For Houston-based designer Lailah Hoque, discovering UX design was a moment of realization — a way to merge her creative passions with her technical background. After years of working in programming and analysis, she discovered product design and decided to pursue a more fulfilling, design-centered career with UX Academy. Through the program’s structure, mentorship, and supportive community, Lailah gained the confidence and clarity she needed to transition into a role she truly loves.
What were you doing before UX Academy, and what motivated you to make the switch?
I graduated with a degree in Computer Information Systems, so my background was a bit more technical. I’d always been interested in web design and took some classes in college, but I never really acted on that creative curiosity. I’ve always been into painting and art, but I never connected that side of myself with my work.
I actually happened across a TikTok post about UX design, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh — that’s what it’s called! That’s exactly what I want to do.’ I actually found out about Designlab through a TikTok ad, as well. At the time, I was working full-time in my programming role, and decided to take on UX Academy part-time after work.
How was your experience with UX Academy?
I actually tested out of UX Academy Foundations—I had done some self-learning through free courses and on YouTube. But when I started UX Academy, I didn’t have a lot of structure in my design or learning process. The program really helped me focus.
The content also struck a good balance — there was enough reading and research to give me a strong foundation, but it never felt overwhelming. I loved that there were additional articles and resources to explore if I wanted to go deeper.
For portfolio development, each project also gave me a chance to apply what I was learning in a more intentional way. My favorite capstone was a website redesign for a local pottery studio called Fire Gallery — a place I actually love and visit. Being able to combine something personal with what I was learning made it even more rewarding, especially when I saw how the redesign could make their site easier to use.
Can you share more about your mentorship experience?
The mentorship was huge. My mentors had such cool jobs in the field and were genuinely inspiring. I had a couple of different mentors. Initially, I worked with Charmant Tan, who worked at Meta. I really liked him, and he gave really solid feedback. He did have to take time off about half-way through my program due to expanding his family. I was then paired with Lauren Salguero, who was amazing.
The mentorship was huge. My mentors had such cool jobs in the field and were genuinely inspiring.”
She was based in Austin, and since I’m in Houston, I even got to meet her in person one day to talk about design. I loved hearing about her work — she was so inspiring, and the feedback she gave was fantastic.
How was your experience in Career Services and finding your first role?
Career Services was a huge help, especially my career coach, Tiffany Ogarro Kirby. She was so honest and real about what the job search was like, and she helped me refine my portfolio and resume. We also did multiple mock whiteboarding sessions together.
"I never felt that creative fulfillment. UX design is functional creativity — and that’s exactly what I was missing. Now, I get to combine logic and artistry every day.”
At first, I was nervous and honestly not very good at whiteboard challenges— but after practicing with her, I felt confident. She really helped me understand what to expect in real interviews. During my job search, I transitioned in my role at the time from a more developer-focused job to a position more in line with business analysis. I feel that helped me stay close to design and product work as well.
Can you tell us about what you’re doing now in UX?
I now work at SSL.com, a software development company that specializes in public key infrastructure and digital security. I’m the only designer at the company — essentially the founding designer!
Right now, I’m building a design system and redesigning two of our main apps — a customer portal and a document signing app. It’s a lot of work, but incredibly fulfilling. I collaborate with developers, marketing, and other departments, and it’s so rewarding to see my designs come to life. I still keep in touch with my mentor and continue learning every day. It feels amazing to make real improvements that help people.
What do you love most about being a UX designer?
I love seeing a process that frustrates users and finding ways to fix it. Half of my job is about simplifying and improving systems, and the other half is getting to be creative — exploring designs, getting inspiration from other places, and presenting something new and exciting to my team.
As a developer, I never felt that creative fulfillment. UX design is functional creativity — and that’s exactly what I was missing in my previous role. Now, I get to combine logic and artistry every day.
What advice would you give to people thinking about transitioning into UX?
Do whatever it takes to help you focus on learning design. Make a plan and stick to it. Seek out mentors and communities, and take advice from people you admire. The support and perspective you gain from others will make a huge difference.
Most importantly, just start. You never know what can happen until you try.
