But you can call me Mitch. That's what my friends and family call me. I bet you’re wondering, “Who is this guy?” Well, that answer is a bit more in-depth than it seems.
Howdy!
I'm Mitchell
At first glance, I’m just an average guy with an average lifestyle consisting of getting up, going to work, comimg home, relaxing, and repeating it the next day. I might even throw in an extra cup of coffee to make through to the weekend.
Even though it may look like my life is pretty average, I can say it has been anything but. UX Design was not my original career choice. My adventure begins in the sky. I aspired to be a pilot straight out of high school. The thought of flying through clouds was exhilarating. However, mother nature, and fate, had other plans. After an interesting shadowing experience with an adrenaline-seeking pilot in a small prop plane, and a very windy, turbulent January day, my dream of flying was very quickly grounded. So, where does one turn for a semi thrilling, feet on the ground adventure?
A Little Background
to Begin...
The medical field of course! I wanted to help others and what better way than becoming a nurse. My schooling for nursing began; gaining certifications in Phlebotomy (think drawing blood, test tubes, etc.) and Nurse Aide. I was on my way to becoming a nurse. I even spent some time working in a health and rehabilitation centre to gain experience.
I completed an Associate of Arts degree in General Studies and after three attempts into a very competitive nursing program, I was finally accepted; earning the title of being my greatest academic success outside of graduating high school. I was elated to finally be on my way to pursuing my goals.
However, after some time in nursing school and working in the industry, and the unfortunate events with the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided nursing was no longer the route I needed to take. It was time to move on to a new path and time to go back to the drawing board. So where does one turn after all that?
Designing a New Path
I had never heard of UX Design until I stumbled across the topic while researching and discussing options with my techy friends and family. I had a very stereotypical idea of tech industry jobs. I thought "techies" were 'nerds' and 'geeks' with superior knowledge and advanced degrees.
This was new territory for me as I never saw myself as a 'geeky' person nor someone who would even work in the tech industry. Yet, the more I researched this little known and new career, the more it interested me. I quickly discovered there were some commonalities between my dreams of flying and nursing, and the path ahead of me. “What are you talking about?” Well, let me show you.
UX Design had never been a topic thought about, nor even heard of until after my time in nursing ended. Tech industry jobs were for ‘nerds’ and ‘geeks’ and for those with "superior knowledge" and advanced degrees, or so I thought. I was sorely wrong.
Iterating Myself...
The average person would not even think about connecting being a pilot or a nurse to being a designer. But here’s where I begin to show you that I’m a little more than average. How does design and being a nurse, or even further, aspiring to be a pilot connect?
When designing, one must look at more than the full picture, but deeper into how each detail fits within that particular picture and how each detail will solve the overall problem of achieving the final desired look and feel of a design. A pilot, and a nurse, must do the same. Details will be the deciding factor of whether or not your passengers or patients live to tell of the experience. Let's take a look.
Well, as you can see, details in every situation are critical regardless of occupation. One must look at the full picture from different perspectives and ideas in order to solve a problem based upon basic skill sets they must know while also using the information given to them by their surroundings, ergo users in the case of design, so as to come up with individualized solutions that will fit within the bigger picture.
So... What Does That Have To Do With Anything?
Fun Facts...
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My favorite color: Red
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My aesthetic: Oddly green. Check out this quiz and figure out your color! Connect with me and let me know your results!
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I love Christmas! (Eggnog anyone?)
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I’m an absolute nerd when it comes to Star Wars and Marvel. As well as anything Disney and DC Comics.
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I. LOVE. Ice cream. (Feel free to invite me to your next ice cream party.....)
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Random Fact: I like to feel the materials of things before I buy them. If it feels fake, rough, or scratchy, it’s not entering my house.
Hobbies:
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Hiking
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Camping
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Kayaking
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Gym time
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Singing
Well, now that I’ve dragged on about that, here are some fun facts about me.
Well now that I've dragged on about that, here are some fun facts about me.
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Doodling
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Eating
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Iceskating and hockey
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Traveling
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Hanging out with my family and friends.
So...
Who Am I?
Wow! What a mouth full. But, as you can see, I seem like an average guy on the outside. But I’m far from it when we take a closer look. At least in my thinking (and weird purchasing habits).
Otherwise, I’m just like you. A human being that’s trying to find their way through life. Some may see this as a weakness. However, I see it as my strength. There is no other skill that is more important to a UX Designer than being human.
My experiences, while at first glance are scattered and seem to have no pattern to them, actually helped in the development of who I am today. Critically thinking through problems and being empathetic to what others may need to solve a problem are skills one cannot learn in a school, but throughout life and its experiences. So who am I really?
I'm just your average guy who actually isn’t all that average. What gets me going in the morning? Three things (Four if you count my dogs.) My family, friends, and future. Each holds a strong place in my life that motivates me to push harder and move forward. Each encourages me to better myself and keep trying. It seems stereotypical to say, however, without these three things, I wouldn’t be the designer I am today; ready to start a new adventure even when it’s outside of my comfort zone. So... Who Am I? Well…
I'm Mitch
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