Hi, I'm Rachael, Nice to meet you!
I’m driven by my belief that technology needs to work better for us all; products and services shouldn’t be a stressful experience due to poor design!
My ambition is to create designs that get to the core of an issue and make life that little bit more enjoyable – whether it be for businesses or customers.
What I bring to UX
- The ability to empathise with users which allows me to gain deep user insights. This skill was honed by speaking to hundreds of potential customers in my travel sales role as I had to understand what their key motivations and preferences were to create a tailor-made holiday.
- A methodical mindset that logically walks through processes, helping ensure the experience remains consistent.
- A strong attention to detail, making sure smaller details that can really impact an experience are not overlooked such as consistency in design and layout.
- I can work collaboratively within a team but I am also self-motivated and confident working independently throughout the design process.
- Through my many personal interests, professional work and thirst for knowledge, I pull ideas from across industries to solve problems and bring a different perspective.
- Due to my studies with TechUp100 Women I have an understanding of coding so I can communicate with developers, create detailed wireframes, and respect software and coding limitations.
- I am a quick learner as I genuinely enjoy learning, and I am proactive in expanding my knowledge and challenging my assumptions in order to improve my design skills.
- Understanding that a key part of being a UX Designer is about showcasing the value of design work to stakeholders and colleagues and that this is just as important as the design work itself.
Why UX?
- UX is a fun and interesting blend of art and science.
- It involves talking to users and stakeholders indepth to understand needs. This was a part of my travel sales job that I was good at and enjoyed.
- It's an exciting and continually developing field. This allows me to satisfy my desire to learn, improve and grow in my abilities.
- The potential of UX is powerful. Happy customers means better business and ultimately higher profits and growth. It's a win-win for everyone when done right.
How I got into UX
The Beginning
My small business Imouto has had some success but I decide to start looking for a long-term career path. I'm open-minded but I'm looking for variety and exciting developments in my work.
Twitter has the answer
I'm forwarded a tweet about a special initiative called 'TechUp 100 Women' which aims to get women into the tech industry. It's a 6 month intensive course covering lots of topics - it sounds exciting so I apply.
Success!
My application is successful and the intense study of up to 10 hours a week starts. We cover AI, Python, Cyber Security, Databases and a module of UX which I really enjoy.
Project Management
I take the Project Management pathway and sit two Agile PM exams and pass with flying colours. I now hold AgilePM Foundation and AgilePM Practitioner qualifications.
Graduation Time
I complete all the coursework and modules and graduate from TechUp. On reflection I most enjoyed the UX module as it is a blend of art and science, so I start looking into this career path and how I can upskill.
Covid Strikes
Covid causes a lot of upheaval but also presents an opportunity to have time to study UX.
UX Design Institute
After much research I decide to study with the UX Design Institute who have created the first University accredited Diploma course for UX Design. It's all remote study with guidance through webinars and email so it works with the lockdown.
Go, go, go!
Over the year I study with UXDI, complete the coursework and also juggle sporadic return to work due to covid and running my online business. I pass the UX exam with 89% and score full marks on my coursework!
To the Future
Start work at ALDI as part of the Global Business Coordination team! With a focus on Customer Services I work in a multidisciplinary, cross-department team and create designs that are applied globally across 11 countries.
It's only just begun...
I will continue to develop as a designer through my professional work as well as attending webinars by UXPA and IxDF, covering topics such as accessibility, colour psychology and OOUX.
What I enjoy
In my spare time I
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