My placement at MHR as a UX Design Intern helped me to become more comfortable collaborating and communicating with a wide range of people from different disciplines. Part of my role involved consulting, which required stepping outside my comfort zone and engaging with a variety of stakeholders. With the support of my team, I developed this new skills and gained the confidence to communicate effectively in a professional environment.
My placement experience was also valuable as I learnt how to manage expectations while balancing multiple priorities. I often worked on several projects simultaneously, alongside design reviews with developers, which required me to prioritise tasks effectively, manage my time efficiently and communicate clearly about what could realistically be achieved. I also strengthened my presentation and communication skills, becoming much more confident in articulating my ideas and design decisions. I learned to adapt my approach depending on my audience, recognising that presenting to developers required a different style of communication than presenting to senior stakeholders, such as the CEO.
In addition to this, my final major project had a significant impact on my learning, giving me nine months to develop and refine my Experience Design skills. The extended time frame allowed me to research, experiment and iterate, deepening my understanding of the design process and user-centred design methods. I also gained valuable experience in service design and developed business-focused skills, helping me create a more well-rounded and impactful outcome.
The final-year project structure was particularly beneficial, with regular monthly deadlines, continuous feedback and one-to-one support from personal tutors throughout the project. My personal tutor had a particularly significant impact on my development. Her feedback was always thorough and insightful, challenging me to push my ideas further while giving me the confidence to trust my abilities. This support helped me produce work I was genuinely proud of and achieve strong results. Even now, I apply many of the principles and ways of thinking she taught me in my current graduate role as a UX Designer.
