Transitioning from coder to designer

I graduated college with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Media Arts and an Associates degree in Graphic Design. I began my career as a Front-End Developer at worked at several startup advertising agencies to start my career. I worked on various projects and clients, I also worked on various CMS platforms from Wordpress, Magento and Shopify.

Initially, I was excited about coding websites and applications, believing it would be my long-term path. However, while coding websites, I discovered my true passion was in design. Getting the handoff file and start coding the design made me feel enthused because I knew deep inside I wanted to be the one designing these websites.

Realizing my potential in design, I decided to transition into the digital world as a UI/UX Designer and later as a Product Designer. I self taught all the digital design skills needed, learning the importance of being empathetic and crafting beautiful interfaces and solving real problems through design. I also recognized the power of communicating ideas through digital mediums.

While I was really crafting my skills as a UI Designer, I realized that to be great I needed to think strategically and solve problems with innovative solutions. To that end, I took courses and read books primarily focused on User Research, Product Strategy and User Behaviors, which eventually led me to where I am today. I've always told myself to love my journey of learning, for the moment I stop learning is the moment I will start to fall behind. I need to stay curious, stay hungry, and never settle for comfort.