Like Drizzy always says “better late than never….but never late is better”.
We know you’re a Rockstar UXer, what inspired you to go down the route of UX design? When did you know it was what you were going to do?
I first learned about UX design when I was a struggling visual designer working at a small consulting firm. I use the term struggling because the role was not a good fit for me, seeing that I had no experience or training or right to call myself a visual designer. What I found most intriguing about UX design was its emphasis on problem solving. How it uses psychology and strategic thinking to inform an experience, which in turn dictates the design. While I can’t point to a specific moment of reckoning, once I started working on UX projects I knew there was no going back. It’s a field that continues to challenge me as a designer and a critical thinker.
We know you have participated in the IdeaLab Challenge as a mentor and as a teacher. How has being a mentor and teacher influenced or made you a better designer?
Working out of USQ, it’s easy to forget that not everyone knows about design thinking, or what it means to be a UX designer and how that’s different from UI. Participating in the IdeaLab as a mentor and teacher challenges me to have a beginner’s mind and reminds me when I’ve taken information or experience for granted.
You’ve recently moved into a new apartment, what is your proudest build to date?
In an attempt to reduce my dependency on TaskRabbit, I’ve been learning how to complete small home improvement tasks on my own. Recently I installed a drop-leaf table, which required securing the table to one of my walls. Things took a turn when I realized the wall had no studs and as a result had to get creative!
If a friend visits you in NYC, where would you take them on a Saturday night?
Royal Palms Shuffle Board Club. Great music, tons of space, and games fit for a retirement community. What more could you want?
The best album of 2018 so far is…?
Shostakovich Symphony No. 1 In F Major by the National Symphony Orchestra. I love that they kept the album drop a surprise.
What’s one song that gets to you every time you hear it?
Hands down Eddie Murphy’s “Party All The Time”. A timeless classic that paints the picture of a simpler time.
Hypothetical question: What if the entire world went Fahrenheit 451 on music? But as part of the ban, every person is allowed to save three albums to listen to whenever they want. What are your three picks?
After a lot of self-reflection I’ve decided the three albums I would save are: Nothing Was the Same by Drake, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Ms. Lauryn Hill, and Enema Of the State by Blink 182.
LATEST MIX
Werq
A semi-throwback playlist.