My Journey into Tech

Growing up in a middle-class income home, I did not have the typical introduction to computers; in fact, I never got one till my third year in the university, but the moment I did, I was hooked. In later years, as I understood myself better, I came to realize what captivated me was the potential - in that young girl’s mind, she could do anything and solve any problem. Although I never dreamt of becoming a Product Designer, my passion has always been to improve the quality of life using technology.

In the year 2019, my journey in tech officially began when I dropped into the DM of Charles Freeborn, the Google Developer Group organizer in my local community. As of this time, I was a Graphic Designer finding my career path. To my surprise, he responded and asked for my mobile number and called almost immediately. That call was the beginning of greater things.

I was added to the community group and started attending meetups. My first meetup was a session on Technical Writing and Flutter. I started writing because of the cues gotten from this meetup. Months later it was DevFest 2019 and I volunteered to create the designs for the event which was an incredible milestone. Little did I know that was just the beginning because the organizers later came and asked me to give a talk about my design journey. I was so nervous and scared but they encouraged me to fight the fear which I did. I gave my first tech talk and I've given over five tech presentations in the last 3 years.

After Devfest 2019, the sessions of the developers who came from out of town made me curious about other aspects of design, especially interactive technology. My goal was to break into interactive technology and explore how interactive components can enhance our relationships with people, products, and services in an increasingly digital future. I began to watch youtube videos and replicate designs.

My first attempt at designing for interactive technology was in 2020 during COVID. I participated in the Global Hackathon to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. My team worked on a prototype for a digital health application that went on to win first place in the Hackathon, the best women-led team for Planet Wide SOS Hackathon, and a badge from The European Commission. It was a memorable experience participating in the Hackathon because I took my first step toward making a significant difference using technology.

After the Hackathon, to further improve, I took internships and online courses that helped me hone my technical skills. I learned how to perform studies on user interface analysis and design, conduct quantitative and qualitative research, and present these findings and solutions. Every day, there was a new hurdle and I had to make my way through it. Every day I got to learn something new, faced new challenges, brought new ideas to the table, and made my way through it.

Lastly, I was nominated to be a Co-organizer of the GDG in my local community. Indeed, it’s been a wonderful experience of learning and growth. Tech changed my life and this journey has been one of growth and impact.