Part I: Design & Roadventure
Living on the road these past few months, I discovered a surprising number of connections between UX/UI design and the outdoors. In this three-part series, I share reflections on how my “roadventure” was rooted in my love for design, the outdoors, and the communities they build.
On Roadtrip Strategy
2 months, 10,521 miles, 20 national parks… I never expected the joy and simplicity that comes with living on the road. Much like the seamlessness of good design, a lot of thought and strategy goes into what eventually becomes a simple experience. After completing the Designation Design Program through Flatiron School, I applied my design thinking skills to my own life: building out my Subaru with a friend, downsizing what I owned, and mapping out dream hiking and climbing destinations.
After the first few stops, I deliberately overrode my instinct to plan each day. I challenged myself to roll with the adventure of making uncharacteristically spontaneous decisions. Turns out, this open and intuition-trusting mindset led to some of the most spectacular hikes, climbs, scenic byways, and sleep spots.
Safe to say, I learned a lot on this journey, and surprisingly quite a lot of it had to do with design.
Product Design Dilemma & Values
With hours on the trail accompanied by podcasts, audiobooks, and my thoughts, I problem-solved through my role within a rapidly growing tech industry made increasingly messy by fear and lack of trust. Especially watching The Social Dilemma with a friend, my subconscious perception of the monetized manipulation of social media incited a much more conscious awareness of design’s role in our rapidly evolving tech landscape.
I value authentic connection and want to promote communities that tackle meaningful problems with transparency and ethical design. Merging my personal love for the outdoors with my professional values, I seek to design honest, accessible experiences that make the world a better place for people and the planet.
