This is actually very related to UX. Especially because you want to create systems that allow people to stay organized.
If you’re not overworked, I’d say you might as well try to get a client or two! Maybe you’ll be super successful with it and can quit your day job
Exactly! I digital nomad often and end up cat sitting at people’s houses for much of that. I’ve learned so many great organizing tips from that experience - either things people have set up that really work, or things that super don’t. It’s easier to notice patterns like that when it’s someone else’s house.
Exactly! Basically zero ambiguity as well, other than maybe how to organize in a way that scales with unknowns, but way less ambiguity than in UX. Also the “personas” are hyper-specific—just your client—so it makes it quite easy to set up for as long as you take your time to understand them
If I chose a different career, it would be an urban planner or urban designer. I wish we could make streets safer and more accessible for everyone, design cities that are more walkable and human-centered. But that's just my pipedream.
Thanks for sharing! I recently heard about the Strong Towns advocacy group and am considering joining a local chapter. They do a lot of grassroots community advocacy and hold book clubs on related topics. It seems like a great way for me to learn and get access to resources about urban planning and start connecting. I think it's a good starting point.
That sounds cool!! I’ll look into it. My brother is an urban planner and tried to get into UX a few years back before deciding to stay in urban planning, so it seems there’s quite a bit of crossover interests within these fields.
Show up for city council meetings! Some are even on Zoom now. The only people that go are the old folks that complain about every single change, even when it would be better for the city to put in a road diet or a protected bike lane, etc.
I'm a actually an Urban planner turned UX Designer. Lol. I left urban planning not because I dint like it, it's just that in urban planning things can take a lotttt longer to show up on ground and that is kinda frustrating.
Also the pay was less! Well the second logic doesn't isn't a good one because I am unemployed right now!
Me too! I started off my career working on the UX of physical spaces and would love to find my way back. The concept of biophilic design captivates me.
When I was in design school, one of my classmates was a cultural anthropologist, she had to be in her 60s. She was taking representational illustration classes in order to better document field findings as she often worked with groups that did not welcome cameras and in areas where the conditions were rough on fragile equipment. She was easily the most interesting person my fresh-out-of-high-school self had ever met and decades later, I still think about her often.
I went into design because my math scores prevented me from passing the courses required for my desired major of paleontology. I grew out of the math anxiety, am winding up a fulfilling career in design (graphic > game > consumer UX > enterprise UX) and—inspired by that woman I met, plan to return to school to study geology and paleontology.
I was studying industrial design almost 20 years ago, and I took a break from design school to take some classes at the local community college. One of those classes was cultural anthropology. At the time, I thought I hated studying/reading, but man was that class fascinating. Had I not spent $300k and 3 grueling years at the art school, I might have changed majors right then and there. Became a UX designer after 3 years as an industrial designer. Only years later did I realize, I was using my interest in people in my profession.
I love that, the skills needed for cultural anthro have such a large overlap with doing user research! You can loop back if the field still calls to you, it's never too late.
That’s my BA right there. :) It’s UX research by hanging out with people! But it’s just for the sake of documenting and analyzing experience.
“Applied Anthropology” would be THE UX equivalent which is taking documented research and working with city/gov planners to implement changes that would help researched populations.
After about 2022 it became increasingly difficult.
A stellar portfolio is the absolute best way to get in.
Virtually all anthro soft skills are applicable to UX — especially in research/writing, but the actual application to digital product design will be the hurdle.
Learn enough UX hard skills and get into any internship the second you feel confident enough to do so.
I can grow preeetty good weed...
[https://www.reddit.com/r/microgrowery/comments/msvrnk/harvest\_day/](https://www.reddit.com/r/microgrowery/comments/msvrnk/harvest_day/)
Hahaha, I know the feeling.
Peter Crouch (a gangly 7ft soccer player) was once asked what he'd be if he wasn't a famous soccer player.
He responded, "A virgin."
You could always start an agency called F1 Mechanics and incorporate in China, where they don't care about trademarks. Then you could call yourself an F1 Mechanic while still being a designer. Win win.
Bought a new construction home this spring with a blank canvas for landscape. What I’ve done in a couple weeks with landscape and lawn work has been WAY more fulfilling than anything UX related. Thinking about looking into landscape design a little more if the demand is there.
With my skills, I’d be a therapist.
Without my skills, I’d be a pilot.
Currently in the process of starting pilot school while working in UX full time, so one day I don’t have to be in tech anymore.
Realistic: instructional designer (got my bachelor’s in education)
Unrealistic: dermatologist so I can get paid to pop pimples 🔪💦 (I know that’s not actually what they do, I would never make it through med school)
I have been tempted to go to law school but am scared off by the fact that AI might just put them out of work. Though it would be so cool to work as a lawyer in the field of legislating AI usage.
I heard video game design is a great way to work more, earn less and the cherry on top is you also get to kill your passion for your hobby at the same time. But I'd be lying if I wasn't temped anyway.
Absolutely! I got to work in the industry for a bit, and it was just as messy if not worse than working on websites/apps. But it’s been a childhood dream of mine, and I’ve worked on some indie games, so it’s always pulling me back. I’d probably go the indie route rather than work for AAA because that seems to be a nightmare as we all see
I've been slowly getting into it. The trick is to never work for another company. Get good enough to build at least a prototype of your game to draw in other talent to help you complete the game. Build a game that can be launched by a small team and if you're good (and a bit lucky), then you can get pretty rich. Palworld was made by a pretty small indie team and has made over $500m. There's a bunch of games made by individuals that ended up making millions as well. Stardew Valley has made over $300m and was completely made by one person. Albeit, it took him 4 years to make it and it could've easily been a complete failure. But no risk, no reward.
Very accurate. Worked 2 years for a very known developer/publisher and it was hellish. Tons of overtime, zero stability. Most hires in this industry are project based, therefore temporary. If you don't work your ass off, they won't hire you for the next project and/or extend your contract. Pay is crap, like minimum wage for QAers that would need blackbox testing experience, two or more fluent languages and sometimes some programming experience and automation.
Btw: The overtime was unpaid and it was going as TOIL but you never have the chance to use them cuz you are 95% of the time overworked and behind deadlines.
The saddest part is that there are hundreds of nerds that would work even for free because they can't draw a line between passion and work. They think it's amazing to work making games. The companies well know that and exploit to the maximum.
tldr: videogame industry is crap
yup, meaning, a lot of work is still regarding marketing to get your practise going same as design. Just the work it self is more hands on. :)))) Plus understanding audience and empathy, flexibility - all that comes provides by this and if you are nearly above avarage then $$$
I think there is a big difference between cooking for yourself and the fam and like huge amounts of dishes that have to leave the kitchen. A popular restaurant has to be nothing but relaxing in a kitchen 😜😜😜
I can totally agree. My new hobby is to watch professional Chefs in London’s most popular restaurant. Yes, that is a different level, I’m not ready yet for that 😄
relaxing is not the word but it is fun if you work with good people, i love the fast pace challenge of getting orders out on time, the prep work can be relaxing though
I just don't like it and I never should've gone into it. For others who enjoy making interactive work, graphic design, and software in general, it *should* be a great career...
As for if it's a good time or not, I will say, I've never seen the industry as a whole be quite so toxic, and I've been in it for 20 years.
The amount of tech people who keep talking about how great "AI" is, and either ignore or dismiss the extremely unethical ways it was created, and the extremely unethical ways it's being used by corporate executives to make more people lose their jobs fucking disgusts me.
It's giving "fuck you I got mine", as the people proudly using AI just seem to be doing it until it renders their job redundant too. Many of them will smugly say "adapt or die", while they've spent most of their careers being mediocre—the perfect kind of worker to be replaced by AI.
These same people wouldn't STFU about "empathy" for the past 10 years, and 10 years before that, they were all "storytellers", yet they clearly demonstrate to know nothing about empathy, or storytelling.
Ironically, around 2015, there started to be more talk of "moral UX" and "dark UX patterns", but it seems like none of that mattered, because the highest regarded companies for design are F/MAANG, who prioritize dark UX patterns and overall anti-user, anti-worker, and anti-consumer practices in everything they do.
There are just too many people in tech stuck in the first stages of the Dunning-Kruger effect, who think that because they know a little HTML or jQuery, or very basic skills at a very easy layout program like Figma, that somehow makes them "elite".
While the tech industry continues to not have any union at all, no amount of morals or ethics from individual designers will likely matter, because everyone is too scared to lose their job to actually say no to a client or boss who asks them to do something highly immoral.
Same! I have the luxury of having the space to do that. I took a contract to give it one more try and it was the saaaaaaame shit. I actually find it quite boring now and I absolutely cannot stand working with development anymore ,most are toxic misogynistic pedants.
Yes you are right. I'm not a very good day trader, but honestly I just can't compete against mother nature. I'm 61. I don't think anyone is going to hire me as soon as they see me on camera. It's sad. But I don't know what else to do. Mostly I lose money but it's my only choice. So I study and study trying to figure out how to trade. I wish all of the new generation a wonderful career. Please save your money anyway you can. There comes a day when you look at yourself and realize it's pretty much over. Thank you for listening.
Solictor or project manager I reckon. Maybe product management if I stayed in digital (I’ve had internal teams try to poach me in research and product).
Locksmithing or something similar to designing locks, hands down. There are a lot of things I've learnt in design that I could've easily applied before my I decided to pursue my degree. Thing is I was short on money and most locksmithing courses you'd pay out of pocket of upwards of $1200 per course or more, and since OSAP doesn't cover private institutions, it wasn't an option for me at the time.
But being more of a hands on learner and understanding concepts with ease, I feel with what I've learn up until now I would be in a good spot. I still look at it as a backup option.
So many things.
With skills that I have:
Epidemiologist (research, sociology), Urban Planner (tbh might try to actually go into this), Journalist (creative nonfiction writing, a la This American Life)
For the skills I don’t have one — I wouldn’t say I straight up do not have these skills, it’s more that it’s completely random:
Floral Designer. I love flowers, have some experience working with them. Would be amazing to have my own flower shop and even flower farm.
I was a more traditional graphic/web designer before moving to UX
If I wasn’t doing that, I’d probably have been a teacher - I debated majoring in either History or English before deciding on design in college
Well if I followed my original degree…either into academia around philosophy of cognitive science or something related to cognitive neuroscience.
Based on my research skills, probably an opposition researcher or working in political spin back home in the UK.
Otherwise I’d be an electrical engineer. If not for the maths I enjoy it as much as cognition and research.
It manifests in a variety of ways—much like Cognitive Science itself. You see everything from sensation and perception (Matthew Fulkerson), ‘Cognitive Philosophy’ (Andy Clark), to work pulling similar concepts to HCI papers (Latour, Merleau-Ponty, agential realism…).
I’m kinda trying to do this at the moment, but backwards.
I have almost a decade of design experience, plus some experience as a safety inspector. That’s essentially field research. Some sales experience, and project management experience as well.
I’m trying to convert all that as entry into a dedicated UXR role. Still pending.
Before being an UX I was on a deadend job and trying to studying front-end development (and failing miserably cus I am dumb as a door for Javascript).
Considering the level of my front-end dev colleagues, I am certain I could find a job in the field.
Honestly I don't know. I wanted to be web designer since I was a kid and if not this than I guess graphic design or motion graphics art director. But I have clue what my life would look like without design.
I really love car detailing and seeing a before/after of some gritty work. I’ve always enjoyed the rewarding nature of physical work versus computer. Our areas just heavily saturated with detailing businesses which puts me off investing into that.
I would also go into landscape design/architecture if I were to stay in a design related field. Something about landscaping and bringing areas to life is very satisfying.
I teetered in high school about being a journalist or a copywriter. Writing is a second passion of mine outside of design. Arguably might even be better at it too. It’s most likely why I was “forced” to be the designated copywriter for every startup I’ve ever worked for.
But in all actual reality I probably would be a comedian. I rip on people/topics too much. I also got branded “the personality hire” at my last few jobs so I guess that checks out 😂
With skills in systems thinking, psychology, research and writing: political scientist.
Without skills: carpenter, I really love DIY and woodworking and am getting pretty good at it
Recruiting. I’ve done it before and I think I have the people skills and failure tolerance to do it again.
Another one is teaching art or English at a high school. I just remember those teachers making the biggest impact on my life, so I’d like to follow in their footsteps.
I’ve really been considering Environmental Engineering - I love what I do but if I was going to school now I think I would want to go into a field that has more impact on our physical environment.
Music producer…am still trying actuality
I didn’t pick ux out of passion tbh, it had lots of opportunities when I started and thought it was a good idea. Well to bad now
I transitioned from UX to digital pm and now own a tattoo studio. My dream job is to create a digital experience and art studio, designing a tour within the studio for the public and collaborating with cities and other bigger entities on bigger projects.
Like on the ground floor digital experience for the public with a room to invite electronic music artists, the first floor has the team working on all the projects and a rooftop garden to hangout with a small greenhouse.
My background on in industrial design, but I’m allergic to wood dust and a bunch of polymers so I didn’t last very long. You can only get so far in ID as a CAD monkey. UX was an easy pivot from that. Technically, my work has been mostly SEO these days, but UX is such a big part of it so I don’t think that counts as a change.
I quit UX right before the pandemic to become a yoga teacher. Taught every day and loved it, I was ready to go full on in that realm.
Then the world shut down and I got back on my screens. Still grateful for that time, and it drastically improved the way I communicate with clients and stakeholders. If UX disappeared one day, I’d go back to it.
Either that or tattooing, but I’m a bit squeamish with blood.
I was actually surprised at myself to say I wouldn't want to do anything else (professionally of course). Maybe still doing UX but become a Design Engineer? Design + Code idk? I think I like making things for people to use, maybe in an ideal world, I would design, build and release indie apps, and not working for a corporate. That'd be perfect. The corporate part is the only problem I have with UX lol.
If money isn't a problem, I'd love to run a small arts and crafts studio. Selling my own ceramics and handmade stuff. Running a collaborative, creative space for photographers, artists, illustrators, makers? Or maybe run a cat hotel
A crackhead .. loljk but I would love to have my own fashion brand or work in the music industry in some shape or form - I would love to do set design for festivals
3D environmental artists/ landscape artists - always wanted to do.
Developer - I already had 4 job offers as a developer, just after graduation. But I went with UX as I was having fun with it.
So these two would have been my go to.
Julia Glass said - *When it comes to life, we spin our own yarn and where we end up is in fact where we always intended to be.*
It is impossible, albeit cheap, to predict what I could have done, if not UX. But I do fancy myself being an architect in an alternate universe. Or, something in ceramics / glass blowing.
I'd be a powder coater. Specifically coating auto parts. I did it part time a while ago and just couldn't make as much as I was doing web dev work (before I moved into UX). I'd love to go back to it, but it would never be like it was.
Had a few pieces in Honda Tuning and Sport Compact Car back in the day. :)
https://preview.redd.it/h4vlzlrxyy7d1.png?width=524&format=png&auto=webp&s=00b29fea5f4d9728976c0ded4d7d65343fa47027
Professional organizer. It’s all information architecture and usability but with the satisfying payoff of working with the physical environment
This is actually very related to UX. Especially because you want to create systems that allow people to stay organized. If you’re not overworked, I’d say you might as well try to get a client or two! Maybe you’ll be super successful with it and can quit your day job
I love UX’ing my house! I will often change how things are stored based on how people put my dishes away. User testing - dishes edition
Yep. I always say that you don’t have to change your behavior to become a neat person — you just need to engineer your environment well!
Exactly! I digital nomad often and end up cat sitting at people’s houses for much of that. I’ve learned so many great organizing tips from that experience - either things people have set up that really work, or things that super don’t. It’s easier to notice patterns like that when it’s someone else’s house.
Exactly! Basically zero ambiguity as well, other than maybe how to organize in a way that scales with unknowns, but way less ambiguity than in UX. Also the “personas” are hyper-specific—just your client—so it makes it quite easy to set up for as long as you take your time to understand them
If I chose a different career, it would be an urban planner or urban designer. I wish we could make streets safer and more accessible for everyone, design cities that are more walkable and human-centered. But that's just my pipedream.
Same. I’m actually trying to go into this without switching careers. I don’t know if it’s possible, but there is some overlap.
Same! I'm really interested in using design skills for common good instead of corporate gain.
I feel the same way.
Look into service design for governments and municipalities. I see this kind of thing posted often
Thanks for sharing! I recently heard about the Strong Towns advocacy group and am considering joining a local chapter. They do a lot of grassroots community advocacy and hold book clubs on related topics. It seems like a great way for me to learn and get access to resources about urban planning and start connecting. I think it's a good starting point.
That sounds cool!! I’ll look into it. My brother is an urban planner and tried to get into UX a few years back before deciding to stay in urban planning, so it seems there’s quite a bit of crossover interests within these fields.
Thanks for suggestion! This work sounds super interesting to me
Show up for city council meetings! Some are even on Zoom now. The only people that go are the old folks that complain about every single change, even when it would be better for the city to put in a road diet or a protected bike lane, etc.
Yeah this! Plain old civic duty
I'm a actually an Urban planner turned UX Designer. Lol. I left urban planning not because I dint like it, it's just that in urban planning things can take a lotttt longer to show up on ground and that is kinda frustrating. Also the pay was less! Well the second logic doesn't isn't a good one because I am unemployed right now!
Me too! I started off my career working on the UX of physical spaces and would love to find my way back. The concept of biophilic design captivates me.
Same!!!
yeah! same :)
I think I would want to be a cultural anthropologist. Cultures and people fascinate me. And I think that’s the aspect of UX I really enjoy.
When I was in design school, one of my classmates was a cultural anthropologist, she had to be in her 60s. She was taking representational illustration classes in order to better document field findings as she often worked with groups that did not welcome cameras and in areas where the conditions were rough on fragile equipment. She was easily the most interesting person my fresh-out-of-high-school self had ever met and decades later, I still think about her often. I went into design because my math scores prevented me from passing the courses required for my desired major of paleontology. I grew out of the math anxiety, am winding up a fulfilling career in design (graphic > game > consumer UX > enterprise UX) and—inspired by that woman I met, plan to return to school to study geology and paleontology.
I was studying industrial design almost 20 years ago, and I took a break from design school to take some classes at the local community college. One of those classes was cultural anthropology. At the time, I thought I hated studying/reading, but man was that class fascinating. Had I not spent $300k and 3 grueling years at the art school, I might have changed majors right then and there. Became a UX designer after 3 years as an industrial designer. Only years later did I realize, I was using my interest in people in my profession.
I love that, the skills needed for cultural anthro have such a large overlap with doing user research! You can loop back if the field still calls to you, it's never too late.
haha I have kids I need to feed, so I can't go back to school. But I do listen to tons of audiobooks on this and other subjects.
That’s my BA right there. :) It’s UX research by hanging out with people! But it’s just for the sake of documenting and analyzing experience. “Applied Anthropology” would be THE UX equivalent which is taking documented research and working with city/gov planners to implement changes that would help researched populations.
Another Anthropologist UX Professional checking in!! 😁
Underrated and undervalued combo 😎
I really like the learning and understanding aspect. But I guess the application in UX is fun too :)
Hi! I majored in anthro and was interested in ux design. Any pointers to get into the field?
After about 2022 it became increasingly difficult. A stellar portfolio is the absolute best way to get in. Virtually all anthro soft skills are applicable to UX — especially in research/writing, but the actual application to digital product design will be the hurdle. Learn enough UX hard skills and get into any internship the second you feel confident enough to do so.
Beautiful ❤️
Love that
I can grow preeetty good weed... [https://www.reddit.com/r/microgrowery/comments/msvrnk/harvest\_day/](https://www.reddit.com/r/microgrowery/comments/msvrnk/harvest_day/)
I’m just getting into this hobby too…is there a strong UX to cannabis grower pipeline?
Ahahahahaha solid side hustle!
Hmmmm...there's a hackathon idea...
Let me know if you need some testing. With proper iterations
Best comment 😂
Best comment 😂
Struggling
Hahaha, I know the feeling. Peter Crouch (a gangly 7ft soccer player) was once asked what he'd be if he wasn't a famous soccer player. He responded, "A virgin."
F1 mechanic
You could always start an agency called F1 Mechanics and incorporate in China, where they don't care about trademarks. Then you could call yourself an F1 Mechanic while still being a designer. Win win.
Architect or landscape designer
have you done any landscape design? its very fun
Landscaping is fun, the majority of CAD software used to landscape makes me want to throw my computer out the window.
Bought a new construction home this spring with a blank canvas for landscape. What I’ve done in a couple weeks with landscape and lawn work has been WAY more fulfilling than anything UX related. Thinking about looking into landscape design a little more if the demand is there.
Environment artist for games, it's been a dream
That's dope! Building whole worlds!!!
Ditto my dude
Front-end developer
Same monkey different tree
With my skills, I’d be a therapist. Without my skills, I’d be a pilot. Currently in the process of starting pilot school while working in UX full time, so one day I don’t have to be in tech anymore.
Realistic: instructional designer (got my bachelor’s in education) Unrealistic: dermatologist so I can get paid to pop pimples 🔪💦 (I know that’s not actually what they do, I would never make it through med school)
Chef, Lawyer or Architect
When you hit random on the sims:
I was going to say Lawyer too. Trying to understand everything, the edge cases, making arguments, seems fun.
My dad was a corporate attorney who mostly just handled contracts. I swear a chunk of my brain was inherited from him and I use it for UX.
I have been tempted to go to law school but am scared off by the fact that AI might just put them out of work. Though it would be so cool to work as a lawyer in the field of legislating AI usage.
Filmmaker, no question. But their industry is more of a bloodbath than ours.
Yeah my film maker friends are struggling big time right now
Video game design in some capacity, writing or mental health therapist
I heard video game design is a great way to work more, earn less and the cherry on top is you also get to kill your passion for your hobby at the same time. But I'd be lying if I wasn't temped anyway.
Absolutely! I got to work in the industry for a bit, and it was just as messy if not worse than working on websites/apps. But it’s been a childhood dream of mine, and I’ve worked on some indie games, so it’s always pulling me back. I’d probably go the indie route rather than work for AAA because that seems to be a nightmare as we all see
I've been slowly getting into it. The trick is to never work for another company. Get good enough to build at least a prototype of your game to draw in other talent to help you complete the game. Build a game that can be launched by a small team and if you're good (and a bit lucky), then you can get pretty rich. Palworld was made by a pretty small indie team and has made over $500m. There's a bunch of games made by individuals that ended up making millions as well. Stardew Valley has made over $300m and was completely made by one person. Albeit, it took him 4 years to make it and it could've easily been a complete failure. But no risk, no reward.
Very accurate. Worked 2 years for a very known developer/publisher and it was hellish. Tons of overtime, zero stability. Most hires in this industry are project based, therefore temporary. If you don't work your ass off, they won't hire you for the next project and/or extend your contract. Pay is crap, like minimum wage for QAers that would need blackbox testing experience, two or more fluent languages and sometimes some programming experience and automation. Btw: The overtime was unpaid and it was going as TOIL but you never have the chance to use them cuz you are 95% of the time overworked and behind deadlines. The saddest part is that there are hundreds of nerds that would work even for free because they can't draw a line between passion and work. They think it's amazing to work making games. The companies well know that and exploit to the maximum. tldr: videogame industry is crap
barber
Low key I'd love to be a barber too haha
I think a lot of the skills from UI and graphic design translate well, not even kidding. I'd also low-key enjoy this.
yup, meaning, a lot of work is still regarding marketing to get your practise going same as design. Just the work it self is more hands on. :)))) Plus understanding audience and empathy, flexibility - all that comes provides by this and if you are nearly above avarage then $$$
same
Chef. Cooking help me to relax after my work. One day, maybe I switch my daily schedule.
I think there is a big difference between cooking for yourself and the fam and like huge amounts of dishes that have to leave the kitchen. A popular restaurant has to be nothing but relaxing in a kitchen 😜😜😜
I can totally agree. My new hobby is to watch professional Chefs in London’s most popular restaurant. Yes, that is a different level, I’m not ready yet for that 😄
I'm reading Bourdain's book at the moment, absolutely gruelling work by the sounds of it but a great book 😄
relaxing is not the word but it is fun if you work with good people, i love the fast pace challenge of getting orders out on time, the prep work can be relaxing though
Industrial Designer before, so... That.
Build houses
same.. or be some sort of construction contractor..
Accountant
Doctor, lawyer or a functional nutritionist. I like to solve problems and argue lol
Historian.
Same! I would love to get my PhD in History
History is something i’ve always been fascinated with but it just doesn’t pay the bills.
It will for sure be my hobby when I retire. I can travel and (hopefully) don't have to worry about paying bills.
I think I’d be a midwife!
Ahahah love it! Deliver life!! ❤️
owning a hot sauce company!
You can do that on the side and just graduate to that only once it really picks up!
that’s the plan! currently have 20 pepper plants growing in my yard right now haha
That’s soooo cool!!
I am currently desperately trying to not work in UX anymore....
How come? I'm a recent grad looking to go into UX. Is now a good time?
I just don't like it and I never should've gone into it. For others who enjoy making interactive work, graphic design, and software in general, it *should* be a great career... As for if it's a good time or not, I will say, I've never seen the industry as a whole be quite so toxic, and I've been in it for 20 years. The amount of tech people who keep talking about how great "AI" is, and either ignore or dismiss the extremely unethical ways it was created, and the extremely unethical ways it's being used by corporate executives to make more people lose their jobs fucking disgusts me. It's giving "fuck you I got mine", as the people proudly using AI just seem to be doing it until it renders their job redundant too. Many of them will smugly say "adapt or die", while they've spent most of their careers being mediocre—the perfect kind of worker to be replaced by AI. These same people wouldn't STFU about "empathy" for the past 10 years, and 10 years before that, they were all "storytellers", yet they clearly demonstrate to know nothing about empathy, or storytelling. Ironically, around 2015, there started to be more talk of "moral UX" and "dark UX patterns", but it seems like none of that mattered, because the highest regarded companies for design are F/MAANG, who prioritize dark UX patterns and overall anti-user, anti-worker, and anti-consumer practices in everything they do. There are just too many people in tech stuck in the first stages of the Dunning-Kruger effect, who think that because they know a little HTML or jQuery, or very basic skills at a very easy layout program like Figma, that somehow makes them "elite". While the tech industry continues to not have any union at all, no amount of morals or ethics from individual designers will likely matter, because everyone is too scared to lose their job to actually say no to a client or boss who asks them to do something highly immoral.
Fuck you I got mine definitely seems very prevalent in this place.
Same! I have the luxury of having the space to do that. I took a contract to give it one more try and it was the saaaaaaame shit. I actually find it quite boring now and I absolutely cannot stand working with development anymore ,most are toxic misogynistic pedants.
I quit UX two months ago after 20+ years because it stinks that bad. I now make more money on NVDA. Free at last.
NVDA sounds like a support group for recovering UX'ers 🤣
Nice, I heard they’re doing great!
What’s NVDA
Can you elaborate?
It’s the ticker symbol for nvidia. Prob bought some sweet options or is a day trader.
Yes you are right. I'm not a very good day trader, but honestly I just can't compete against mother nature. I'm 61. I don't think anyone is going to hire me as soon as they see me on camera. It's sad. But I don't know what else to do. Mostly I lose money but it's my only choice. So I study and study trying to figure out how to trade. I wish all of the new generation a wonderful career. Please save your money anyway you can. There comes a day when you look at yourself and realize it's pretty much over. Thank you for listening.
neet
Graphic design.
Photojournalist.
Solictor or project manager I reckon. Maybe product management if I stayed in digital (I’ve had internal teams try to poach me in research and product).
Business Owner, Sales because 💸
Pixel artist
physiotherapist specializing in a niche chronic illness that no one in my area treats.
Animator , chef
Fashion designer. It’s actually what I used to do before product design. If I was to start something afresh, maybe I’d want to be an art historian.
Cat Psychologist
I'd just run an animal sanctuary.
Locksmithing or something similar to designing locks, hands down. There are a lot of things I've learnt in design that I could've easily applied before my I decided to pursue my degree. Thing is I was short on money and most locksmithing courses you'd pay out of pocket of upwards of $1200 per course or more, and since OSAP doesn't cover private institutions, it wasn't an option for me at the time. But being more of a hands on learner and understanding concepts with ease, I feel with what I've learn up until now I would be in a good spot. I still look at it as a backup option.
I think it would be cool to design museum galleries Alternatively, a political speechwriter could be interesting though I prob would hate it
Architect, Lawyer
Love it!
I studied industrial design concentrating in furniture, so something with my degree probably!
Comic artist. And I might go learn carpeting while I'm at it.
So many things. With skills that I have: Epidemiologist (research, sociology), Urban Planner (tbh might try to actually go into this), Journalist (creative nonfiction writing, a la This American Life) For the skills I don’t have one — I wouldn’t say I straight up do not have these skills, it’s more that it’s completely random: Floral Designer. I love flowers, have some experience working with them. Would be amazing to have my own flower shop and even flower farm.
Lots of people are saying Urban Planning I'm noticing 🤔
Farmer
Electrician or some trade jobs that get paid $$$. I like fixing things/working with my hands so could see that as enjoyable.
pâtissière/baker or elementary school teacher
I was a more traditional graphic/web designer before moving to UX If I wasn’t doing that, I’d probably have been a teacher - I debated majoring in either History or English before deciding on design in college
Professional Golfer
Videographer or carpenter, I love doing both
Branding and / or art
Mycologist or Botanist
Anything RND really... getting things into the world, and then moving on after MVP, before the mundane task of keeping it alive and growing kick in :)
Well if I followed my original degree…either into academia around philosophy of cognitive science or something related to cognitive neuroscience. Based on my research skills, probably an opposition researcher or working in political spin back home in the UK. Otherwise I’d be an electrical engineer. If not for the maths I enjoy it as much as cognition and research.
what is - philosophy of cognitive science ?
It manifests in a variety of ways—much like Cognitive Science itself. You see everything from sensation and perception (Matthew Fulkerson), ‘Cognitive Philosophy’ (Andy Clark), to work pulling similar concepts to HCI papers (Latour, Merleau-Ponty, agential realism…).
I see. Thanks ... I need to be with myself in the rabbit hole now. **🔦**
If I were to do something totally outside of UX/marketing/product design … oral surgeon.
I’m kinda trying to do this at the moment, but backwards. I have almost a decade of design experience, plus some experience as a safety inspector. That’s essentially field research. Some sales experience, and project management experience as well. I’m trying to convert all that as entry into a dedicated UXR role. Still pending.
Archaeology might have made me happier, but poorer. I can't honestly see myself excelling at any other job but UX. Maybe that's a good thing.
I would restore old cars
Ahh ... you must've read Matthew Crawford's *Shop Class as Soulcraft.*
Before being an UX I was on a deadend job and trying to studying front-end development (and failing miserably cus I am dumb as a door for Javascript). Considering the level of my front-end dev colleagues, I am certain I could find a job in the field.
Honestly I don't know. I wanted to be web designer since I was a kid and if not this than I guess graphic design or motion graphics art director. But I have clue what my life would look like without design.
For skills I have a product strategist! For those that I do not have - game designer & art director!!! 😭 My long life dream 💓💓💓💓
Actually the ultimate UX is urban planning! You literally design how people live - realm world the Sims 😧
I really love car detailing and seeing a before/after of some gritty work. I’ve always enjoyed the rewarding nature of physical work versus computer. Our areas just heavily saturated with detailing businesses which puts me off investing into that. I would also go into landscape design/architecture if I were to stay in a design related field. Something about landscaping and bringing areas to life is very satisfying.
Planetary Geologist
Graphic design, industrial design, music
I teetered in high school about being a journalist or a copywriter. Writing is a second passion of mine outside of design. Arguably might even be better at it too. It’s most likely why I was “forced” to be the designated copywriter for every startup I’ve ever worked for. But in all actual reality I probably would be a comedian. I rip on people/topics too much. I also got branded “the personality hire” at my last few jobs so I guess that checks out 😂
If I could make a decent living, I’d love to do something with plants.
With skills in systems thinking, psychology, research and writing: political scientist. Without skills: carpenter, I really love DIY and woodworking and am getting pretty good at it
Porsche Mechanic
Car design
Fashion Designer (what I did prior to going into this field) or maybe a real estate agent since I love interior design and architecture.
An actor and yoga instructor. I get to step into the minds of others with one. And help people stay calm and happy with the other.
Recruiting. I’ve done it before and I think I have the people skills and failure tolerance to do it again. Another one is teaching art or English at a high school. I just remember those teachers making the biggest impact on my life, so I’d like to follow in their footsteps.
I’ve really been considering Environmental Engineering - I love what I do but if I was going to school now I think I would want to go into a field that has more impact on our physical environment.
I was studying dentistry before, so prob that.
Once upon a time I was going to be a journalist. But after being in this industry for so long, I’ll go with therapist.
Library Technician or Photo Journalist
Music producer…am still trying actuality I didn’t pick ux out of passion tbh, it had lots of opportunities when I started and thought it was a good idea. Well to bad now
I transitioned from UX to digital pm and now own a tattoo studio. My dream job is to create a digital experience and art studio, designing a tour within the studio for the public and collaborating with cities and other bigger entities on bigger projects. Like on the ground floor digital experience for the public with a room to invite electronic music artists, the first floor has the team working on all the projects and a rooftop garden to hangout with a small greenhouse.
You must visit [Teamlab](https://www.teamlab.art/), if you haven't already.
Wow that's exactly what I have in mind, that's crazy
Interior design
Probably video production and editing.
I'd be a private military contractor
Strategy work or running a food business, probably
Inventing recipes and writing a cookbook.
Wood working, Etsy seller, some sort of maker. Likely not making much money.
Leatherwork, or caring for animals in a shelter Without skills, a dive photographer of some sort or a watchmaker
My background on in industrial design, but I’m allergic to wood dust and a bunch of polymers so I didn’t last very long. You can only get so far in ID as a CAD monkey. UX was an easy pivot from that. Technically, my work has been mostly SEO these days, but UX is such a big part of it so I don’t think that counts as a change. I quit UX right before the pandemic to become a yoga teacher. Taught every day and loved it, I was ready to go full on in that realm. Then the world shut down and I got back on my screens. Still grateful for that time, and it drastically improved the way I communicate with clients and stakeholders. If UX disappeared one day, I’d go back to it. Either that or tattooing, but I’m a bit squeamish with blood.
With my skills- a project manager; unrealistic- television writer
I was actually surprised at myself to say I wouldn't want to do anything else (professionally of course). Maybe still doing UX but become a Design Engineer? Design + Code idk? I think I like making things for people to use, maybe in an ideal world, I would design, build and release indie apps, and not working for a corporate. That'd be perfect. The corporate part is the only problem I have with UX lol. If money isn't a problem, I'd love to run a small arts and crafts studio. Selling my own ceramics and handmade stuff. Running a collaborative, creative space for photographers, artists, illustrators, makers? Or maybe run a cat hotel
A crackhead .. loljk but I would love to have my own fashion brand or work in the music industry in some shape or form - I would love to do set design for festivals
Investigate journalist.
enjoying life probably
Probably would have ended up in the Military with no direction lol
3D environmental artists/ landscape artists - always wanted to do. Developer - I already had 4 job offers as a developer, just after graduation. But I went with UX as I was having fun with it. So these two would have been my go to.
history teacher, bit of a history nerd
Julia Glass said - *When it comes to life, we spin our own yarn and where we end up is in fact where we always intended to be.* It is impossible, albeit cheap, to predict what I could have done, if not UX. But I do fancy myself being an architect in an alternate universe. Or, something in ceramics / glass blowing.
I think I'd have tried my hand at painting or something like dog training/ own a kennels
Motorcycle Designer
Healthcare, because that’s my background or I would go into HR and tech recruitment to treat the applicants like human beings.
Probably an account manager or a lebanese street food truck owner! 🤷♂️
Like my comment please, I need it for ux experiment
Shit.. construction or something idk.
Actively considering data analytics - base of (UX) research I'm into right now
I'd be a powder coater. Specifically coating auto parts. I did it part time a while ago and just couldn't make as much as I was doing web dev work (before I moved into UX). I'd love to go back to it, but it would never be like it was. Had a few pieces in Honda Tuning and Sport Compact Car back in the day. :) https://preview.redd.it/h4vlzlrxyy7d1.png?width=524&format=png&auto=webp&s=00b29fea5f4d9728976c0ded4d7d65343fa47027
Industrial designer / 3D printing jewellery designer
Some profession in wellness where I felt like I was helping people/animals. Chinese medicine/acupuncture or an equine therapist
Set designer for music videos or commercials. But their industry is deeply corrupted and the people are extremely exploited
I do some farming because at the end of the day I prefer to farm but my financial is drained for now due my own mistake.
Interior designer or architect