find a better way to help more people.
I am excited to stay true to my passion of making daily tasks easier for people by continuing my journey in accessibility through UX Design.
This transition of course has not come without hurdles, and Sarah has learned some valuable lessons already in the course of searching for her first UX role.
I’m currently on the search for my first design job. What I’ve quickly learned from my experiences is that real world UX projects likely will not follow the textbook process step by step — it all depends on the parameters, constraints, stakeholder needs, and team dynamics.
What I loved about this bootcamp was the ability to work with real stakeholder input from a business perspective. I’ve learned that there is a delicate balance between business and user goals/priorities/pain points, and I think I did my best to strategize and design a data-informed solution that would be respectful to both sides.
Sarah put those learnings into action with her solution for the Echo website, and once again took a different approach than other projects, creating a unique visual style, and pushing her creative boundaries.
View Sarah’s case study and prototype on Behance.
Sarah mentioned that her primary goal of the course was to set out to learn Adobe XD as this would be her first time doing a substantial project in Adobe’s UX design tool, but in the end she not only learned XD, but gained a community too.
My initial intention of joining Elize’s Mini UX Bootcamp was to learn Adobe XD. This was my first time doing a substantial project with XD, as my entry into UX was through another design platform.
For Echo, I started out with Youtube tutorials — but what really helped me learn XD was the support of the Adobe XD Discord community that was actively providing feedback, recommendations, and encouragement.
Looking back, I was able to get so much more out of this experience than simply learning XD. I also found supportive Adobe Discord communities that are invested in the growth of designers, and I’ve been able to keep in touch with peers from the Mini UX Bootcamp.
When asked about her favourite part of the process, and what she is most happy with, Sarah shared that she had a lot of fun solving the puzzle of balancing business and user needs, understanding the emotional connection of users and accomplishing business goals for the client.
These puzzle pieces ultimately informed the flow of the “pre-save” process and “Echo Lounge” in my design, and I was able to strategize a holistic, data-informed solution.
While I did incorporate accessibility into the design, if I had more time, I would have liked to conduct further user testing for different abilities to ensure that my design decisions were accessible. Additionally, I would’ve asked users about their level of emotional connection to Echo during my first user test, so that I could more accurately track the metrics of that aspect.
However; as far as my design decisions go — my solutions felt appropriate at the time due to the parameters that existed and the user test results that were produced. As parameters change over time, I would update my designs depending on those variables — Echo’s style will progress, user demographics are fluid, and stakeholder priorities may change.
As Sarah continues her learning in the UX field she continues to search for her dream job in the UX field to fulfill her mission and passion that brought her to UX in the first place.
My dream UX project would expand on the passion that I have as an Occupational Therapist: to help people optimally engage in their everyday tasks, no matter their abilities. That is why I’d like to work on a UX team that incorporates accessibility into everyday products.
You can discover Sarah’s work on her portfolio page, connect on Twitter or Linked-in.
Meet Claudia (Claudjankowski)
My final conversation was with Claudia, also a career switcher, but with an interesting story of how she stumbled upon the field of UX design. Prior to learning about UX design on TikTok, Claudia had never heard about this field of work. She says she was instantly mesmerized by the interdisciplinary aspects of the craft.
As a creative who enjoys crafting, reading, researching, and storytelling I found that UX design was a perfect fit.
Claudia came to the Learn UX with Elizé course to develop her understanding of UX, and immerse herself in the process, and learn more about working with Adobe XD. She’s currently working through the Google UX Certificate and became familiar with Adobe XD through the journey in that course.
Sometimes it can be difficult to find a career that spans across various skills you have, or that peaks your interest, and has a mission that motivates you. Claudia says she has found that in UX design.
I have been trying to find a career that I enjoy and also fits my skill set but have had trouble finding something that checked off all the boxes. I feel that UX design combines a lot of my interests and that I have the potential to create some really neat things.
Learning UX Design can be a costly endeavour, and Claudia mentioned that as a hurdle to accelerating her learning. Bootcamp price points are often high, and there are many courses out there with price tags that don’t always match the return on investment. Programs like this from Adobe have helped to make learning more accessible to her.
One of my biggest challenges has been finding affordable ways to learn design. When I started my UX journey, I knew that the price point for many boot camps is higher than my budget. Knowing this meant I needed to take the initiative and be alert for low-cost, high-reward resources, projects, and experiences that improve my skill set.
Although YouTube and my local public library have been great resources, Learn UX with Elizè mini bootcamp has given me insight of what to expect in the real world. I am grateful to have been able to participate and learn from a free experience.
Much like the others in the group Claudia came to learn technical skills, but left with so much more by the end of the course. The power of community can make such an impactful difference in the course of a design career, and I’m glad that Claudia found it here.
The biggest takeaway has been connecting with peers. I came to the boot camp to create a project from start to finish. Once I was done with the boot camp, I had begun to nourish something even better, a connection with a group of brilliant humans who encourage each other to continue to grow, learn, and share our experiences about design.
Not only did she find community, but she created some very compelling solutions as well. Starting the program two weeks in, Claudia caught up, and was able to quickly learn Adobe XD and begin implementing the principles she learned in the course.
View Claudia’s case study and prototype on Behance.
I asked Claudia about her process, and the experience of creating her design solution for Echo. She shared that she went through several iterations, exploring solutions and testing her assumptions before crafting the final solution for submission.
Originally I wanted to create cards for the about section. I thought it would be a fun interactive way to click on an image and flip it to the other side. The other side would share a story about Echo, her music, and her life.
Unfortunately, I realized I didn’t have the time to create that design with the knowledge I had at the time. In order to complete all the other aspects of the website I changed the look to something simpler.
I added a listening feature where Echo shares her message in her voice alongside her image and the transcript of what she says. While it is a very different experience, it creates a sense of intimacy by listening to someone share their story in their own voice.
The learnings here highlight the importance of understanding constraints, and not being afraid to try something new and iterate until you get it just right. In this case Claudia ended up creating a whole other experience that resonated better with the end user.
Claudia continued to learn through user testing that user behaviour can be impacted by some of the simplest things. Continuous scrolling behaviours don’t always afford the interactions you’re going for, and in this case she discovered that not having sections in the navigation can cause those sections to be skipped.
At first the fan page was interconnected with news about Echo, fan art, and special events. However, after my first usability study I realized some people would skip sections if they didn’t have a way to get there from the navigation bar.
After all, not everyone scrolls. If I wanted fans and potential fans to connect I had to separate sections on their own. This made the fan page become a specific place for fan art and an email sign up. Based on my competitive analysis I noticed that musicians with larger followings are able to put all in one fanpage where newer musicians usually do not.
As Claudia chases her career aspirations in this newly discovered field, she continues to learn and develop her skills. In the future she would love to have the opportunity to collaborate on a video game or gaming app for a tabletop game.
You can connect with Claudia on her Behance page, or on Twitter.
I want to extend a large round of applause for these participants, and the hundreds more that I didn’t have a chance to speak with. You can explore more of the projects created here on Behance, or if you’d like to watch the recordings of the course, visit the livestreams section on Adobe XD’s Behance page for recordings.
Connect with the UX Design community on Discord here.
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