Undeniable UXD
UXD 60001: Principles and Concepts
Reflective Journaling Week 1
This has been my first week of classes at Kent State University in their Online User Experience Design Masters Program. This week’s content centered on an Introduction to User Experience Design. There were a variety of items we consumed from reading the first chapter in The Design of Everyday Things, by Don Norman to watching a thought provoking Ted Talk from Tony Fadell called The First Secret of Design is… Noticing. The start of the program was something I was nervous about, but also excited to dig into. This week has definitely been an adjustment to incorporate all the readings and posts, but looking back on this past week the experience has been refreshing and exhilarating.
The things that stuck with me from this week is “meeting” my classmates virtually. We were asked to post about ourselves, why we were enrolled in the class, how we felt about the online learning, and our hobbies. I believe I am the oldest student in the class which is a bit intimidating, but will also give me the opportunity to learn from so many different people that I would not have met without this class. It will allow me to learn from them and hear perspectives from students in design and others outside of design. I too will also be able to share my thoughts and maybe provide insight from my experiences working in design for the past 20 years [Eeeek]. Which leads me to the second thing that stuck with me.
In Tony Fadell’s Ted Talk he concludes it with this statement, “Look broader, look closer, and to think younger… so we can stay beginners.” He then goes onto say that it won’t be easy and the challenge is to take on each day with the following mentality, “How can I experience each day better?” It is inspiring to think about experiencing each day better and to see what sort of ripples we can make out into the world whether big or small. I also have this fear or perhaps question at the back of my head asking me, “Can you do that? Can you stay a beginner?” I have self doubt creeping in, but I supposed that is why Tony Fadell says it won’t be easy. I am up for the challenge to approach each day with a beginner mindset and I think this program is the perfect place for me to start.