It is time to reflect on the UXO720 Module, my progress, and my plans for the future.
What went well
I am generally satisfied with my progress throughout this module. As I mentioned in my case study video, I managed to deliver two highly functioning prototypes, extremely feasible, supported by testing.
Mastering new tools
I’m happy I used the opportunity to pick up some essential UI skills that I admitted were missing at the beginning of the module: 3d modelling and simulations, micro–animations. I stayed true to my goal of learning a new tool (despite the tool itself not being open–source), and got fairly well at prototyping with Protopie — so much so that I encouraged my team at work to transition to Protopie from Principle for micro–interactions design and more immersive testing.
Learning and practising
I did get to learn quite a lot about things I previously deemed as being rather basic: for instance, putting together a persona seemed like an easy task, but researching the best practices helped me make the first really useful persona in my career — the one driven not by demographics’ data, but by needs and pains, powered by research data and knowledge. I got to practice putting together UX writing guides (albeit fairly basic) and content inventory (something I have never done before), which I now use to help my teammates develop UX Writing skills.
What I could have done differently
It would be totally unproductive to assume that everything went smoothly.
Time management
Multiple times throughout the module, I felt unfocused, unmotivated, lost in my own vision. I believe this stems from the lack of a single source of vision, a backlog of sorts that would encompass every idea, help me better plan my deliverables, and allocate the right amount of time to every activity. I will research the tools for time and project management, and find one that will be adequate to my needs in the upcoming modules.
Thinking bravely
As I mentioned in the case study video, I feel that my end product remained rather basic, compared to what I was initially set to deliver. I felt restricted by feasibility, trying to deliver the minimal product people would love and want to use: I believe this stems from my background in development. Next time, I should be more open to brave ideas and powerful concepts, and find a way to prioritise them to satisfy the need for an MVP.
Learning process
Throughout the module, I took several LinkedIn courses hoping they would help me be a better researcher, a better designer, a better lead, but I did not pay enough attention to the content of said courses, which basically renders them pointless. Next time, I shall seize the opportunity, and enrol in courses that are highly relevant to my module’s content (and the challenges I am facing).
Next steps
As we transition into another module, I would love to set some goals for me to achieve.
Master new tools
Early in this module, I tried Axure RP (used it to design a Search module), and it felt phenomenal for extremely high–fidelity. I would love to use Axure as my main prototyping tool next time to explore what else is it capable of, and how interacting with a highly functioning product can impact the testing process.
One thing I did not get my hands on this module was motion design: I would love to practice AE as part of the next module’s delivery.
Improve academic writing
I will seek support to improve my academic writing, get better at putting together reflective documentation. I would love to publish a research paper closer to the end of my studies, and I shall use this opportunity to fix my writing issues.
Keep working on the app
There is plenty of room for improvement in the application I delivered: from gamification aspects that need further research, ideation, and testing, to better, more contextual connection. Guided reflections also require further investigation: what are some other templates people could use? Is there a way we could connect therapists to the app? Could diaries help track growth over time, and if so, how could we help people see their progress?
I would love to further research the ways technology could help people deal with mental health issues, especially in the regions where professional support is limited, stigmatised, or not available.