0 Experience. 3 Months. 5 Projects. (Full Guide to Becoming a UX Designer)

Summary

The video offers aspiring UX designers five actionable projects to build a portfolio within three months. It covers reaching out to local businesses, effective communication with stakeholders, and utilizing free resources for experience. The script includes a sample email template, emphasizes teamwork, and suggests redesigning daily apps, engaging with Google reviews, participating in hackathons, and contributing to open-source projects to gain diverse skills and feedback.

Takeaways

• 📚 Start by building a UX portfolio with five projects over the next three months to prepare for tech recruitment cycles.
• 💼 An email template is provided to help reach out to local businesses for the first UX case study.
• 👥 Working in a team is beneficial as most jobs require collaboration with cross-functional partners.
• 📧 When reaching out to organizations, clearly communicate how you can solve their current problems and propose a solution.
• 🏢 Engage with local businesses or nonprofits to create software solutions for free to gain experience.
• 🗣️ Maintain transparent communication with stakeholders throughout the product creation process, including problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and user testing.
• 💰 Understand that working with local businesses or NGOs is often unpaid, but it's an opportunity to gain experience.
• 🔍 Use Google reviews to identify problems with apps and propose design solutions to address user concerns.
• 🌐 Design for multiple platforms, including mobile, desktop, and emerging technologies like AR and VR, to craft versatile solutions.
• 🎓 Participate in hackathons to experience working under time pressure, cross-functional collaboration, and to create products from scratch.
• 🔗 Join open-source projects and online communities like Design Buddy to connect with other designers and product managers for feedback and opportunities.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video script?

The main purpose of the video script is to provide aspiring UX designers with practical advice on how to build a portfolio and gain experience by undertaking various UX projects.

What is the significance of having a full UX portfolio for job recruitment?

Having a full UX portfolio is significant for job recruitment as it showcases a designer's skills, experience, and ability to solve real-world problems, making them a more attractive candidate to potential employers.

What is the role of an email template in reaching out to local businesses for UX projects?

The email template serves as a guide for aspiring UX designers to professionally and effectively communicate with local businesses, introducing themselves, identifying a problem, suggesting a solution, and requesting a meeting to discuss further collaboration.

Why is it beneficial to work on a team for the mentioned UX projects?

Working on a team is beneficial because it mimics real-world work environments where collaboration and communication with cross-functional partners are essential, preparing the designer for future job roles.

Can these UX projects be conducted by an individual without a team?

Yes, these UX projects can be conducted by an individual as a starting point, but the ultimate goal is to progress towards team collaboration to better simulate real-world work scenarios.

What is the importance of identifying and solving a local business's pain points in the UX design process?

Identifying and solving a local business's pain points is crucial as it demonstrates the designer's ability to understand and address real user needs, which is a fundamental aspect of UX design.

How can one communicate effectively with stakeholders throughout the product creation process?

Effective communication with stakeholders can be achieved by setting regular points of contact, ensuring transparent communication at all times, and being proactive in seeking feedback and input from all parties involved.

What are some common platforms where designers can find paid freelance opportunities?

Designers can find paid freelance opportunities on platforms such as UX Rescue, Open-Source Design, and Fiverr, which offer projects that can help them earn money while gaining experience.

Why is it recommended to redesign daily-used apps and reach out to their developers or founders?

Redesigning daily-used apps and reaching out to their developers or founders is recommended as it provides an opportunity for designers to practice their skills, receive feedback, and potentially make industry connections that could lead to job opportunities.

What can be learned from reading Google or App Store reviews when looking for UX design problems to solve?

Reading Google or App Store reviews can provide insights into the problems and pain points that users face with certain applications, allowing designers to identify areas for improvement and propose design solutions.

How can participating in a hackathon benefit an aspiring UX designer?

Participating in a hackathon benefits an aspiring UX designer by providing a high-pressure, collaborative environment that simulates real-world project timelines and team dynamics, enhancing their ability to work under pressure and innovate quickly.

What is the value of joining open-source projects for UX designers and product managers?

Joining open-source projects offers UX designers and product managers the opportunity to work on real projects, gain practical experience, and build a network within the design community, which can be invaluable for professional growth and finding new opportunities.

Why is it advised for UX designers to explore a variety of projects rather than specializing early on?

Exploring a variety of projects allows UX designers to develop a broad skill set and adaptability, enabling them to tackle diverse challenges and contexts more effectively, as suggested by David Epstein in the book 'Range'.

What is the role of a community like Design Buddy for UX designers and product managers?

A community like Design Buddy serves as a platform for UX designers and product managers to ask questions, seek paid opportunities, and receive feedback on their designs, fostering a sense of connection and support that is essential for professional development.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Building a UX Portfolio with Local Business Projects

This paragraph introduces a strategy for aspiring UX designers to build a portfolio by engaging with local businesses. The speaker suggests creating a solution for a local business, such as Bookham, which distributes books to schools to improve literacy. The process involves reaching out to organizations, identifying their pain points, and proposing a solution. An email template is provided to facilitate communication with stakeholders. The speaker emphasizes the importance of teamwork and cross-functional collaboration, which are crucial skills in the job market. The summary also touches on the potential for unpaid work to gain experience, and the availability of paid freelance opportunities on platforms like UX Rescue and Open-Source Design.

05:01

💻 Enhancing Daily Apps and Designing for Multiple Platforms

The second paragraph discusses two projects for UX designers: redesigning daily used apps to improve user experience and designing for multiple platforms. The speaker recounts a personal experience of redesigning a newsletter and reaching out to its founder for feedback. This approach encourages designers to take initiative and gain practical experience. Additionally, the paragraph suggests analyzing app reviews to identify user problems and propose design solutions. The speaker also highlights the importance of specialization and the opportunity to explore various design areas, such as AR, VR, and AI, to build a versatile skill set.

10:01

🚀 Participating in Hackathons and Engaging with Open-Source Projects

The final paragraph focuses on the benefits of participating in hackathons and contributing to open-source projects as a way to gain experience and build a portfolio. The speaker shares a personal story of winning a hackathon by creating a web app for crowdsourcing music picks. Hackathons offer a unique opportunity to work under time pressure, collaborate with diverse teams, and create a product from scratch. The paragraph also mentions the value of joining online communities like Design Buddy for networking, feedback, and paid opportunities, emphasizing the importance of human connection in the tech industry.

Keywords

💡UX Design

UX Design, short for User Experience Design, is the process of designing products that provide meaningful and enjoyable experiences to the users. In the video's context, it is the main focus of the projects and advice given to aspiring designers. The script discusses how to build a portfolio in UX design and mentions various projects that can help in gaining experience in this field.

💡Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of an individual's work that showcases their skills and accomplishments. In the script, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a full UX portfolio to be ready for job recruitment, suggesting several projects that can be included to demonstrate a range of UX design abilities.

💡Recruitment

Recruitment refers to the process of seeking, shortlisting, interviewing, and appointing suitable candidates for job positions. The video script provides advice on how to prepare for the next cycle of tech recruitment by building a strong UX portfolio.

💡Stakeholders

Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest or concern in a project or business. In the context of the video, stakeholders are the local businesses or organizations that the aspiring UX designer may collaborate with on projects, and effective communication with them is highlighted as important.

💡Communication

Communication is the process of exchanging information, ideas, or messages in a comprehensible manner. The video script underlines the importance of clear and transparent communication with stakeholders throughout the product creation process in UX design projects.

💡Teamwork

Teamwork involves collaborating with others as part of a group to achieve a common goal. The script suggests that working on a team is beneficial for aspiring UX designers as it mimics real-world job scenarios where collaboration is key.

💡Case Study

A case study is a detailed analysis of a specific situation or event for instructional purposes. In the script, the speaker mentions creating a UX case study by working with local businesses, which can be a valuable addition to a UX designer's portfolio.

💡Email Template

An email template is a pre-written format or guide for composing emails, often used to ensure consistency and professionalism. The video script includes an email template to help aspiring UX designers reach out to local businesses for potential case study projects.

💡Voluntary Basis

Voluntary basis refers to work done without payment, often for the purpose of gaining experience or contributing to a cause. The script mentions that working with local businesses on UX projects is generally unpaid but valuable for gaining practical experience.

💡Specialization

Specialization is the process of focusing on a specific area of expertise within a broader field. The video advises against early specialization in UX design, encouraging designers to explore various projects to understand their interests and adapt to different contexts.

💡Hackathon

A hackathon is an event where individuals, often programmers, collaborate intensively on a project within a short time frame. The script recommends participating in hackathons as a way for UX designers to experience working under pressure and to create tangible projects quickly.

💡Open-Source Projects

Open-source projects are initiatives where the source code or design resources are made available to the public for use and collaboration. The video suggests engaging with open-source projects as a way for UX designers to contribute to existing initiatives and gain experience.

Highlights

Preparing for the next tech recruitment cycle with a full UX portfolio in 3 months.

An email template for reaching out to local businesses for UX case studies.

Importance of team experience in the UX design process.

How to approach local businesses with a solution to their pain points.

Example of working with a nonprofit to improve their operations with software.

Transparent communication with stakeholders throughout the product creation process.

Understanding the nature of unpaid work for gaining experience in UX design.

Finding paid UX roles on platforms like UX Rescue and Open-Source Design.

Using Google reviews to identify and solve user problems in app design.

The value of redesigning daily-used apps for portfolio building and feedback.

Specialization in UX design is overrated; breadth of training is more beneficial.

Crafting solutions for multiple platforms including AR, VR, and AI integration.

Participating in hackathons for intense, cross-functional collaboration experiences.

Winning a hackathon by creating a crowdsourced music playlist web app.

Benefits of joining hackathons for time pressure, collaboration, and fun.

Engaging with open-source projects for real-world UX design experience.

The importance of community for feedback and human connection in tech professions.

Transcripts

layoffs just happened and you want to be

prepared for the next cycle of tech

recruitment here are five ux projects

you can do right now if you implement

these ideas I assure you that by the end

of the next 3 months you will have a

full ux portfolio ready to go for job

recruitment I also included an email

template that will guide you through how

to reach out to local businesses to get

started with your first ux case study so

stay tuned for that if you're an

aspiring ux designer this video is for

you solution for a local business coming

up I'll introduce how to reach out to

local businesses how to communicate with

stakeholders to work most effectively

with them and also the email template to

reach out to them so for all of the

projects that I'm about to mention it's

best if you can work on a team why well

with all jobs on the market you're going

to be working with with a ton of people

so if you can get experience practicing

communication with cross functional

Partners collaboration then you'll be

set for the next recruitment cycle if

you can't get team experience it's okay

you can conduct these projects by

yourself as well that's a great starting

point but eventually you want to move

towards how can I get team members to

work on this project together so

reaching out to local businesses during

the school year I worked worked on a

team with developers product managers to

work with a local nonprofit in Nashville

called bookham bookham essentially

distributes books across elementary

schools high schools in hopes of raising

youth literacy essentially with our team

we created softwares to help them with

their day-to-day operation this is how

we reached out to them when you're

reaching out to anyone any organization

make sure that you signify exactly how

you can solve their current pain points

hi

Melissa you introduce yourself I'm

Phoebe a student at X University and an

experienced designer then you introduce

the problem that you see I noticed that

bookham received an influx of volunteers

this past year making it difficult to

rely on the paper and note method to

document everyone's records then you

suggest a possible solution a web portal

or an online document system may help

facilitate your day-to-day operations

then you can also provide more context

so at school I work with a team of

developers to create software for

nonprofits for free this is the most

important part you want to include a

direct call to action do you have time

for a coffee chat this week we love your

mission and want to learn more about how

we can help you come up with a solution

for managing this influx of volunteers

and and data sincerely Phoebe so with

that you can reach out to your local

businesses right away even if nothing

comes out of it or you misdey their

problem they're probably willing to sit

down and just have a chat with you and

you never know what can go on from there

how do we communicate with stakeholders

throughout the entire product creation

process so at bookham we met both online

and virtually with them many times

throughout the entire ux design process

the defining the problem ideation

prototyping user testing we set out

regular points of contact the key here

is you want to ask yourself what can we

do right now to make sure that there is

transparent communication between our

team and the stakeholder at all times

when it comes to these kind of working

with local businesses NGO kind of

projects keep in mind that most of this

will be unpaid generally I believe that

that all work should be paid but keep in

mind that this is you reaching out to

them in hopes of having a project that

will help you gain experience as a

designer as a product manager so it is

more or less done on a voluntary basis

you can however of course search for

paid roles paid jobs you can start with

ux rescue or open-source design and also

fivr these are great sites to help pay

you on a freelance basis next up solve

problems via Google review I want you to

pause this video and think what are some

of the apps that you use on a daily

basis all right you done now think what

are some aspects of it that you really

enjoy and some aspects that you wish

could be changed a few years ago I

subscribed to this random email

newsletter called read wise I first

heard of this from Ali abdal

productivity Guru essentially it's a

newsletter that congregates all of your

quotes that you highlighted from books

one day I was like okay cool stuff I'm

enjoying reading my quotes whatever but

not going to lie the whole newsletter

wasn't the best on the eyes in other

words I think the reading experience

could be improved so what I did was is I

took a screenshot of the newsletter

checked it onto figma and then

redesigned the whole newsletter from

scratch I moved around different

components based on some gal principles

whatnot basically it was a design

exercise then I exported those files

chucked it into an email and reached out

to Dan the founder of readwise

surprisingly he responded a few days

later now nothing Tang ible came out of

this which it's fine it wasn't the point

the point was to get started you know

redesigning these things that we use on

a daily basis and to get some sort of

feedback from them so this is also

something you can do reach out to the

developers to the founders of the apps

that you use on a daily basis Define a

problem that you see propose a solution

and send them kind of the updated

designs who knows maybe they'll be

impressed and also give you a job

another action you can take you can go

on Google or on the App Store search up

an application and read all of the

reviews that it received from there you

can see what kind of problems are users

facing what possible design Solutions

you can come up with to combat these

issues thank you to R designs for coming

up with this great suggestion in today's

day and age

specialization is overhyped besides the

trusted mobile and desktop softwares

we're now seeing the expansion of

artificial reality virtual reality

designers can also now leverage AI to

build things that they've never built

never designed before you want to get

started on Crafting solutions for

multiple platforms for example you can

design landing pages that work for

mobile for iPad for desktop for Apple

Vision Pro for meta quest to take action

start with prompts you can go on sites

like daily UI which is a great prompt

generation site and make something for

all types of platforms throughout the

whole process see what you enjoy most

because based on this you can cater your

future projects to whatever you find the

most interesting and what you think

you're the best at quoting David Epstein

from the book range breath of training

predicts breath of transfer when you

have a variety of projects under your

belt you can create abstract models in

your head that helps you adapt to new

contexts user experience design is

fundamentally the same everywhere you

are trying to solve the user's problem

don't worry about specializing early on

just try everything explore see what you

enjoy and go from there next project a

hackathon in my sophomore year I entered

a hackathon for the first time time it

was at my University Vanderbilt and it

was called Vandy hacks essentially we

had 36 hours to do this and surprisingly

our team won the hackathon let me know

if you're interested in hearing about

this hackathon I can make a separate

video on it it was me one front-end

developer and two backend devs we

essentially created a web app that

crowdsources music piics think of a

joint Spotify playlist where everyone

can check in their votes their favorite

songs this is one of the most fun and

energizing experiences I've had as a

designer I would highly highly recommend

you to enter a hackathon right away and

down below I'll include links to

hackathons that you can join right now

like they're open right now why do we

join hackathons well first it gives you

a sense of what it's like to work under

time pressure second you working cross

functionally the entire time

collaborating with devs Engineers to

create a product from scratch and third

it's really fun some of them if you go

in person they cater really good food

everyone's Delirious very sleep deprived

you're running on three I slot days

whatever and at the end of it you can

come back and present this project that

you essentially gave birth to 36 hours

ago anyway it's a really fun process and

everyone should try it at least once in

their life finally we got open- Source

projects there are projects on the

internet right now that you can start as

a ux designer or a product manager I

already mentioned earlier ux rescue and

opsource design but there are online

communities that gather ux designers

such as design buddy I also think this

is great for PMS em anyone who wants to

better work with designers but design

buddy is a Discord Channel you can ask

questions you can ask for paid

opportunities or just get feedback for

any of your designs having a community

like this is really important especially

if you're working remotely or you plan

to work solo for most of your projects

because at the end of the day it's

really the human connection that makes

us injy a profession like yes all the

designing all the figma stuff is really

fun but having someone you can talk to

like a real human connection I think

that is what makes working in Tech fun

in the first place I hope you found

value in this video let me know what

project are you planning to start in the

next few months who are you going to

work with and also what skills do you

plan to develop I'm Phoebe a ux designer

your pocket digital cooworker

and I will see you next time