Did you know what you wanted to do when you were 16 years old?! It’s a tricky choice particularly when the job market can change so quickly. 10 years ago UX designers were as sparse as magicians, but today no technology company can live without us!
This summer was the second time we hosted work placement students and it was awesome! We were lucky to have three very enthusiastic and curious school students: Rachel, Melissa and Arnie, joining for a total of 3 weeks to get a taste of what it’s like to be part of a human research and design studio.
We designed a project that exposed them to both studio life and what it’s like to work as a UX Designer. We gave them a challenging project of addressing air pollution through the design of fashionable apparel for teenagers. We wanted them to think about it in a global context, research the causes and consequences, and then design a wearable that helps address some of the challenges.
The feedback received from the students was amazing. They not only found the time enjoyable, but they learnt many new things such as sketching, presenting their ideas, learning about rapid prototyping, interviewing potential end users – a good introduction to what it’s like to be a UX Designer for a week.
Here’s what Rachel said about her experience:
'For my work experience I spent a week at Dovetailed, and even in this short time got to know the team and the work they do quite well. The project I was working on involved me talking to each member of the group individually about Dovetailed and what it stands for, as well as looking over the website in detail to gain knowledge about the companies' work. Whilst I came here for work experience mostly due to my interest in design, I was also able to see how closely this connects with technology and UX, all tied together by collaboration and sharing of ideas among the group. I was able to present my work twice, showing what I had produced and gaining valuable feedback. As well as the work the team was very friendly, introducing me into the week with coffee and pastries, and letting me be a part of the evening barbecue and punting events. This week I have been able to step out of my comfort zone somewhat by presenting to a group of people (and dogs), and inviting progressive criticism rather than being scared of it. I also got to experience a real working environment, which was described by the team themselves as 'chaotic, fun, and provocative', though to me it felt 'calmly creative'. I am sure this will all be helpful in the future, especially if I go into the field of design. Big thanks to everyone at Dovetailed for being so welcoming ♥. Rachel :)'
We’re very excited about giving more opportunities to students and looking forward to doing this next summer. If you would like to get in touch to explore the possibility of a work placement at Dovetailed, please do not hesitate to email us at hi@dovetailed.io
We’d also like to mention Founders4Schools. We love and support what Sherry Coutu and her team are achieving there!