Jadene Aderonmu: Being a UX Designer

Behind the screen

6 Aug

Jadene is a Senior UX Designer passionate about inclusive design and helping aspiring designers excel in their careers. She has over 6 years industry experience and in her current role conducts user research, runs design workshops and solves problems through user experience design.

What’s your official job title, and what’s the most straightforward way to explain what you do?

My official job title is user experience designer. I use research and data to make design decisions to improve how people use online services.

What does a normal day look like?

A typical day for me starts with ‘stand up’, a brief meeting to check in with different team members on what they’re working on and how we can support each other.

I work on prototypes that go through user testing sessions to gain valuable insights and iterate on designs. I’m very passionate about accessibility and have been working to build up the accessibility community at Methods. I often answer colleague questions, conduct accessibility audits of services and run workshops to train the team.

I recently shared an update on my new role and remote working routine on my YouTube channel.

What's the most enjoyable part of your job?

Presenting work to stakeholders and running workshops is the most enjoyable part of my job. It is also the most nerve-wracking! It pushes me out of my comfort zone, and I think I grow a lot from doing it. I enjoy discussing problems faced and identifying ways to resolve them.

I have always wanted to do this, and now I am in a position where I can, and I enjoy it.

What did it take to get to where you are today?

Determination.

It took me eight months after I graduated from my graphic design course at uni to get my first digital design role.

I worked in the same role for four years when I discovered UX design, and everything changed. I had to start again and learn a lot on the job, but I didn't mind. UX design excited me and provided opportunities that I couldn't break into in my previous role, such as running workshops and presenting my work to stakeholders.

After getting my first UX design role, I was willing to take a risk and changed jobs ten months later, during the pandemic last year. I'm happy with the decision I made. I have grown a lot since starting my current role at Methods. The company also provides work-based training and offers well-being support which promotes a good work-life balance.

What are the main digital tools you could not do without?

I'd be lost without Slack, Apple notes, or Figma.

Slack has overtaken over email for me as it is so much easier to send someone a message or hop on a quick slack call. It's also helped bridge the gap between those small interactions you get in the office while we're all working remotely. We have an app within Slack called Donut. Donut helps connect teams for virtual coffee by randomly pairing you with colleagues to answer topical questions that spark conversation or gives a prompt to check in with one another over a video call.

Apple notes are my new pen and paper. It saves me from losing things I jot down on sticky notes, and it's good to have it all in one place. The search function helps jog my memory when I can't quite remember what I'm looking for, plus it's simple and easy to use.

Last but not least is Figma. Figma is a collaborative interface design tool that connects everyone in the design process. It took a long time for me to hop on the Figma train, but I now use it daily.

Any advice for people wanting to do a similar role to you?

Be observant of what issues people are facing when using technology currently. I often hear my parents or siblings make remarks about having difficulties using an online service or getting a new piece of tech to work. What frustrates them, what are their expectations, what excites them? Making a mental note of good and bad real-life examples of UX design will help inspire your work.

Also, be observant of what companies are looking for when hiring UX designers. Do you currently fit those descriptions? If not, then those are the areas you need to focus on improving to be a strong candidate for those roles.

And finally, document your journey, I've found tapping into the UX community on Blogs, Instagram, and Twitter has been a great resource and place to meet like-minded people. It's also something you can refer to in interviews if relevant.

And finally, what do you enjoying doing outside of work?

I love making videos, hence the little plug to my YouTube channel earlier ;) It's a way for me to be creative in a different way. My favourite videos to make are the 'day in the life' ones. They require lots of shots, and I drop snazzy effects into them.

Away from tech, I love baking and hiking. Some of my favourite holidays have included long scenic walks exploring new places. When it comes to baking, my specialty was a banana cake. However, after the wave of everyone making a banana cake, I'm in search of a new go-to dish!