Netherlands ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ
unmute
#115

Caitlan Louise

Product Designer

Hey! I'm Caitlan, a Londoner who just moved to Amsterdam. You can find me at a rave, reading or practising yoga when I'm not designing. ๐Ÿ•บ๐Ÿง˜โ€โ™€๏ธโœ๏ธ
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Where are you from and/or where are you based as a Memorisely student?

I grew up in Hackney in East London, next to Broadway Market. If you know London, you might know it's somewhere people love to visit and hang out now โ€“ a big difference from the 90s! I also lived in Newport Beach, California, where my mom's from, for a few years as a kid. Now I'm in Amsterdam getting ready for my official move from London to the Netherlands!

Broadway Market, London | Samuel Regan-Asante

Newport Beach, California | Gustavo Zambelli

Amsterdam, Netherlands | Eirik Skarstein

What inspired you to pursue UX/UI and become a designer?

All I want from life is to connect with others, solve problems and express my creativity. When I discovered there was a job where I could do all three, I fell in love. I jumped straight in and haven't looked back.

Which Bootcamp did you choose to enroll in, and why?

I chose the UI Bootcamp as I just completed a UX diploma and wanted to switch focus to my UI skills.

I picked Memorisely because I wanted to learn from Zander and be part of the community he's built. His incredible energy and ability to break down and explain Figma techniques drew me in.

What's it like to be a student in Memorisely's virtual classroom?

It's a space I can finally have all my design questions answered in an open, non-judgemental environment.

What has been your favourite part of Bootcamp so far? What's one learning that has surprised you in Bootcamp?

I love the community we've created by learning together and giving each other feedback and support. Nothing makes me happier than being able to give back to others and be part of something.

A great extra thing I picked up is ideas on how to organise and lead workshops online. Little things like having assigned post-its, so each person has their own space to communicate.

What is the biggest challenge you face learning UX/UI Design?

The number of things to learn can feel overwhelming sometimes, and if you start looking online for answers, you often find conflicting advice. As a new designer, you don't always have a natural instinct on what path to take, and sometimes just knowing where or how to start can feel like climbing a mountain.

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What does a typical day look like for you as a student?

Meditation followed by yoga, journalling and a quick Dutch lesson. After showering, relax into the day with a cup of tea and design articles, then list out what I'd like to get done.

Typically I have 3 or 4 focus blocks in my day of a few hours, where all my notifications are turned off, and I have a specific goal(s) I'm working towards. Outside of this time, I check messages, go for walks, do errands or life admin โ€“ anything that switches up my thinking for a while.

On days we have a live class, I either catch up on classwork or do my day-to-day work for a few hours before. After, I write up my notes and apply what I've learnt to the design I'm working on to help make it stick.

What is your current workspace setup?

After a year of travelling to keep to the EU visa rules, I've just moved into a flat in De Pijp and have this little space to call my own as I build my dream setup.

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What are your go-to or "must have" apps?

Workflowy โ€“ a note-taking app I love for its simplicity.

Bloom โ€“ a CBT journalling app I use to check in with myself.

Medium โ€“ my go-to for reading design articles from independent voices.

What (digital or physical) product recently blew your socks off?

Loom actually. I hadn't used it before Bootcamp, and now I see how many ways I can use it for UX and UI work. I especially love it as a tool to give and receive design feedback or explain concepts to developers. Everything we do is rooted in communication, so anything that helps us do that is a win.

What tunes do you listen to while designing?

Nothing gives me focus and energy like drum and bass. I've got a lot of favourite producers, but it's always a Liquicity Yearmix by Maduk or a Metrik live stream that gets me through the day.

Share three pieces of advice for fellow and/or future students?

  1. Always sketch. It's the quickest and easiest way to throw out ideas. Try a Crazy 8's exercise if you need a little push to get started.
  2. If you are stuck on a concept, try getting off Figma. Take time to think about the design rather than get caught up in what it looks like. Go back to the beginning โ€“ is it solving the problem(s) you set out to fix? And if yes, have you designed it in the simplest way possible?
  3. Nothing is more important than your mental health. It's irreplaceable. If you feel like you are losing touch with who you are or the joy designing gives you โ€“ walk away for however long it takes. You are worth it every single time.

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Thanks for reading my story!

Netherlands ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ

Caitlan Louise

Product Designer

Fancy a coffee?

I'd love to grab a coffee and chat about
1. Memorisely
2. Research
3. Amsterdam
๐Ÿ—“ Book time to chat

Ready to become a UX/UI designer?

As you'll have gathered, we're open and honest and would love to have you join our next UX/UI Bootcamp!
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