Trying out UX

Growing up, my parents ran a small-town newspaper as a side gig. A couple of times each month, they'd enlist me for delivery duty. I would dash into local businesses and leave stacks of papers for people to pick up.

I wasn't exactly thrilled about being the paperboy, but I was fascinated by the process of building the newspaper. Back then, my parents used a Macintosh Performa 550 and Aldus PageMaker software (which later evolved into Adobe InDesign). They would draft articles on the Mac, print them using a small home laser printer, and then—quite literally—cut and paste them onto a large spread for the local printer. The scent of glue still lingers in my memory.

This experience inspired me to create my own kid-friendly newspaper, filled with articles about the games my siblings and I were playing and the latest happenings in Saturday morning cartoons.

As a teen, I started crafting newsletters with friends. In high school, I joined the school newspaper and even bagged a few awards for my layout and writing skills. Later, in college and beyond, I pivoted to email marketing campaigns and websites.

What captivated me most was the joy of creating beautiful work that delighted its readers. There's something profoundly resonant when good design complements content, enhancing the overall user experience.

Though life led me down a career path that didn't fully indulge my passion for good design, I've still found ways to weave it into my daily tasks. Those projects often become the highlights of my day.

I recently discovered Joel Marsh’s UX Crash Course. Reading through his lessons rekindled that childhood sense of wonder. If you have any curiosity about what constitutes good design—and in a tech context, a compelling user experience—I highly recommend giving it a look.