Welcome back! In a previous blog post, we discussed alternative careers that architects can pursue and architects’ ability to adapt to numerous other creative careers. We had the pleasure of interviewing Eastina Zhang, who shed light on her career from architecture to a product designer at Appetiser Apps. Please keep in mind that there are various titles under UX/UI design; a product designer is one of them.
Appetiser Apps is a Melbourne-based company that emphasizes web & mobile app development and growth. With approximately 11,628,000 active users on multiple apps, their portfolio includes companies worldwide from iOS and Android to web applications. I can appreciate and understand why this company has seen such success in UX/UI design by just visiting their website.
Although having completed her Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Design at Monash University in 2017, Eastina still felt hesitant about her place within the architecture industry. This is prevalent for both students and professionals to feel this way when pursuing licensure, so I’m sure many can relate to Ms. Zhang’s position. Trust me, I felt this way in school, and when I graduated during the pandemic, it weighed heavily on my mind.
Upon graduation, she joined AUBE Conception as an intern, then full-time until she parted ways at the height of the pandemic in March 2020. As an architectural designer with AUBE, Eastina had various tasks focusing on conceptual high-rise designs and competitions.
Questioning her place within architecture, she took the timing of events to pursue other options, leading her to UX/UI design. In fact, Eastina had always been interested in UX/UI design and was able to find a community of architects on Facebook at Design Guild and LinkedIn who transitioned too. Still, it is shocking to see someone have a career switch given the pandemic’s mental strain on everyone. Eastina definitely has a heart of steel because that requires another level of courage and faith!
Although enjoying her work and colleagues during her three years at AUBE, she still felt unfulfilled with architecture.
This is very important for students to keep in mind! I remember having a discussion with Chris Pritchett, a professor at Virginia Tech, emphasizing that it is ideal to have a quick, creative outlet to complement architecture’s slow life. Another important lesson is that it requires a large team to create architecture, so some can feel detached from their designs. Therefore, Ms. Zhang asked herself if she can envision being here in ten years, and when she couldn’t, she decided to part ways with architecture.
This growing digital industry piqued her curiosity when she found a common trait among all those who switched – they felt more fulfilled in this industry than architecture. But what’s the difference, and why did they seem to be more fulfilled?
UX design still applies architectural thinking! For example, “What does the user need?” or “What is the problem that we are solving?” The difference is the scale and process, allowing a quicker iterative design stage. Another great incentive of the digital design industry is the ability to launch a product, get qualitative and quantitative data, and further enhance the product, unlike buildings.
You can follow in Ms. Zhang’s footsteps by enrolling in General Assembly’s three-month boot camp for UX design. Though an expensive program, she quickly knew it was a good decision for her to attend and learn about UX/UI design (please keep in mind there are countless other UX/UI boot camps. Choose the one that fits your needs and budget). Although some skills were transferrable, there was still much to learn about the practice and digital tools. UX design platforms include Adobe XD, Figma, Balsamiq, and Vision, which are all very similar. Choosing which ones to learn may depend on the company you wish to work for and personal preference.
What does that exactly mean? As you know, there are a wealth of Youtube videos dedicated to UX design. Still, it might be particularly interesting and helpful to watch videos showcasing a UX designer’s typical day. Eastina recommends reaching out to a UX designer to have a coffee chat and ask questions. Scanning articles or websites has been very helpful to Eastina when she was deciding to transition. Listed below are two resources for those that want to learn more and thinking about transitioning:
Stay tuned for the full interview with Eastina and Bennett on our YouTube! To learn more about Eastina, check out her website and Instagram! Fun fact: she loves to enjoy a good cup of coffee and baking while listening to groovy tunes! If you have any specific UX/UI design questions, shoot her a message or reach out to other UX designers!
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