About Me

I remember loving playing “connect the dots” as a kid. There was something so satisfying about taking a field of dots on a page and adding context to them to make a full picture. If I’m indulging my pseudo-philosophical side, I like to think solving these puzzles is ultimately providing purpose for the dots on a more grand scale. Alone they are singular, random markings on a page. String them together and you fulfill their purpose of making a complete, full picture.

I like to think life is similar to a game of “connect the dots”. Events happen and they become dots to our pages. It’s up to us to find a way to connect them and give them all purpose. Some people really struggle connecting their dots. Other people are able to connect them easily. Up until recently, I was in the former category.

My winding path through life earned me dots such as, briefly attending art school, pursuing stand up comedy, performing improvisational comedy with The Second City, working as a professional cook and baker, managing kitchens, and most recently being a preschool teacher. Those seemingly random dots would be hard for anyone to connect. Luckily for me, UX design has a very diverse set of needs. Who other than someone with a diverse background could answer that call?

A UX Designer needs to be:

Empathetic.

They have to be able to get inside the mind of potential users. With a background as diverse as mine, I am easily able to jump into the mindset of users thanks to my vastly diverse perspectives.

Flexible and communicative.

Improvising full musicals on stage with a team in front of complete strangers takes flexibility, intense listening and informational processing skills, as well as a diverse set of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

An excellent time manager.

Cooking and baking for upwards of 400 people at a time takes time management skills and the ability to meet tight deadlines.

Creative.

Thinking like an artist by questioning boundaries and the status quo like you do as a fine art student is a great way to come up with innovative solutions to complex problems.

A Fierce advocate for humans.

Who better to be that advocate than someone with a winding journey through life? There is nothing more human than living life. Boy, have I lived. I have made mistakes, I’ve had setbacks, and I’ve learned intense lessons. I know what it means to be human. I feel prepared to stand up for my fellow humans and design with them in mind.

As you can see, my dots are all very nicely connected by the core values of what it means to be a UX designer. I am grateful to be growing in this field and that I have the opportunity to capitalize on the lessons learned through my Vonnegut shaped path in life.