📰 3 ARTICLES
UX Portfolio Review: How a Self-Taught Designer's Work Stacks Up
- UX team lead and recruiter Calvin Pedzai delves into the portfolio of a largely self-taught designer, breaking down what works and what doesn’t using the system he’s established when hiring for an entry-level role.
- Within the case study explored there were strengths in visual design, ideation, and aspects of research; however, the project lacked clarity overall and suffered from a lack of full development.
- "This case study was decent but incomplete which introduces doubt in a recruiter’s mind. There are certain sections that needed more information and some that did not make sense."
Six Human Skills to Future-Proof Your Design Career
- This insightful article from the Adobe design team emphasizes the importance of leveraging uniquely human skills in the face of advancing AI, highlighting how design roles will change and what designers can do to stay relevant and advance their careers.
- Creating the unexpected by focusing on quality and craft as well as building human connections and leading with empathy are some of the qualities that Adobe champions as ways to stand out while still keeping yourself adaptable.
- “Designers have an opportunity to start to evolve our roles and play the part we want in this story's next chapter. But before we can think about adaptation, evolution, and future versions of our careers, we must better understand the qualities, beyond pixel-pushing that make us valuable as creative problem solvers.”
How My Personal Brand Helped Me Get Hired Faster
- Product designer Vivi Shin shares her journey into the UX/UI design field through the lens of personal growth, illustrating how pouring her full self into her creative endeavors while also cultivating a personal brand helped her reach her career goals.
- An emphasis is placed on the principles of crafting, sharing, and nurturing one's brand to create genuine connections which can pave the way to new opportunities, often in unexpected ways.
- “Personal branding isn’t just for influencers or those in the spotlight; it’s for anyone with a goal. It’s a powerful tool that speeds up your journey to success. Everyone has a unique story and strengths that can form a compelling personal brand, opening new doors.”
💜 PORTFOLIO INSPIRATION
Danna Shapiro, a UX Academy graduate, brings a multifaceted background in the arts and design to her UX portfolio. An impressive eye for UI design is coupled with extensive research to fully understand and create a new responsive site for growing spice business Awafi. That same attention to detail is showcased in end-to-end design fitness app Sherpa, which brings a deeply user-centered and empathetic approach to designing a journaling app for dedicated athletes.
Got a portfolio you love that you’d like to share with our audience? Email your suggestions to hello@designlab.com.
💡 INTERESTING STUFF...
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You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. — Maya Angelou, author and activist
🧪 FROM THE LAB
⭐️ New Course Announcement: Prototyping in Figma ⭐️
We’re excited to announce our newest course offering for experienced designers: Prototyping in Figma.
In this four-week course, you’ll learn how to decide appropriate fidelity levels for your prototypes, create a go-to strategy to communicate with your collaborators effectively, make your prototypes more realistic and implementable than ever, and more.
We’re offering students who enroll in our first cohort a savings of $100. Learn more about Prototyping in Figma and sign up to have your discount automatically applied at the course page on our website.
🎤 Upcoming Design Events
July 25th 1PM EST: Job Application Assessments - Show and Tell
August 1st 1PM EST: Navigating Your Roadmap to a Fulfilling UX Career
August 4th 4PM EST: How to Use Gemini for UX Writing Tasks
🚀 Learn More About UX Academy and Hear from an Alum
Join our next live informational webinar this Tuesday at 6PM EST to learn more about our award-winning career change bootcamp. This week, we’ll be joined by UX Academy alum John Rubino, who will speak about his transition into UX/UI and answer your questions about his journey through the program.
Most of our students start out with UX Academy Foundations, our beginner-friendly and flexible online course where you’ll learn the fundamentals of visual and UI design. Work through hands-on projects, gain proficiency in Figma, and be supported through 1:1 mentorship with an experienced industry professional.
Already have design experience? Apply directly to UX Academy and jump right into one of our upcoming cohorts.
Regardless of your experience level, we encourage you to join a webinar to learn more!
