Fun Starters

Getting to know the human side.

Main Course

A quick deep dive into the day-to-day job.

Tell us about yourself and your job.

I graduated from UCSD in 2018 and I'm currently a UX Designer 3 at PayPal! I'm part of the team designing for the PayPal merchant experience. I work closely with other designers, product managers, developers, and researchers to help provide financial services that impact users on a global scale.

How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?

After my 2nd year of college, I was undergoing the classic ~college student struggle~ of realizing that the major I had chosen... was not for me (Math/CS). As I was thinking about what I wanted to do, I discovered UX/Human-Computer Interaction and realized how fun and fulfilling it is to create delightful experiences. Given how fast technology evolves, it's really interesting to see the challenges that are posed and how UX can help solve problems that impact others. I love design because it's a really powerful tool that allows me to be creative and build solutions for everyday things, interactions, and tasks.

What does a typical morning look like on the job?

A typical morning starts off with checking my calendar to see what meetings I have that day, grabbing a bagel with strawberry cream cheese from the break room, and drinking caffeine in preparation for the morning design review meeting. My team uses these meetings to share out any work in progress and get feedback from the various designers, researchers, and managers. If it's my turn to share, I present my designs and take notes on the comments I receive so I can figure out what my next steps are.

Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?

After eating lunch, I'm usually in food coma mode so I grab a matcha latte or some boba to help fuel me through the rest of the workday! I typically have a couple of meetings with my PM to go over design tasks for the upcoming week or with other designers to collaborate on a design pattern or flow. In between meetings is when I actually get to work in Figma on my designs. I generally spend the last few hours of the workday starting at Figma and wrapping up my tasks and making a plan for myself for what needs to be done the next day.

What types of projects and meetings are you involved in?

On my team, a designer is assigned to specific projects to focus on. I am usually designing for 1-2 projects at a time. UX is really collaborative, so I meet with the lead designer, product manager, engineers, and content designers on a weekly basis. During these syncs, we discuss what problem we're solving for and the requirements for the designs. I'm also involved in the weekly design reviews as well as planning meetings with the engineers to gauge the timeline of projects.

Who do you collaborate with within meetings and projects?

I collaborate closely with other UX designers, product managers, UX researchers, content designers, and engineers. I really value the collaborative aspect of being a designer because I get to work with people from different backgrounds and share our different perspectives to tackle the same problem. I love that we all get to work together to build the optimal user experience that is still scalable and delightful for users.

Dessert

Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.

What's the most challenging thing about your job?

I think the most challenging thing I still struggle with is lacking confidence while presenting my work due to imposter syndrome! I think having to participate in design reviews where you can get some harsh feedback on your work has built a thicker skin for me. However, I still get nervous presenting my work to a group of super talented and experienced designers! But at the end of the day, I try to remind myself that I'm still learning and growing as a designer, so I shouldn't be too hard on myself.

What are some characteristics that can help someone succeed in your role?

I think some key characteristics of a successful UX Designer are empathy and open-mindedness. Since you're designing experiences that solve problems for users, it is important to empathize and be able to understand their frustrations and needs. As a designer, feedback is essential. It can be easy to take feedback as personal criticism, but it's important to remain open to this feedback and use it as helpful information to grow as a designer.

Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those just starting off?

Starting off in UX, it's really important to make sure you have an understanding of basic design heuristics and the design process. It is also important to have experience with design tools such a Figma and Sketch. However, I'd say the most important thing to have is a solid design portfolio to showcase your knowledge and design skills through projects you've worked on.

What's something that surprised you about your job?

I was really surprised at how different working in the UX field is from what you learn in your classes as a student! In classes, we learn to prioritize upholding the best design principles possible, but there are many other factors to consider when it comes to a project at an actual job. A lot of cross-functional teams get involved such as risk, compliance, and legal teams that have an impact on the design constraints and overall workflow.

Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to do what you do?

UX Design is such a fulfilling field to work in! I feel like I am constantly learning from my peers and am having fun while doing it. If you enjoy problem-solving and flexing your creativity muscles, I recommend UX.

Drinks

Chat more over coffee or tea?