I'm a Junior at Purdue University pursuing a degree in UX Design. My curiosity in tech, its future, and truly understanding people led me to UX. My goal is to specialize in Interaction Design with interests in both research and product management. I want to use my skills to make a positive impact on people and society at large. Outside of work, I make a lot of playlists, watch a lot of basketball, and lately I've been reading philosophy.
These are principles I've put together over my journey as a designer. They help me stay grounded and not lose sight of what's important.
People first includes everyone. From the end-users, to the team of people I'm working with. I highly value making people feel heard, and seeking perspective that I may not have.
I've learned that making assumptions can be just about the worst thing to do in the design process. Solutions should come from data-driven research and the experiences of users.
While I was working at Allegion, a mentor of mine gave me the advice to, "seek feedback early and often". Learning to drop my ego and allow for criticism at all times greatly improved how I function as a designer.
I think as designers we often lose what's core to who we are, creativity. Projects can become stressful, but if we can keep a spirit of innovation and expression (within the constraints of the design process), we can let go and put together our best work.
