Meet Sherry

Sherry is a second-year LTXD student. Before she started this program, she was an English teacher in Taiwan. She also loves photography and Design. Now, she is planning to transition into the UX Design field. She participated in the Designpreneur Hackathon as a Designer. Let's read about her experience and enjoy her prototype at the end!

About the Designpreneur Hackathon

Can you describe the process of discovering and deciding to engage in this competition?

Sherry: I found this opportunity, the Designpreneur Hackathon, in an email newsletter from NYU Stern. The competition was unique in its structure. Participants were two distinct groups: designers and founders, mainly from three reputable schools - NYU, Parsons, and SVA. Designers and founders would be paired up. Founders brought a concept or idea, which would then be visualized by a designer through a creative solution.

I am interested in becoming a UX designer. When I saw this newsletter, I had my portfolio ready and applied for this competition. I was randomly paired with my founder who is interested in creating a solution for novice artists.

How did your academic experiences at LTXD equip you for this competition?

Sherry: My coursework in User Experience Design (UXD) at LTXD was instrumental, particularly the emphasis on design thinking and the double diamond model. I would say the double diamond model is essential and serves as a solid foundation for excelling in UX design, offering a structured approach to problem-solving and innovation.

Sherry's Competition Experience

Could you share your experiences during the competition?

Sherry: The competition lasted for three days, Friday through Sunday, but the structure was flexible. I had the chance to prepare for it much earlier. My founder and I were paired up a week ago. I contacted my founder and started working on user research on Monday. Despite the official duration, our efforts lasted for an entire week.

Our project aimed to connect novice artists with galleries, addressing the challenges these artists face in gaining exposure and experiences. After research and discussion, we decided to build a platform for artists' connections and opportunities for gallery showcases. Yep, it is like an artist's version of LinkedIn.

Since both my founder and I are not experts in this field. It took us a week to conduct research on users and markets. We did secondary research and artist interviews from Monday to Thursday. The actual competition days were intensely focused on design tasks, starting with ideation, developing information architecture, and drafting initial wireframes. On Saturday morning, we were asked to conduct 5 user tests, followed by rapid iterations based on the feedback, culminating in a final presentation on the second half day. On Sunday, we finished up everything and finalized our HI-FI prototype (explore at the end of the article!) I have to say this competition is soo- intensive!!

What aspects of the competition did you find most challenging?

Sherry: The opportunity to dive into the art field was unexpectedly enlightening. The main challenge lies in the ideation phase because we only had a very broad idea at that time. We struggled with converging ideas. We initially considered an e-commerce model but pivoted to a networking platform after recognizing the saturation of existing e-commerce solutions for artists. The process consisted of many back-and-forth discussions.

Sherry's Takeaways and Advice

In your view, what is the essential skill for a designer?

Sherry: Effective communication is a MUST! I am not trying to say technical design skills are not important. It is the foundation of becoming a UX Designer. However, to create an accurate and effective design solution, communication is the linchpin for ensuring the design is aligned with the correct objectives, and solving the problem.

What advice would you give based on your experience?

Sherry: As a designer, you should embrace a growth mindset and prepare to learn! For example, I have limited expertise in the art domain. I feel I was "foolish" in the room because I had lots of questions to ask. I would suggest that never hesitate to ask questions, especially when faced with uncertainties.

How do you think this experience could shape your future career?

Sherry: The competition served as a simulation of the professional environment, offering a glimpse into real-world scenarios of the UX Design field. The second important thing is networking. This opportunity allows me to connect with inspiring individuals, particularly fellow designers, for future collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Click to explore Sherry's prototype!