#WCW November with Hannah Schindler
We are thrilled to have Hannah Schindler as our guest of Women Crush Wednesday series! Hannah works as a UX Designer at FrontStream. She is especially near and dear to our hearts since she helped us plan Talk UX 2018 conference here in Boston!
Welcome, Hannah! Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Hello, I’m Hannah! Currently, I’m a UX Designer at Frontstream where we build software for nonprofits who are planning fundraising events and campaigns. Aside from work, I love to explore the city with my camera (which nowadays tends to be my phone).
How did you get involved in the tech industry?
When I was younger, I was positive I wanted to one day be an art director. I started designing marketing collateral in my local community from a young age. I was always fascinated with computers and would spend hours on homework assignments that could be done in Powerpoint using type, color and photography to complete the assignment. That really sparked my interest in visual design. I enjoyed being able to create a piece of art that helped communicate information. From there, I was lucky enough to be exposed to research methods and the design process in college where I first learned about UX design. As an Interactive Digital Design major in college, I interned at TripAdvisor which was my first taste of what it was like working in tech. I loved being surrounded by really amazing designers and tech professionals. From there, I got my master’s in UX design from Quinnipiac University where I was able to practice the whole process from research to high fidelity prototypes.
What’s your favorite part of being a UX designer?
My favorite part of being a UX designer is being able to talk to users and understand their pain points and create solutions that solve these problems. UX design is all about listening and empathizing with users in order to come up with the best ways for them to interact with the product.
Where do you draw inspiration?
I’m always checking out different art exhibits, studios and galleries in the area. I really enjoy listening to passionate artists talk about their work and talk about their techniques. The South End has created a great art community called SOWA with galleries all along Harrison Avenue, art studios and in the summer months an outdoor arts and farmers market. There are also other studios in the area Fort Point Studios, Allston Art District and Joy Street Studios. They usually have open studios once a year to open their doors and let locals into their spaces. You have the opportunity to talk to artists and browse some of their recent work. There are also art markets all over the city throughout the year. One of my favorites is the Boston Women’s Market. They host marketplaces showcasing local women artists and entrepreneurs.
Some other great tools for inspiration are design blogs, such as Medium, Dribbble and Behance. Sometimes I just scroll through them for quick inspiration.
How do you stay up to date on the latest trends in digital design?
The best way to stay up to date is by reading articles and talking to other designers. It is so interesting what you can learn from talking about what other cool projects other creatives are working on. I recently read a great article on Medium called How Sketching Will Make You a Smarter Designer about the importance of sketching. Definitely a must-read! For more design-related reads, check out Medium Design.
Three things you cannot live without as a designer?
Headphones, notebook & good pen (where I can read my own handwriting, the pen really impacts the legibility)
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I want to continue listening to users and being able to solve problems that help better their experiences with products.
What advice would you give to those who are looking to become UX designers?
Go to networking events, read lots of design articles and always ask questions. At first, networking events can seem a little intimidating if you’re a new designer and don’t know too many people in the community. But once you go, you realize how welcoming and kind everyone is. I have really enjoyed learning about the paths other designers/researchers/creatives followed into the tech field. Since this field is new and growing, there isn’t only one path into the field. Hearing everyone’s unique story is really inspiring.
You’ve been a loyal member of Ladies that UX Boston for a while now, and we are so grateful! ✨How long has it been and how did you initially hear about Ladies that UX?
I think it’s been about 2 years. When I moved back to Boston, I didn’t know many designers in the area. I was interested in getting involved in the community and getting to know more creatives living and working in Boston! I love being able to meet designers in the community and learn a little about what work inspires them.
We are so lucky to have you as a member, and we are grateful for all of the work you’ve put in in helping us plan Talk UX conference in 2018! Please share with our readers about your role in it.
As part of the Talk UX planning committee, I was responsible for organizing day-of volunteers. This includes everything from making sure there are volunteers staffed all around the event, helping speakers, checking people in and answering questions attendees have throughout the event. It was an amazing experience to get to talk to so many volunteers that were spending their day helping make sure everything ran smoothly.
What is your biggest takeaway from working on planning such a big event?
I think the biggest takeaway was just how much work and detail goes into planning a conference. This was my first time being on a planning committee for a conference and to see how much hard work everyone was putting in to make it a success was really amazing. There are so many pieces of the puzzle from finding a venue to securing speakers and promoting. It was an amazing experience, not only to help plan a conference, but to get to work with so many people volunteering their time to make sure it was a success.
What brought you to Boston and what do you love about Boston?
I’m from the area! I went to school in Connecticut and then decided to move back. I love the energy and culture in Boston and how walkable the city is. You can pretty much walk through the whole city in one day which I find amazing. I never appreciated this until I left and visited other cities that weren’t as walkable. Also, it’s so beautiful in the fall!
Favorite brunch spot in the area?
There are so many amazing brunch spots in the area but I think right now is The Friendly Toast (mimosa flights!) & Mamaleh’s (everything bagel!).
Thanks so much for sharing your story, Hannah!
Thank you for the opportunity and for creating such an amazing space for designers in the Boston area!
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