Meet Chegg’s UX 2020 Interns
Every summer, our offices are filled with talented interns from all over the globe. We had the opportunity to hear directly from our interns on their unique experience in a remote internship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Connie Tan, UX design intern
- Located in Falls Church, Virginia
- 1st year graduate student
- Human-Computer Interaction Design at Indiana University Bloomington
Kelsey Wort, UX research intern
- Located in Lafayette, Indiana
- 3rd year graduate student
- MFA Creative Writing at Purdue University
Alexis Spina, UX research intern
- Located in Santa Barbara, California
- 5th (and final) year graduate student
- PhD in STEM Education at UC Santa Barbara
What do you do as a UX intern at Chegg?
Kelsey: As a UX Research intern, I do both exploratory work to find different target markets, as well as use qualitative research methods to see how students use our products and if they enjoy using them.
Connie: There were two main projects I worked on as a UX Design intern this summer, including the design system: 1) a text area character countdown meant to warn students of the character limit while typing; and 2) mapping Chegg Study Pack end-to-end flow to identify the main entry points from the first-time and returned user standpoints.
Alexis: My biggest project had me conduct live interviews with professors from different universities from all over the country to understand their thoughts and opinions about Chegg, and how we can possibly work together to support students. Throughout all of this research, I worked closely with the other UX research team members, as well as the designers and product managers. The level of collaboration is amazing and something I was really looking for in an internship.
What is your day-to-day like?
Alexis: My mornings are quiet, so I set my goals and review what I need to accomplish that day, as well as put any last-minute touches on any presentations I’ll be doing. I’m usually in a lot of meetings, which are both UX research specific and across different teams, as well as some intern specific events.
Kelsey: Day-to-day, I worked on conducting secondary research, including gathering background information on the market/subject I’ll be conducting my research on. Once I have that groundwork, I could be writing survey questions, launching a test on UserTesting.com, or conducting one-on-one interviews. These research tasks are my favorites. I love working with people!
Connie: I created a to-do list every morning and completed them by the due date I set. Afterward, I attended Zoom meetings that were on my calendar. I also managed to work on my projects between meetings.
Why did you decide to intern at Chegg?
Connie: As a student, I really appreciate that there is an education platform like Chegg that enables students to reach out for help in the form of academic resources. I wanted to be part of the journey and be able to make a contribution by designing meaningful experiences and products that are beneficial to students’ needs.
Alexis: Before making a career change to UX research, I was a high school teacher. Chegg and I share a key passion and goal in life: to always put students first. Education is my passion and what drives me in life. There is no better place for me to learn and develop my skills than at Chegg. I am beyond thankful for this experience.
Kelsey: There are a lot of interesting and unique considerations when working on a project geared toward students, and I think that as a student, the product and the mission hit very close to home for me.
What did you enjoy most about your internship?
Alexis: The people. The employees of this company are amazing and some of the kindest and most supportive people I have ever met. I’ve also really enjoyed my work speaking with professors to understand their thoughts and concerns around Chegg. It made me realize how much higher education is changing, and how Chegg has a large role to play in that change.
Kelsey: I enjoyed the UX Research team at Chegg! I felt like I could pick my teammates’ brains and gain insight from their expertise at any time. I love that there’s a lot of individuality involved as well when it comes to research methods. No two researchers are completely the same in their methods!
Connie: I enjoyed and admired the company culture at Chegg the most. Everyone at Chegg is welcoming, approachable, and supportive. Questions and opinions are always encouraged.
How was the experience of doing this internship remotely? Advantages? Challenges?
Kelsey: It was rewarding in unexpected ways! Employees at Chegg were very cognizant about connecting with interns. Of course, it’s challenging not being able to be face-to-face with colleagues, especially working in a field as collaborative as UX, but Zoom meetings felt cozy quickly, as the UX team has great team-building opportunities.
Connie: Definitely exceeded my expectations. I can be more flexible with my time management and daily routine. In the beginning, I found it difficult to separate my working and living space because I worked and lived in the same environment. To overcome that, I set up my own work space with a screen fold divider to create a sense of separation between working and living.
Alexis: To be honest, I felt like this internship was carried out remarkably well. Yes, I would love to have met my team in person, get lunch with the other interns, and run into Dan (our CEO) in the hallway. But at the end of the day, I am just so thankful that this internship was still able to happen. Distance didn’t stop these relationships from forming and learning from happening.
What is the major takeaway and learning you’ve gained from this internship?
Connie: I have a better understanding of what UX is in the real world. UX doesn’t have to be a big conceptualization like what school has taught us. Sometimes it is a small change within a product that generates a great impact on the whole experience. UX can be small but impactful.
Alexis: Ask…and I mean that in two ways. First, ask questions, ask for help, ask for clarification, ask for more challenging work…just ask. You may be told no on some of those things, but at least you asked. Second, ask for what you want. I wanted to work for Chegg more than anything, so I asked for that, and now my dream came true.
Kelsey: Reach out! If someone is doing work that you admire, if you think someone can answer a question you’ve been chewing on, or even if there’s just a member of your (or another!) team that you think you’d enjoy collaborating with, you should absolutely do it. So often, I forget that it’s fun and mutually beneficial to reach out to someone or to be the person reached out to. We all learn something from each other!
How has your experience at Chegg changed the way you think about your future career?
Kelsey: It solidified the way that I feel about my career, especially about UX. I’ve known that UX is a field I am interested in, but now I’m determined to make it my career!
Alexis: It not only changed the way I think about my future career, but it validated for me that I wanted to make a career change and that I wanted to make it in order to work at Chegg.
Connie: It prompted me to think about the opportunities, culture, and values of the company I would like to work for in the future. It also helps me understand what technical and soft skills I can refine to incorporate into my future career use.
Any tips for future Chegg UX interns?
Alexis: Speak with as many people as possible. Set up one-on-one interviews with people. Ask them what their job is, how they got there, and where they see themselves in the future. Nobody has a clear path to where they landed, so hearing and learning from others helps us understand our own paths and what chances we may need to take in order to reach our goals and pursue our passions.
Connie: Don’t be afraid to ask questions or speak up because your thoughts are always welcome.
Kelsey: Reach out to people, ask questions, and have confidence in your abilities! You were chosen for this internship for a reason, and everyone at Chegg wants to help you. Make sure to prioritize your own goals as well as the ones your manager provides!
