🦆 Interaction Nerds by UXA | F23.08
Spooky (not) Scary Season of Applications: Registration resources, success in UX case studies, tips for finding work opportunities, and application tips!
👋 Announcements — Happy Halloween!
🎃 Happy Halloween everyone! We hope you are all well rested from Halloweekend and ready to tackle intern applications, registration week, and, of course, the rest of the semester 🧙♀️ Don’t be scared, though, we’ve put together a list of resources and guidance on how to navigate the spooky scary challenges in the near future. 👹
🧟 And while you’re here, we are still recruiting for our team! If you want to contribute to the beloved Interaction Nerds Newsletter, please fill out the form below! 💀
🍎 Campus Compass — Get Ready for Registration Week!
Written & edited by: 🦝 Caleb Sun
🍂 Registration got you down? Scared of FCEs, course content, and more? Check out these quick links to help find classes that work for you! No tricks, just treats 🍬
🤯 Quick Resources
🔗 UXA’s Database of Previous Campus Compii
🔗 CMU Courses — A course FCE hours planner built by Scotty Labs
🏫 School of HCI
🔗 CMU Human-Computer Interaction Institute Website
📚 Courses
🍀 Editor’s Pick — The Recipe for Successful UX Case Studies
Written & edited by: 🧸 Ahana Banerjee
🧐 Why is it hard to create UX case studies?
💡 What UX case studies often struggle with is not the quality of writing or project type, but the lack of systemic guidance on how to structure them effectively. Like a chef without a recipe, aspiring UX designers need to master the recipe before creating their own unique case study "dish." 🍳
🤔 What's the right approach to creating case studies?
💡 While there are many ways to do a case study, check out the following tips for a more streamlined approach:
📝 Case studies can be re-used: case studies should reflect meaningful learning or growth in which you worked with stakeholders, classmates, or clients in hopes of creating value for customers.
🔨 The structured recipe for case studies: A competitive case study should have a. key sections, b. including an overview, c. roles and responsibilities, d. problem statement, e. design process, f. testing process, g. outcomes, and h. reflection. The emphasis should be on clarifying and justifying design choices.
🚀 The importance of justifying: successful case studies demonstrate your skills as a UX designer by offering solid reasoning and the logic behind your design decisions.
💡 This demonstrates your depth of understanding, problem-solving skills, and the ability to justify your choices, making your case study more compelling and convincing to your audience, whether they are potential employers, clients, or colleagues.
🤓 The right level of detail in case studies
💗 Balance in all things: crafting a good case study is all about balance. It should offer context and details in a structured manner. Similar to serving a multi-course meal, don't serve everything at once 🧑🍳.
🚨 Anticipate questions: when creating a case study, try to anticipate potential questions and provide points to explain why your approach made most sense compared to alternatives.
🗣️ What’s the point: here are some questions you can address: 1. You did all this work, but now what? 2. What effect will this have on others? 3. What can you do to get your idea out there? Make sure to address these questions within your case study!
💡 Having the right amount of detail in your UX case study is crucial because it ensures that your audience receives the necessary context to understand your design decisions without being overwhelmed by excessive information.
A well-structured case study with balanced detail showcases your ability to communicate complex ideas effectively and demonstrates your skills in presenting information in a clear and digestible manner.
🤯 How can I be competitive with my case studies?
💡 To create a competitive UX case study, emphasize clear problem-solving, justifications for design choices, and a well-structured narrative that showcases your expertise. 🌟🤝
🎯 Resource — Tools and tips for finding work opportunities
Written & edited by: 🕺 Arin Pantja
Internships have slowly started opening up, but the recruiting timeline from company to company and year to year can vary quite a bit. Don’t wait for a specific company to open and interview late – it’s good to keep an eye out for opportunities early on!
☠️ Platforms for finding and applying to internship!
Cold emailing recruiters can be a good way to directly reach out to companies you’re interested in working at. Here are some other ways you can scout and apply for internships:
👻 LinkedIn – utilize the filters on the search bar and input key words (i.e. UX internship, Product management internship) to narrow your search. You can view what connections your may have to some companies, and leverage on the platform to reach out to recruiters or 1st/2nd degree connections for coffee chats!
👻 Simplify.jobs – an extension that helps you keep find jobs, keep track of applications, autofills applications, and more.
👻 wellfound – a platform for start-up-related internships and work opportunities.
👻 Glassdoor – a platform to find and apply for internships, but also look at anonymous reviews of experiences working at companies.
👀 What can you look out for when applying to internships?
Applying to internships can be daunting, but even if you don’t think you’re qualified, it never hurts to apply when you only meet a few qualifications. Here are some key things to look out for when considering internships:
🕸️ Job description that includes expected responsibilities and work hours.
🕸️ What responsibilities you will have, and what projects you could work on.
🕸️ Opportunity to work with a mentor, or someone of a more senior level.
🕸️ Location and industry of the workplace – remote/hybrid/in person?
🕸️ Size of the company – smaller startups often offer greater flexibility, allowing you to work on projects at a faster pace. Larger companies tend to follow established practices, resulting in a more deliberate and slower design process.
👀 More opportunities you can keep an eye out for:
🎃 CMU HCI Summer Research Opportunities – applications will open up soon!
🎃 Develop For Good – hands-on opportunities and project experience to work with nonprofits.
🎃 Catchafire – an online platform that connects you with nonprofits and social enterprises.
🧑💻 Interview - UX Internship Application Tips & Tricks with CMU Students
Halloween is not the only scary part of October. Internship application season is something almost all college students dread. 🐱 Shannon Lee, 🐸 Shannon Lin, 🐻 Nicole Xiang, and 🐼 Megan Yim are four current CMU students who’ve successfully made it through UX internship application season, and have shared their insights with us. So, if it’s your first time applying or you want to improve your applications the second time around, read what they have to say down below! ⬇️
“Because of the experiences that I have, I believe I have a good, personal reason of why I want a career in this field and I hope to share about them in this upcoming application season.”
— Megan Yim
🙈 Fun — The Design of… Nothing…
Check out this compilation of cool empty states compiled by Hongkiat!
🤔 Who’s behind the scenes?
Thanks for reading this week’s Interaction Nerds by CMU UXA! The editors behind this week’s issue are 😊 Eunice Lee, 🥸 Kaitlyn Ng, 😈 Sophie McGrady, 🧸 Ahana Banerjee, 🕺 Arin Pantja, 🐳 Alana Wu, and 🦝 Caleb Sun.
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