Vulnerable — Susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm. Since UX doesn’t involve the use of long-range, melee, or magical weapons, or ferocious animals for that matter, let’s talk about being emotionally wounded. — I’ve been working on “improving” my vulnerability for at least a decade now. It’s become a popular concept in recent times, mostly thanks to Brenee Brown’s TED talk on vulnerability (I think). To be honest, I’ve only heard snippets of the talk but haven’t sat down to listen to the…

Yes, corporations of America should try to increase the number of Black employees on their payroll. Yes, please prioritize making them feel more comfortable at work. Do create employee networks that benefit them by providing a sense of solidarity with the few Black people who you do employ. All of…

I’ve been watching videos of myself conducting user interviews for a project. While watching one I was struck by several thoughts. Me: “Wow, I really sound black in this interview.” Also me: “What will my managers think of this.” Also me: “This is great; I sound black!” Code switching is…

An emotional journey of one cat’s struggles with self-loathing and finding love Those of us who own black cats might have to put up with some less than desirable cat shenanigans and traits: very talkative, very interactive, big on theft and destruction of your personal property, too smart (or so…

I got married over 4 years ago and my wedding dress is still hanging up in a closet in a garment bag. Uncleaned at that. Yes, I’m aware that you’re supposed to have your dress cleaned right after the wedding, but life happens. My wedding dress has lived in its…

A tool has a prescribed use, but it can be used for many purposes. Take a flat-head screwdriver for example. The flathead can turn a flathead screw, but it’s also useful for opening paint cans. The handle of the screwdriver can also be a substitute for a hammer in a…

No, this is not about Gestalt principles. It’s about problem spaces, competitive spaces, and opportunities. It’s about my 4th project UX project at General Assembly, which was also my 2nd group project for the UX Design Immersive course. As our instructors put it during the project kick-off, the training wheels…

I lost my mother to lung cancer in 2015. About 4 months passed between the time she told me about her cancer and the day she died. It was a fast and terrible ordeal. — My mother placed a lot of trust in me during her battle with lung cancer, so she looked to me to help her make decisions about treatment. Sometimes, I feel that if I had not allowed her doctor to push us into treatment so quickly, I could have elongated and/or…

We just wrapped up our first group project. I’m both relieved and sad that the time with my team has come to an end. — I’m not going to lie. I had mixed feelings when I found out who I would be working with for our first group projects. I had thoughts and expectations about what it would be like to work with each team member. I took a few minutes and thought about these…