Currently based in Manila, Philippines. 🌴
From a young age, I was the type of kid who loves to do creative stuff and art such as DIYs, painting, and drawing. I even wanted to become a fashion designer when I grew up. However, the world had different plans for me and I took a degree in Software Engineering wherein I had to code and it's a mostly logic-based type of work, which I didn't quite enjoy.
Fast forward to my 3rd year of college, I had to work on a thesis project with my team where we had to redesign a reservation portal for my school. My team consisted of Software Engineers and I took the initiative to be the lead designer since I'm the "creative person" in the group. Then, I stumbled upon UX/UI design where I had to do some self-learning in order to solve the problem of the project and from there I enjoyed the design process and even got to facilitate for my team from brainstorm to usability testing. And that's how I got to where I am today.
This is an interesting question that I got to reflect on. I guess my answer would be that I love how this field exists to help millions of people to make lives easier when using digital products and I want to contribute because I get the chance to offer my skills in design and code. Also, I believe that design isn't just about designing interfaces but building a better future for everyone especially during this time where everyone relies on digital products to make ends meet as a living.
I usually start my day with morning walks around my subdivision and I recently picked up this habit when I read "Atomic Habits by James Clear" which was Memorisely's January book read. Walking around my subdivision brings me peace of mind and it’s refreshing to do this before you start your day.
Then, I read 1-2 hours a day together with my go to drink a cup of warm coffee or green tea. After that, I have a list of tasks that I want to learn or work on through Notion. Lastly, I end my day with watching Korean dramas on Netflix and I am currently watching “Vincezo”, I totally recommend this to those who are a fan of Mafia or crime related stuff with humor.
As you can see I have two desk setups, first desk setup is where I usually do my design work and learn new things for the entire day. I also take notes when I read blogs or articles related to UX. I use sticky notes when I list down tasks or anything that comes to mind that might be a good idea that I could use in the future.
As for the second desk setup, this is where I place my books and notebooks that I usually read or write on a daily basis. I also use this space when I want to reflect on things and look at my window to help me focus. Oh and if you’re wondering what are those photos posted on my wall, it’s a collection of the things I love and quotes that inspire me each day.
As you can see, this is my workspace in Notion where I place my goals, tasks and resources to help me focus on the things that I need to work on and it also serves as a reminder to push myself towards achieving my goals per month.
As for my personal dashboard, I place my plans and interests such as travel plans, recipes, habit trackers and etc. This is one of my favorite workstations where I can be self-aware of the things I want to do.
The work that I'm currently most proud of would be a recent project that I have finished called Job Hunters, which is a job platform curated for fresh graduates. I learned a ton from this project, because this was my first time working on a design project on my own after college and I got to try out new processes on my design process such as Napkin Sketches, Remote Usability Tests. Also, this was my first time designing a mobile based design and I had to research iOS Human Interface Guidelines to make sure I was following the best practices.
Definitely, FigJam which is a new digital whiteboarding tool! It blew my socks off because this is a new product fresh from Figma which was announced in Config 2021 and they made something that could make brainstorm and ideation sessions with teams so much fun! Adding to that, in a designer’s perspective I appreciate the human touch that Figma made where remote teams can feel the collaboration and they can do high-fives virtually!
Also, I was invited by a friend of mine for a FigJam After Party, which was so much fun and interesting! It's also a new way for designers all around the world to do some networking after attending an event like Config 2021! Thanks, Figma! 💜
The challenges I faced as a UX/UI Designer was when I transitioned from my bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, wherein I had to start from scratch and learn new ways to upskill myself by joining design communities, taking online courses and attending online events. Also, I had to learn by myself and the commitment to keep learning in order to create meaningful projects that will lead me to a design job someday.
I’m mostly into K-Pop, Chill and Indie music these days which brings a boost to my day and makes me productive whilst designing. Checkout my Memorisely mixtape playlist for those who want to discover new music! 🎧
