Greetings dear readers. I trust you're doing well. While I've been running my blog for some time, my recent focus has shifted towards design. This transformation began during the last ASUU strike in 2022, which led to a year spent at home. It all started with playful design experiments on Canva, and I discovered my creative flair when I successfully branded a haircare product business using just my phone, proving my doubters wrong.

I had a friend who consistently encouraged me to explore motion, mobile app, and web design, despite my self-doubts. This year, I took a leap and decided to dive into UX design to enhance my skills. It's been one of the best decisions I've ever made because it aligns perfectly with my passion, and I can already envision making a meaningful impact in this field.

If you're intrigued, I invite you to join me on my journey. Allow me to give you a glimpse into my UX design experience with Friends of Figma Africa.

Our journey began on September 9, 2023, with our first onboarding meeting where we delved into the training concept, met our mentors, and got acquainted with the rules and regulations. Our classes kicked off on Google Classroom, introducing us to the world of UX design.

UX design, I've learned, is all about creating enjoyable, usable, and useful product experiences. It offers various career paths, including:

UX Designer: Crafting intuitive and user-friendly experiences through research and prototyping.

UI Designer: Focusing on the visual elements of interfaces for aesthetics and functionality.

Interaction Designer: Defining user interactions and enhancing usability.

Information Architect: Organizing content and information for easy access.

Usability Analyst/Tester: Evaluating product user-friendliness.

UX Researcher: Studying user behaviors and needs.

Content Strategist: Managing digital content for a better user experience.

UX Writer: Crafting user-friendly text within digital products.

In the realm of UX design, soft skills like collaboration, communication, and empathy are vital.

Collaboration ensures effective teamwork with colleagues and clients, fostering cohesive designs.

Clear communication is essential for conveying complex ideas, while empathy helps us understand the user's perspective, promoting a user-centered approach.

We also explored the significance of creating a compelling UX design portfolio. Your portfolio serves as a digital showcase of your skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Key tips include defining your purpose, showcasing diverse projects, highlighting your UX process, storytelling, and prioritizing quality over quantity.

Before introducing your product, conducting competitor research is crucial to avoid design pitfalls. This includes analyzing both direct and indirect competitors. Competitive audits help benchmark your product, understand user expectations, drive innovation, and ensure user-centered design and usability.

Despite the uncertainties of embarking on a UX design journey, I firmly believe in following the right path and turning big dreams into reality. I'm thrilled about the prospect of becoming the best in my field, and creating an edge in my design career.