It can be extremely intimidating to any UX designer, particularly someone just starting out, to navigate the overcrowded world of design tools. There seems to be a tool for everything from user research to wireframing to prototyping.
So how do you know which tools to learn or least familiarize yourself with? Fear not! Below we¡¯ve broken down some of the top industry tools for a variety of contexts and workflows. While this is not a comprehensive list, it will give newbies a sense of some industry musts, while providing some further suggestions for?the more seasoned designers among us.
Demonstrating return on investment is much easier in some parts of the business than in others. In business development, for example, it¡¯s much easier to prove that allocating additional sales resources or tools can directly lead to an increase in quantifiable revenue, which is then factored into a clean-cut ROI formula.
¡°The white-hot pitch of creativity is only useful to those who know what to do with it,¡± says Twyla Tharp in her best-selling book, The Creative Habit. In it, she shares skills learned as a lifelong accomplished choreographer that help make creativity work better for you. It¡¯s filled with ideas and exercises made to enhance your craft, whatever that may be, with better tools¡ªboth mental and physical. While it does focus on those involved in ¡°the arts,¡± there is plenty of wisdom for the modern multi-tasking creative. Here, some of her best pieces of advice put through the lens of a freelancer who must constantly juggle craft with commerce.
Not long after I changed careers to become a full-stack web developer, I received an odd Facebook message from a family friend. ¡°I visited your website,¡± he wrote, ¡°and I¡¯m still trying to figure out what pancakes have to do with websites.¡±
Clever¡or clueless? I¡¯m still unsure. But one thing is certain: IHOP needs to move over; the term ¡°full stack¡± isn¡¯t about pancakes anymore.
If you talk to a group of junior developers, you¡¯ll likely receive one of three main answers to the question, ¡°Why are you a web developer?¡± Many¡ªif not most¡ªare motivated by what they don¡¯t want to be: a waiter; a bartender; a sales rep; a broke artist. Others lucked into computer science in college. Still others will say they just wanted a job that was more flexible than the average 9-to-5.
And then there¡¯s me. I became a developer because of a PDF.
The landscape of digital marketing continues to change at a rapid pace, and for all the right reasons. Employers are gaining a stronger understanding of what are now considered ¡°basic¡± digital marketing skills that any candidate should have, and the knowledge and skills that will set you apart from the rest of the pack. For example, just being able to use the various tools of the trade is now the new level playing field. It¡¯s expected. However, what you can do with the data that you gain using those tools will set you apart.
In the age of self-made YouTube stars, Kickstarter campaigns, and food bloggers, it¡¯s no surprise our newest job seekers are pursuing passion over a steady income, established companies, and climbing the corporate ladder. This is leading to a proliferation of freelancers, artisan businesses, and innovative startups. Rather than the exception, it has become the perceived rule: Do what you love, and the rest will follow.
Is Passion Enough??
The reality is, however, there are many reasons why turning your passions into a career can actually backfire. Following your passions is important, but it¡¯s simply not enough to develop an idea into something real, and profitable.
The No. 1 reason startups fail? Customers don¡¯t want the products. Other pitfalls include an inadequate team and ineffective marketing. In turns out, there are millions of details¡ª everything from user research to marketing your product to actually developing the idea and building it¡ªthat require tangible skills. While passion might provide the spark of an idea, there¡¯s no guarantee it can carry you across the proverbial finish line.
Over the past 3.5 years I¡¯ve worked at 足球竞彩网 Assembly, I can¡¯t tell you the number of times we¡¯ve been asked whether or not we offer an internship program. Students want to dive into the working world before committing to a permanent role for a variety of reasons¡ªfrom experiencing the day-to-day work environment of a particular role to exploring company culture to beefing up the implied credentials on their resume, to building tangible skills, to making money, to simply understanding what an office environment is like. Internships are often seen as a safe space to make mistakes. The actual definition of an internship is ¡°a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training rather than merely employment.¡±
Data science is ¡°one of the hottest and best-paid professions in the U.S.¡± More than ever, companies need analytical minds who can compile data, analyze it, and drive everything from marketing forecasts to product launches with compelling predictions. Their work drives the core strategies of modern business ¡ª so much so that, by 2018, data-related job openings will total 1.5 million. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve worked hard to develop classes, workshops, and courses to confront the data science skills gap. The latest addition to our proud family of data education is the new Data Science Immersive program.
Launching for the first time in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. on April 11, this full-time Immersive program will equip you with the tools and techniques you need to become a data pro in just 12 weeks.
Live your passion.?Follow your bliss.?Do what you love.?
You¡¯ve probably heard advice like this when it comes to finding and achieving your dream career. But what if you’re not sure what your passion is? Or what if you have many passions??If either scenario is the case for you, then this advice remains vague and largely unhelpful.
I¡¯ve worked with thousands of creative people on their dream career development since 2008, and what I kept finding was this:
It¡¯s not about doing what you love or loving what you do. It¡¯s about getting clarity on your lifestyle goals, and then figuring out what you need to do to bring them to life.
Simply put, a ¡°dream career¡± is one that allows you to wake up in the morning, think about the day ahead, and look forward to at least 70% of it. If you’re doing work you enjoy with people you like being around, and it leaves room for your personal priorities, then you¡¯re in the sweet spot.
Do you want your lifestyle to allow you to pick up your kids from the bus and spend quality time with them until bed? Then that¡¯s a piece of your dream career puzzle.
Do you want to be able to work from anywhere, filling up your passport quickly? Then that¡¯s a piece of your dream career puzzle.
Do you want to be able to attend a lunchtime yoga class every weekday? Then that¡¯s a piece of your dream career development puzzle.
