Ascend UX

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the personal and professional lives of designers. It's harmed our ability to efficiently collaborate, gather user insights, keep a healthy work/life balance, or even maintain stable employment.

Ayan and Evan discuss combating "Zoom fatigue," overwhelming meeting schedules, and substitutes for our beloved sticky notes and whiteboards. You'll also hear stories of hardship and hope from members of our community.

Stay safe out there!

We continue our discussion with special guest Angela Schmeidel Randall on the state of UX education. Is getting a certification enough to get your first UX job? Why is it so confusing to get a decent education in user experience? How does one grow learn and grow beyond just UX design? We explore these topics and more.

This is part two of a two-part episode.

Questions on design education are some of the most frequently asked questions we hear. University degrees, certifications, boot camps – there are a lot of options competing for your money and time. Which should you choose? Our special guest Angela Schmeidel Randall has years of university experience teaching students UX design. She provides helpful advice on not only evaluating UX educational paths, but also the need to evaluate yourself, too!

This is part one of a two-part episode.

Looking for a UX job? Although job hunting can be a challenge, there are people who can help! Our special guest Crystal Pettibone is an Account Manager from Aquent who specializes in filling UX design roles. She explains how agency recruiters collaborate with hiring managers and coach designers to find the “perfect fit.”

Ayan and Evan introduce the Ascend UX podcast and give some background on the profession of user experience (UX) design. They share their own professional journeys into UX and reflect on overcoming “impostor syndrome” when trying new things.