Steffan Morris Hernandez

Where are you from and/or where are you based as a Memorisely student?

I’m from a town called Birkenhead which overlooks onto the city of Liverpool, UK. As a student I will be based across Liverpool, Belfast and London to vary my bootcamp experience. This is a view of Birkenhead from Liverpool 👇

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

Whilst training to become a fully qualified architect during the pandemic, I became aware of the UX/UI Design as a profession after reading a book!

I then began to explore this further, speaking to various architects who switched over to UX, attending networking events and researching bootcamps. The fast paced nature of product design appealed to me, as well as the systems in place to ensure efficiency; constant feedback loops and listening to the needs of the end user. These were areas that I felt was missing for me in Architecture and construction, motivating me to switch career.

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

I chose both the UX/UI and UX Research bootcamps. As a complete newbie to the industry, I wanted to broaden my exposure to all aspects of product design to develop my skillsets. I am currently reading ‘About Face’ which is on the Memorisely reading list and it’s helping me understand the importance of research in designing effective products.

I chose Memorisely over other bootcamps because of the collaborative, do-to-learn approach which suits my learning style. Zander and the team also captured my eye on LinkedIn 👀

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

I wake up fairly early as an Earlybird and I like to kick off the day with a strong coffee and oats to power through my daily tasks. I like to work outside when I can to listen to the world around me.

I’ll usually work from 8am until 3pm as I find my brain works better in the morning. After then, I’ll go for a long walk or meet friends. It’s good to get out to clear the mind.

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What is your current workspace setup?

For most of the two Memorisely bootcamps, I’ll be based in rural Northern Ireland with a view to some stunning mountains 🏔️. I’ve worked in this location before and the peaceful, endless greenery really clears the head.

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

My Beats Pro. First headphones that I could actually run with that don’t fall out! Look pretty smart in khaki green too..

What tunes do you listen to while designing?

Oh man I listed to so much music. Mainly Electronic, Deep House or Alternative. This Spotify radio playlist for Dublin band Fontaines DC is epic. 👇

Also love a bit of Progressive House when I need a pick-me-up. This playlist is fire! 

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

1. Don’t worry about making mistakes - it’s part of the job.
2. Stay curious and explore what you’re interested in.
3. Be kind to everyone. It can make the world a bit better.

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