Student Work

Teaching Philosophy

User Experience Design (UXD) is at the intersection of psychology, design, and technology. As an educator, my goal is to inspire students to cultivate a deep understanding and appreciation for the human-centered design process. My teaching philosophy is grounded in three key principles: empathy, iteration, and collaboration.

Firstly, empathy is the cornerstone of UXD. I believe in fostering a learning environment where students are encouraged to empathize with users to truly understand their needs, motivations, and behaviors. Through activities such as user research, personas development, and empathy mapping, students can gain valuable insights that inform their design decisions.

Secondly, iteration is essential in UXD. I encourage students to embrace a mindset of continuous improvement, where they are not afraid to experiment, fail, and learn from their mistakes. By emphasizing rapid prototyping and user testing, students can refine their designs based on feedback and create more impactful solutions.

Lastly, collaboration is key in UXD. I believe in creating opportunities for students to work in interdisciplinary teams, mirroring real-world design environments. By collaborating with individuals from diverse backgrounds, students can leverage their unique perspectives and skills to create more innovative and inclusive designs.

In summary, my teaching philosophy for UXD is centered around empathy, iteration, and collaboration. By instilling these principles in my students, I aim to empower them to become thoughtful, empathetic, and skilled designers who can create meaningful experiences that positively impact users' lives.

Daniela Valez

Daniela came to me via Design Lab's UX bootcamp. She's a recent immigrant from Columbia. Her first 6 months in the US consisted of daily classes in English. She honestly sounded like she'd been speaking English her whole life. I would call her the type of student who is lightening in a bottle. She's incredibly intelligent, and learns quickly!

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Isabel Rosario

Isabel came to me via Design Lab's UX bootcamp. She's a recent college graduate from Carnegie Melon. With a background in machine learning, and data science, she brings a unique perspective to UX. Her research skills are second to none. Surprsingly I found she grasped UI design very well!

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Sarah Hesler

Sarah came to me via Design Lab's UX bootcamp. She's a career changer. For the past several years Sarah was an ESL teacher. But, that's not the most surprising thing about Sarah. When she started this bootcamp it was a mere 2 weeks after having a baby. Wanting to make the most of her maternity leave, she signed up for the course. She nailed it! Not only was she able to keep up with the full-time coursework dispite challenges with child care throughout, but she managed to produce a dynamite portfolio in the process.

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Rebecca Kim

Rebby came to me via Design Lab's UX bootcamp. She is also a career changer. Previously working as an elemntary school teaching assistant, she prings a calm temperment to her work. Rebby took a little longer to complete the course than most, but she never lost her fire, and finished it strong!

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Aliza Cohen

Aliza came to me via Design Lab's UX bootcamp. Her previous career as an art educator brings a new pizzaz to UX. Her colorful pallets, and dynamic designs set her apart from the usual.

See Aliza's Work