Comfort Zones.02
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I finished the about 2/3 of the mandatory pre-course work so far. Right now, I am working on the elective portion where I was given a choice of 3 different primers.
1. Interface Design/Interaction Primer
2. Research Primer
3. Tech & Industry Primer
At first glance, I wanted to do option 1. Although a very basic task, it was the first step of actually going into design and user interaction with digital media (websites/apps), which sounded the most fun and interesting. But as I looked at the required readings that went along with each primer, option 2 caught my eye. I already read “Design Is a Job” by Mike Monteiro as part of the pre-course work and was interested in reading “Just Enough Research” by Erika Hall (the co-founder, along with Monteiro, of Mule). But, research didn’t sound as fun or interesting as design. In fact, it was intimidating. During my days of reading about UX designers and what the industry calls for, I knew that research would be one of the harder things for me to do. It makes me feel awkward and uncomfortable, but I know just how important good research is.
So, I decided to do the Research Primer. I think it’s important for me, and everyone else, to step out of our comfort zones and work on the areas in life that we aren't as comfy with. It doesn’t have to necessarily have to do with research or design, but it could even be physical fitness (e.g., being scared to go to the gym or go running in public) or cooking (e.g., fear of failure and approval).
During the next 3 months, I’m hoping that I won’t shy away from things that freak me out or intimidate me. Hopefully, I’ll be more well-rounded in my character as an individual and as a professional. But, only time will tell!
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