Be curious. Observe the world around you and ask yourself, ‘Why is that like that? Why do people do things that way? How could it be simpler? What’s the problem? How could we solve it?’
- Actively look for patterns and relationships in everything you see.
- Find a mentor, somebody who has been around the block a few times. In fact, find more than one mentor. Don’t blindly follow them. Consider what they all say and do what you think is right for you.
- Read UX design books — the publishing process often means the content is of high quality and validated by others who have actually paid attention. Yes, books do date but human beings change slower than technology and core principles often remain the same.
- Read online articles on UX design, but exercise critical thinking. What’s happening behind the article? Where’s it coming from? What’s the limit of the author’s knowledge? (People strive for certainty but there is a reason the answer to most UX design questions is ‘It depends.’)
- Scan through the design principles and guidelines of major companies like Apple and Google, but don’t get hung up on them. Try to identify the core principles unless you’ve been commissioned to design on the same platform. If you have, study them more deliberately.
- Get experience on real-world design projects, even if it means offering your services free of charge to a non-profit. Start simple and go from there.
- Observe people. Sometimes you’ll see people say ‘Talk to users’. It’s an over-simplification at best. Instead, observe and encourage users to talk aloud as they do things. Ask questions to clarify what you see them do. Ensure these people aren’t friends or family members.
- Sell yourself into employers with your enthusiasm, interest, passion and your ability to solve problems. Learn as much as you can on every project. Recognise there is an end to your knowledge and an opportunity to grow it. Be humble. Try to listen, even if you don’t like the way the message is delivered.
- Work hard. Return to step 1 and start over.
Later in your career, you may choose to specialise: Information Architect, UX Researcher, Interaction Designer, Content Strategist, User Interface Designer, Product Manager, etc. The above should help you obtain a strong grounding of foundational knowledge that’s important for all UXD roles. Good luck.
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