What I’m Doing To Prepare for My UX/UI Design Bootcamp

TL;DR

I suggest four things to prepare yourself ahead of time for a UX/UI design bootcamp:

1. Learn about UX/UI design beforehand

• Take a free instructional course
• Watch YouTube videos by experts in the field
• Read articles written by experts in the field
• Network with UX designers and ask for advice

2. Improve your office setup by investing in:

• A nice, comfortable desk chair and desk
• External monitor, mouse, and keyboard
• Headphones with a speaker
• Any apps or programs you’ll be using during the course
• Productivity apps helpful to you

3. Firm up your daily schedule and ensure you’ll have plenty of time to complete homework each day

4. Tell your family and friends about your career switch — they may know someone in the industry, which will help you put your foot in the door

In about a week, I’ll start my journey as a UX/UI design student. I’ll learn through a bootcamp.

Although exciting, it’s also a little nerve-wracking.

Thoughts in my head pop up like, What if I have trouble completing the homework? What if it’s extremely time consuming? What if I prove to be bad at this thing that I really want to do?

I know that when making a big change, I tend to doubt myself and my capabilities.

The old me would’ve shrugged those thoughts off and kept going. But that didn’t really work out too well.

Instead, I decided to do what I could to prepare myself for this course ahead of time. Knowing that I was going to take it, I decided that I want to really, really give it my all.

If you’re like me, you want to be the best UX designer out there.

What better way to do that than to prepare myself beforehand as much as I can?

Here’s what I’m doing to get ready for my upcoming bootcamp.

Learning As Much As I Can About the Subject

I don’t want to throw myself into an ocean here and flounder. I want to feel like I’m coasting as much as I can, if possible.

Something that really helped me was knowing that I would be taking the bootcamp months in advance. If you can swing this, I definitely recommend it. That way, I could prepare. This wasn’t a decision I arrived to overnight; it happened over the course of a few months.

Specifically, I’ve:

• Taken parts of the Google Certification course for UX Design (has been really helpful, even if I only took a few parts of it)
• Watched numbers of YouTube videos on UX/UI designers who took bootcamps, learning what they did to get their first job in the field (let me know if you’d like me to recommend specific YouTubers or videos)
• Watched numbers of YouTube videos on UX recruiters who talk about what they’re looking for in candidates
• Watched numbers of YouTube videos on UX workers who share their day-to-day schedules, what exactly they do, what they enjoy about the field, and so on
• Read Medium articles written by UX designers to learn more about the subject, their process, successes, and what they would do differently
• Networked with current UX designers to see if they have any advice
• Reached out to friends and family to see if they or anyone they know is involved in the field

I know this list is long and probably overwhelming. Don’t feel like you have to do every single thing. If I had to pick what to focus on, I’d say learning what you can about UX design — maybe by taking a free course or watching videos/reading articles from current UX workers.

Improved My Home Office Setup

By doing this bootcamp, I know I’ll be working from home at a desk from 9am to 4:30pm, so I want to make sure my working environment is comfortable. I want to minimize technological hiccups (and other issues).

First, to learn about other UX designers’ work-from-home setups, I’m checking out more YouTube videos and reading Medium articles. I’ve heard some great suggestions:

• A nice desk and comfortable desk chair
• External monitor, mouse, and keyboard
• Headphones with a speaker
• Any apps or programs you’ll be using during the course
• Productivity apps helpful to you

Most of us are working from home still, so you may already have one or a few of these items. If you’re trying to cut down on costs, there are always less expensive versions of all of these things. Get what you can to make the most of your office, so you can really focus on your work and spend less time in frustration.

Firmed Up My Daily Schedule

As stated, I’m well aware of the hours of the bootcamp and how I’m expected to miss no more than one class day a month (unless I want to get terminated … which I don’t!).

To make sure I’m up and ready each day for class, I’m acclimating myself to a schedule: bed by 10:30pm, wake up by 6:30am (or earlier), homework from 8–9am, class from 9am–4:30pm, workout from 4:30–6pm, dinner, homework until 8:30pm, and get ready for bed. Work before bed if I have the time.

With time, I’ve found that this is a great schedule for me because I find that I feel most productive in the morning — and then I get another hit of productivity right after dinner and before bed.

Now, this is a rough schedule and, as we all know, life happens. I know I won’t stick to it perfectly each and every day, but this gives me an idea for what will help me get enough time in to work outside of class on homework and projects.

And the obvious, but worth stating: Everyone is different. Although this is my ideal schedule, it may not be an ideal schedule for you. Play around with it and see what works and sticks.

Told My Family and Friends What I’m Doing

The last important thing I’m doing to prepare is tell my family and friends that I’m taking a UX/UI Design bootcamp (which I already mentioned in the first header of this post, but thought it was worth discussing further).

Of course, you’ll probably have these discussions with whomever you’re living with, whether it’s a roommate, parents, spouse, children, friends, and so on.

Although you may not live with your parents and it won’t directly affect them, they’d probably love to hear that you’re changing career directions. For me, I’m coming from a marketing background. It’s not a completely different career trajectory, but I’d say it is a big one worth mentioning!

Like I said before, too: If your friends or family know one or a few people already in UX design — or even in product design/a related field — they could introduce you to one another. And, before you know it, you have a number of contacts in the field before you were close to graduating.

Maybe one of them has an internship opportunity. I heard one girl on YouTube say that she got her current job months in advance of graduating from her bootcamp.

It doesn’t hurt to start a conversation. When talking to, say, Isabelle, why not simply mention that you’re taking a UX/UI design bootcamp after she asks what’s new with you? It’s really that simple.

And if nothing comes out of it? Well, you tried! You can’t say you didn’t.

When I told my boyfriend I was thinking of taking this course, he actually knew a three people who were somehow working in the field. Thanks to him and for me bringing it up, I was able to make those new contacts. And who knows what opportunities that will open up for me.

Don’t Wait Until One Week Before the Course; Start Today

If I could simplify this blog post and give you the gist of it, I’d encourage you to make the decision early in advance to attend a bootcamp — and start preparing yourself for it as soon as you can.

You’ll reap the benefits and it will show in your work. Maybe other students will even look up to you for advice and help. And maybe your instructors will see your passion coming to life and give you a great recommendation.

Who knows! But one thing is for sure: If you’re certain you want to take a bootcamp, the best thing you can do for yourself today is start learning in advance.

If you have any questions and/or would like to keep up with my UX/UI design journey, please share or comment on this post!

I hope this is helpful to and inspires you.