It’s March already, so that means we’re 2 months into 2023. Gotta be honest, I haven’t been feeling very good about myself for the past two months. When the times are challenging, it’s usually much easier to focus on the negative things (i.e. what is not working out), than it is to see the positive things (or what might be potentially good) in the same situation.
So far, I haven’t secured any consulting or training gigs yet, and quite frankly, I’m doing my best not to react/behave desperately. I’ve touched on this briefly in one of my previous journal entries, so I won’t try to repeat myself again. The only thing that I’m trying to do now, is to constantly remind myself that it would be worth it when I finally manage to secure the right opportunity. Point is, I am refusing to allow my past mistakes to repeat themselves again.
So…with plenty of time to reflect and think ahead, I thought a lot about where my place is in all of this, you know, in a professional capacity. And that thought brought me back to THREE key areas of focus:
- UX Design
- UI Design
- Frontend (UI) Development
These are the areas of skills where I saw a significant advantage over my former trade as a full-stacked software engineer (i.e. frontend + backend dev). If you were to compare my skills in backend dev with someone who qualifies as a specialist, I’d never be able to stand out. The other way of looking at this is simple, to a backend dev specialist, they probably won’t have to try as hard to be as good as they are. Whereas for me, I would have to work a lot harder in order to get close.
The reverse can be said about my specialization in UX. After spending the last decade of my life (well…8 years to be exact) pursuing my passion in UX/UI, and according to the feedback of those that I’ve worked with along the way, I’ve come to discover that UX/UI/frontend dev were areas that I didn’t have to try very hard to be really good at. The more confident way to describe it is this, naturally, I’m already really good in those three areas of skills; and with additional effort, I can eventually push myself to become one of the best in the field.
Forever a Trend Setter
For most of my professional career, I’ve never been known as a follower. I’m not one to follow the crowd, or what everybody else is doing. Instead, you can say that I’m more often than not, a trendsetter. But I didn’t become a trendsetter because I wanted to be one. Rather, it’s usually because I don’t see things the way that others would see them. I have a natural ability when it comes to being able to notice things that others can’t see. I can see patterns and early signs of a trend, and so I was able to make decisions to do something before anyone else is able to recognize it. It’s perhaps one of the reasons why, whenever it matters, I would be one of the very first few to try/experiment with something.
As unpopular as my views and actions were, throughout the years, history has proven that I’ve always been on the right side of things. It just takes others years to catch up to what I was able to notice. That is also probably one of the key reasons why I was recognized as a thought leader.
Sticking with my history, I am also seeing a new trend and pattern right now. Looking at my own skills and talents, coupled with what is already happening in the industry, I’m starting to see a new kind of role that some professionals can play.
Introducing Experience Architects/Engineers
Just like the full-stacked developers who are equipped with a set of different skills, I saw a future where UX/UI designers could grow into something more. I call them, “experience architects/engineers” because they would have all of the necessary skills to not only design amazing user experiences but also the skills to implement it (i.e. frontend dev). Just like a Solution/Software Architect, Experience Architects/Engineers will focus mainly on coming up with designs that encourage the best possible UX.
Coming back to the present moment, something like an “Experience Architect”, or “Experience Engineer” might sound a little strange because most of the industry is only familiar with the highly segregated roles/positions. You’re either a UX designer, or a UI designer, or a Frontend Developer. Sometimes, you might find a little overlap between the roles, but they are still largely seen as separate roles/positions within a company.
Now, I do believe that eventually, someday, companies may want to hire an experience architect/engineer because they can play a central role on a design team. Think of these experience architects/engineers as the coordinator between the design teams and the frontend dev teams.
How to be Relevant in Today’s World
That has been the question I’ve been asking myself for the past two months. As someone that is uniquely skilled and gifted in this area, how can I apply what I can offer to a world/industry that doesn’t quite see its necessity?
As turns out, it’s a common trend right now that companies can hire plenty of fresh/inexperienced UX/UI designers (some of them fresh out of school). But that alone isn’t quite enough to meet the demands of today’s design work. The one thing that many companies are still lacking, is someone that can provide that leadership. Someone that has that level of experience in the industry. Whether they like it or not, in order to become a UX lead, what is required is experience.
And that’s exactly where I find myself at the moment. I see my talents and skills as a way to fill that gap. I am in a uniquely qualified position to help companies lead their UX/UI/frontend teams. I could either be on their full-time payroll or as a consultant. Both ways work.
I also believe that it is possible for me to help mentor and guide the less experienced UX/UI designers on current teams so that eventually they can take over the role and become a leader of some sort. Think of it as I’m helping to train and prepare the first generation of Experience Architects/Engineers.
I finally Know Who I Want to Be
Professionally speaking, I can finally say that I know who I want to be. I have considered all of my strengths and weaknesses. I have weighed both my failures and successes. I have gathered together all of my lessons. And now, I know, with absolute clarity that I can be of the most value when I see myself as an “Experience Architect/Engineer”. Everything that I’ve experienced throughout my career has been preparing me for this very moment. And I’m going to take pride in who I have become today.
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