After spending 3 years working as a Graphic Designer at the NHS, I decided it was time for me to upskill and transition into User Experience. I had initially hoped to attend evening classes or study part time so I could stay at my job, but I wanted to dedicate 100% of my time and energy into it. As I studied my undergraduate at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, I already knew how valuable the teaching quality was so when I saw they offered an MA in UX, I felt that was the best option for me.
I personally enjoyed the Designing for Behaviour Change module which encouraged me to apply for the position I am in now and as a result, produced the best project out of any other throughout the course. Using creative research methods, I was able to gain a good insight into the users’ thoughts, feelings and pain points which ultimately enabled me to generate a great concept.
I made a tough decision to leave a stable job and invest both time and money into a master’s which did not guarantee me a better role or a higher salary. However, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Design students from the hundreds of interviews I have now attended tend to be more respected within industry because of the design process learnt and the way we think. The tools you learn on this course will prepare you well for industry and develop the creative mindset to generate amazing ideas.
I feel this master’s has provided me with the tools, creative process, and mindset I need to pursue a career in User Experience. From a personal standpoint, I feel more confident, innovative, and prepared to take more risks after the last year studying this master’s at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ.
I now work as a UX Consultant at Energy Systems Catapult based in Birmingham. ESC takes a whole-systems view of the energy sector, helping to identify and address innovation priorities and market barriers, in order to decarbonise the energy system at the lowest cost. Working alongside marketing researchers, user researchers and service designers we collaborate on and tackle creative problem solving within innovative energy services.