createRU Testimonials
Wondering what past participants thought about last year’s event? Read on!
createRU’s 2021 theme: Design for Your Local Community
Creative X E-Board
Winnie:
What createRU was like:
It was 24 hours of workshops, collaborations, and daydreaming solutions. It was fun, intense, and immersive all at once, and in the end, it felt so incredibly rewarding.
What was challenging/easy?
The most challenging part, as is with anything, was trying to get started. Especially since no one on my team knew what UX design was and the process behind it, we were met with a lot of obstacles trying to get started. The easiest part, surprisingly, was understanding and interpreting the prompt! I thought it would be difficult but actually it was just broad yet specific enough to help us brainstorm a ton of great ideas.
As it was the first time my team and I had used Figma, CreateRU was actually how I first learned the basics of Figma! It was pretty exciting, frustrating, and fun all the same time, since it was a tool we’ve never used before, but it wasn’t too difficult to understand. I also learned about how UX design can actually be impactful, as the prompt itself shows design can be used in a way to help develop/establish community.
Takeaways from createRU:
“What stuck with me most after CreateRU was an understanding that design has the potential to do so much for others. Design is everyone, much like science, and the process of it can be implemented in almost anything. That’s pretty fascinating.”
CreateRU is actually the reason why I am now so involved with Creative X and so passionate about design. I was undecided and unsure of a career path before it, and now I’m trying to pursue UX design internships and opportunities!
“Whether you find that same passion or not, design really opens your mind up to how you as a simple member of society can make even the smallest changes to positively impact people, which makes CreateRU a really valuable experience, in my opinion.”
Saif:
What createRU was like:
My experience was extremely positive. The only setback was the deadline, as last year’s Design-a-thon was only 48 hours long which was very stressful for my partners and I. We were on a Discord call for MANY hours because we had to make a lot of wireframes in such a short amount of time.
Aside from the time crunch, my overall experience was positive. What more could I ask for? Getting more UX design experience and getting everyone’s feedback was eye opening. When you are in a team, you’re in the mindset of getting things done. At least in my team, no one slacked off; everyone kept up with the tasks assigned to them. It is important that everyone made the wireframes together, as we could see everyone’s design process and learn new things. You don’t get that exposure in class or anywhere else. I also really liked seeing other people’s projects.
What would you tell those who are participating this year?
Teamwork is extremely important. If you don’t have a motivated team to create a unique product you are bound for everything to fall apart. Although your team members may not be on the same skill levels with respect to design tools, each one of them has something unique to offer. Someone who has vast experience with design tools, can help someone else execute their ideas and visions.
What was challenging/easy?
The beginning stage of creating the product was hard. It’s one thing to design and then go with the flow once you have the idea. But you gotta have the idea first. Chances are that your ideas aren’t that great, but again this where your team comes in.
“No one wants to see the next Facebook, Google Maps. They want to see something unique. I think personally for me, that is the hardest part — the creativity and spontaneity aspect of design. Thinking beyond what already works. To create something from nothing in a short amount of time is hands down the most challenging part.”
The easiest part is designing the product once you have the idea of what you are creating. The login page, profile page, buttons, logo, everything will fall into place once you have a really solid idea with cool and unique features.
Takeaways from createRU:
The most important thing that I learned was my limit when it comes to how fast I can design something because at the time, I was still learning how to use Figma. As a designer, it is important to know your limits. Additionally, with createRU I got to exercise my skills freely in a fun way. CreateRU is literally made for you to go crazy, have fun with your designs and Figma, and do whatever you want.
Not everyone has the opportunity to exercise their skills, and I think that’s where createRU really comes into play. It helps students gain hands-on UX design experience. It is important to move things around, fall down, get back up, and make mistakes to become a more professional designer. No one starts off the bat making these beautiful apps and web designs and interfaces. You should’ve seen my first Figma design, it was terrible. I didn’t get to where I am now without making those awful wireframes.
General Members
Aalia, UX Design Intern from University of Houston:
Takeaways from createRU:
I learned that it was very important to consider the needs of the users. There was never too much data. We were tasked with designing for families, individuals, and small organizations. These users’ needs can vary greatly down to the individual level, so we tried hard to survey as many people as people and consider all possible use cases. The limited time frame also forced us to figure out what to prioritize the most in our design, which was also very important.
I also learned how important it was to follow the UX process. Although we did initially jump right into designing, by pulling back a little and doing wireframes surveys and competitive research, we were able to have a more informed design that catered to specific user needs instead of just looking pretty.
The easiest part was really working with such an amazing team! With our combined experience and enthusiasm for UX/UI, we gave the createRU challenge our very best.
“Attending createRU was really the best decision I made! It gave me my first real designing experience with a team, and helped me get my first UX/UI internship. I’m very grateful for the skills I gained through it.”
