XCelerate Foundations: A Deep Dive into UI/UX at COMPFEST 16
COMPFEST 16, Depok — COMPFEST 16 is proud to announce that the highly anticipated XCelerate Foundations event took place on Sunday, July 28, 2024. XCelerate Foundations was held online via Zoom and was attended by numerous participants from various backgrounds. This event was aimed for those who want to switch careers to the technology field, and provided insightful sessions on UI/UX design, featuring Andhita Nurul Ainun, UI/UX Designer Lead at Bank Mega.
Opening
The seminar began with a warm welcome from our MCs, Caca and Felita, who introduced the talk show theme, “Why Good Design Matters: An Introduction to UI/UX.” They highlighted the importance of good design in enhancing user experience and satisfaction.
Main Session
COMPFEST proudly presented Andhita Nurul Ainun, UI/UX Designer Lead at Bank Mega, as the speaker at XCelerate Foundations. With extensive experience in her field, Kak Andhita’s presence provided inspiration and new insights for the participants, particularly on how good design can influence user interaction and enhance their satisfaction.
First, Kak Andhita explained what UI/UX is, providing the participants with a clear understanding of the field. Next, she described the tasks of a UI/UX designer, such as determining the color and size of each component in an application, the placement of text, and more. To illustrate the importance of a UI/UX designer’s role, Kak Andhita showcased several excellent designs that support daily life, such as the reversible USB-C connector, which can be plugged into a port in either orientation.
Kak Andhita then explained the design principles of Affordance and Signifier. Affordance is a clue that suggests to users what actions they can take with an object, while Signifier is an indicator that shows users what to do, essentially an Affordance with a label. Both concepts are crucial for creating intuitive designs. Andhita also discussed Conceptual Models, which are the mental representations users have about how a system works. She provided a comprehensive guide on creating designs with good Conceptual Models at each stage: pre-design, design, and post-design. After explaining Affordance & Signifier and Conceptual Models, Andhita elaborated on their relationship and how these concepts can help improve user satisfaction.
Interactive Session
In this interactive session, participants had the opportunity to engage in a Q&A segment, where they could ask questions via a Slido link. Kak Andhita answered the questions and shared some personal experiences to support her responses. Following the Q&A, there was an exciting ice-breaking session with a Kahoot game, where participants competed by answering trivia questions about famous character designs and brands such as Coca-Cola, Pikachu, Mr. Monopoly, and more.
Hands-On Workshop
The hands-on workshop challenged participants to critically analyze their favorite apps or websites from a UI/UX perspective. They were encouraged to think about features or designs they would like to improve or add. Participants with the most creative and insightful ideas received a prize in the form of a GoPay or Ovo balance worth Rp50.000,00.
Closing
As the event concluded, all participants were invited to turn on their cameras for a group photo session to capture the moment and mark the end of this event, but also the beginning of many more events from COMPFEST.
Interview Session
In a more personal interview session, Kak Andhita shared in-depth insights about her journey in the UI/UX field. Kak Andhita has been working at Bank Mega since 2021, where she was responsible for building the UI/UX team from scratch. A particularly memorable moment for her was when she had to persuade senior executives about her design choices, given that design is highly subjective and not the core business of Bank Mega. This challenge taught Kak Andhita how to communicate and persuade for design decisions to stakeholders and adapt to a work environment that differs from a startup.
Additionally, Kak Andhita shared her intriguing story about her interest in UI/UX. Coming from a computer science background, she did not particularly enjoy coding but wanted to stay in the technology field. During college, Kak Andhita participated in a competition that required a designer, which led her to start learning UI/UX design. She enjoyed the process and went on to take an interaction systems course and become a teaching assistant. Following this, she secured an internship and continued her career in UI/UX.
To stay updated with the evolving field of UI/UX, Kak Andhita frequently discusses with managers from other companies, attends sharing sessions to learn about new trends and tools, and participates in internal team sharing sessions. She also follows design accounts and individuals who regularly share design knowledge.
Kak Andhita greatly values events like COMPFEST for providing insights and skills to the younger generation in Indonesia. According to her, such events are very helpful for those seeking knowledge, especially since they are free. In the face of expensive paid classes, events like COMPFEST are extremely beneficial for students still seeking education. With fewer seminars and sharing sessions on UI/UX, events like this are crucial for reinforcing the fundamentals of UI/UX.
For those interested in pursuing a career in UI/UX without a technology background, Kak Andhita advises that background is not a barrier. In her team, there is no one with an IT background, yet everyone comes from diverse fields. The key is a desire to learn and understand UI/UX more deeply. Do not hesitate to reach out to seniors as a learning resource and continue to be enthusiastic about acquiring new knowledge.
Thank you for joining us, and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events! Stay updated on COMPFEST through our social media channels on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit compfest.id to follow other exciting events! (Editorial Marketing/Salsa)
