Journey of being a UI/UX designer in a Startup
Journey of being a UI/UX designer in a Startup
Today, I embarked on my 2nd month as a UI/UX designer at a startup, and I am entitled to share my learnings and insights on this job.
Let me introduce myself. I am an architect turned self-taught UX designer. I graduated in 2023, embarked on a journey into UX, and am now crafting user-centric experiences at Cargoa, building their platform from the ground up since November.
Learnings :
How to manage your time: Being the only designer on the team brought its own set of challenges, especially when it came to meeting the Phase I platform deadline. I had this bad habit of procrastinating, and it was slowing me down. You know what? I decided it was time for a change. I started tweaking how I manage my time to kick that procrastination habit. It’s a work in progress, but I’m finding it’s making a real difference. Now, I’m hitting those project milestones with a bit more ease.
How to take feedback: In the beginning, I used to take everything personally, like I had made a big mistake, but when I used to get feedback daily, I got used to it and started taking it as ideas to improve their platform. Along with this, I also learned that not every suggestion is worth implementing. I mean, as a designer, it is my call to see what looks good and what does not, and I should take a stand and explain my views.
Knowing when to stop: I think in a startup-WFH culture, more is always less; the more I work, the less they care about my time. I can work all day long, but still, something might be left. For the first week, even I fell for it, I worked more than required, which increased my sitting time and also my screen time (although my screen time is already higher, stress also came along with the screen). At that time I was also nervous, which is okay, I guess, as it was my first ever job and that too in a different field. I just did what my manager said without asking questions, and to understand the logistics industry, I needed some time to get comfortable, and when I achieved that, I tried to wrap myself within the office time.
There is no right or wrong, just perspectives: In the design industry, one has to believe that it is above and beyond right and wrong. Even in my 5 years of architecture, my professors failed to teach me what a job made me realize (p.s., the benefits of working with a good team). My manager and I have brainstorming sessions for each feature we share and try almost all the ideas that come up, and that is how I got comfortable with this.
Admit when you are wrong: For a beginner like me, there is already stress for what if I am wrong for everything I do, and above that, I cannot take another burden of making a mistake and not admitting it in fear of being scolded. Even though this is my first job, I am mature enough to admit if I am wrong. Let's face it, who doesn't make mistakes? Everyone makes mistakes, which makes us smarter; at least it made me smarter, and admitting it can make you more attentive or anything else. Never try to blame someone else or hide your mistakes.
I want to keep this article short and crisp, as it is my first time trying my hands on medium. More articles are on the way.!!
And I would like to thank the Cargoa team for believing in me and giving me a chance to apply my skills.