Learning UI/UX Design From Home Is Hard
I shouldn't be surprised that my self-prescribed e-learning has been difficult for me to get into, especially with my potential ADHD diagnosis around the corner. This time, like always, I thought things would be different.
In Mid-November I purchased a bunch of popular courses off Udemy for UI/UX Design, Figma, Vibe Coding and App/Web Development to level up my design skills.
I'm already a great design generalist (not to toot my own horn) but since turning 30 earlier this year I've felt the need to find a better balance between creativity, stability and cashflow. After doing a lot of research on the web I had the choice of signing up for an online UI/UX bootcamp, doing a long term course or diy-ing it and creating my own curriculum with one-off online courses and more specific portfolio projects.
The bootcamps were expensive and a little intense for what I wanted. I don't particularly like cramming knowledge, and I honestly feel like I don't absorb information as well when I can't take a beat here and there to pontificate.
Long form courses were also expensive and not especially specific. In my research phase I was met with many reviews from 'graduates' that were unhappy with the outcomes of most of the UX/UI courses I was considering. Many stated that the courses were already outdated, had too much fillers, didn't have enough portfolio projects or weren't specific enough. Especially now with the weekly developments in AI and the fact that vibe coding is becoming standard practice. I felt like it might be best for me to build something catered more to what I truly needed.
UI/UX Design seems to be a bit of a bloated space right now, sure, but it's also an expanding area of the design industry with many niches and many jobs demanding a wide spectrum of knowledge.
So I designed a curriculum:
- UX Basics
- Figma Fundamentals
- Advanced Figma Workflows
- UX Advanced Knowledge
- Project Development
- Vibe Coding & AI Workflows
- Finding Community
- Niche Exploration - based on current / upcoming roles
- Mini-Project Series
- Portfolio Building I
- Community Feedback Periods
- Major Project
- Case Studies
- Community Connections
- Portfolio Building II
- Apply For Jobs
I feel confident in this path that I've created and it may adjust over time, but truly I'm just hoping it will get my foot in the door at a minimum.
To get this knowledge to stick I'm plying myself with coffee or some other type of caffeinated beverage. When it comes to learning something new, especially long term my ability to focus and execute is very up and down. Some days I can keep focus and get zoned in, but most days I'm completely hopeless. It feels like I just keep re-reading the same chapter of a book and I'm only on chapter 2 of 100.
Of course it doesn't help that I've had a lot of medical appointments and scheduling conflicts in the last couple weeks that have flipped my days upside-down. Christmas being around the corner has brought it's own distractions as well. I do try to give myself a break but even that is hard.
Hopefully things get easier if I finally get an ADHD diagnosis by January, and then maybe some prescription meds to aid with my lack of focus in the learning department. The volume nob on life should also turn down a bit past the Holiday season. Until then though I need to figure out some way to prevent these constant false starts and get this show on the road.
In the interim I'm also going to try and pursue some light client work or part-time corporate design gigs to keep the bills paid. Wish me luck, and to whomever is reading this – if you need some light design work done or have friends that might, check out my little portfolio here. I should be more present in January.
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