My Journey into UX Design

From Physiotherapist and Educator to UX Designer

For the last 20 years, my working life has been focused on helping others. I originally worked clinically as a Physiotherapist before pivoting to work in Education and Training in the Health, Aged Care and TAFE sectors, passing on essential knowledge and skills to empower the workforce. My goal has always been to make a difference in people’s lives.

You may ask….”How does a Physiotherapist & Educator end up as a UX Designer?” Well, there’s nothing like a global pandemic to make you re-evaluate where you are in your life and career! As one of nearly 6 million Australians that considered a career shift in the last year, I was eager to experience different professional challenges and use my skills in new and exciting ways. I still wanted to help people and make a difference, but I wanted it to be in a different context and on a broader scale.

Changing my career was no small feat! It required a lot of planning, a lot of support and a lot of determination. This is my journey into UX Design.

Do your research

I spent a lot of time researching the best way to start my UX journey. I was coming from a traditional study background, where you studied a particular course which then led to a particular profession. What I found was that there was no simple pathway into UX Design. I set some very specific criteria that I was looking for when choosing a course:

• I wanted an online study option that still offered guidance and mentoring
• It had to offer project-based learning
• The length of the course needed to provide the ability to enter the workforce within 6–12 months
• The cost needed to be reasonable
• Ideally there needed to be an industry recognized certification attached.

After looking at multiple course providers, I decided on the UX Accelerator Program with Brisbane company PeakXD. The 13-week UX Accelerator Program ticked the boxes for me. Not only did I learn about all things UX through a structured online learning program, but I was guided by industry experts with extensive knowledge and experience. The ability to apply what I learned to a real client project was an amazing opportunity and really brought the learning to life. I also liked that they are Australia’s only accredited trainer offering the global BCS UX Certification. I enjoyed every minute of the course. I was so impressed with the program that once I finished, I signed on for an additional UX Accelerator project to add to my experience.

Volunteer for extra opportunities

One of the best ways to consolidate learning is to put it into practice. When you are new to an industry, you need to look for new and novel ways to access those learning opportunities. During my studies, I volunteered for internship opportunities with PeakXD. The team were very accommodating, offering me the chance to observe, participate and learn from them whilst they worked on client projects. I was also able to do a couple of my own small unpaid projects with other clients, whilst being guided and mentored by the PeakXD team. These opportunities provided me with invaluable experience, a way to show my passion and determination, as well as help to build my portfolio. It also led to an opportunity for my first casual UX Design job.

Check for gaps and upskill

Throughout my studies, I found that the more I would learn, the more there was to learn. I constantly looked for any gaps in my knowledge and searched for ways to fill these. I was keen to add to my skillset, whilst making myself more appealing to a potential employer. I personally found that a mixed approach of reading books and articles as well as undertaking a range of additional short courses (Udemy and Interaction Design Foundation) worked for me. So far, to complement my UX Design skills, I have completed additional learning in sketching for UX, multiple courses in different design tools (Figma, Photoshop, InVision) Agile methodologies (SCRUM), Responsive Web Design, HTML and CSS, Accessibility, Data storytelling and Design Thinking, just to name a few. As with all professions, UX Design requires a commitment to lifelong learning, as things change constantly and there are always new trends and technologies emerging.

Don’t forget your prior experience

When entering another profession, one potential mistake is to forget where you have come from. Don’t underestimate any prior work and life experience — it is a very valuable commodity. From the beginning of my UX journey, I wanted to leverage my existing professional skills, but use them in a different context. Although seemingly worlds away from UX design, the skills and experience that I developed and refined whilst working in Healthcare and Education were relevant and transferable. I spent time mapping these skills to my new context, to show that although I was new to UX Design, I was not new to working. I had been using a range of skills, such as research, problem solving, design, communication and collaboration for years! My challenge was to now highlight these for potential employers and show the value that they bring.

Reach out to your network

In any industry, networking is very important, especially since a large proportion of jobs are acquired via the hidden job market. When trying to break into a new industry, networking is not just important, it is essential! The idea of networking can be terrifying for some, but professional networks help you to learn, grow and gain insights. There were a variety of ways that I chose to grow my UX network. First, I joined several UX Design industry groups and attended professional meetups and webinars. I also began to reach out via mutual contacts or my LinkedIn network and set up informational interviews with industry experts. The conversations I had enabled me to learn more about what it was like to work in UX Design. It also helped me connect to others and raise my profile. I found that so many people in the Design industry were extremely generous with their time and were genuinely happy to listen to my story and provide tips to guide my professional development and my job search. For this I am very grateful. I hope that one day I can pay it forward to help others in the same position.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”

Then came the really challenging part…the job search. Applying for jobs is hard. Applying for jobs in a new industry is harder. Nearly every job ad I read said something like, “must have 3+ years UX Design experience…”. At first, I found this to be a deterrent. How could I apply for roles that required specific industry experience when I didn’t have that level of industry experience? After some time, I realized that it didn’t matter how many years were stated, I should apply anyway. Even if it didn’t go anywhere, every application and every interview gave me more experience and an opportunity to speak to people in industry and get comfortable telling my story. So many people say that finding a job is a numbers game. You can’t let it demoralize you. Job searching takes time. You need to persevere, even when it gets hard. Eventually, you will get your opportunity.

I am excited to say that very soon I will be starting a new role as a UX Designer! I know there is a long way to go and that I am only at the beginning. There is much to learn along the way and plenty of skills to develop, but I am excited by the challenge and ready for what comes next!

To better understand my journey into UX Design, I have crafted a portfolio piece to outline my transferable skills and a journey map to illustrate where I started, where I have been and where I am going. You can read more about it here.

Thanks for reading and best of luck on your journey!

References

Cranston, M, 21/4/2021, Young lead push as estimated 6m workers considered changing careers, Financial Review, < https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/young-lead-push-as-estimated-6m-workers-considered-changing-careers-20210421-p57kzn>