From Pixels to Programming- My Journey from UX to Engineering

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved creating and building things. Being able to think of an idea and bring it to life gives me so much joy. Whether it was hand creating gift boxes as a young child, knitting, the process of creating something tangible has always thrilled me. This passion led me into the world of UX design, where I could craft digital experiences that people love, can use and can generate revenue for the business.

In the last one year, a new itch began to creep in — the urge to take a step further to build. I shrugged it off, or let’s just say, I tried it, and ran off. I told myself, ‘Nah, I can’t do this, this is too complex for me’

“Sometimes you can’t walk away. There’s something in you that just keeps pulling you back.” — Unknown

And let’s be honest, there’s a certain pride in seeing your code come to life on a screen, being able to own and say ‘I did that!’. It is a different kind of satisfaction.

The Bold Step

My journey began with a simple realization -I wanted more control over the end-to-end creation of digital products. The idea of being able to transform a static design into a functional, interactive website or app id exciting.

Don’t get me wrong, design will always be my first love. It’s the foundation that shapes how users experience the “build.” But now, I’m hungry to understand the nuts and bolts that makes that experience tick.

. . . . .

Transitioning from UX field to software engineering is quite challenging. Learning to code feels like learning a new language. In March, I decided it was time to officially do this and I signed up for She Code Africa Academy training program, graduated last week 🎉🎉. I was tired of my endless scroll on YouTube and getting confused. I needed to get on a serious and more structured learning path. I wanted learning peers, accessible tutors to get real-time feedback. When I saw the application open and knowing how rewarding it will be, I jumped at the opportunity, applied and got in. I learnt HTML, CSS, Javascript, and React. We had individual and group projects. We also has soft skills trainings too. It was a great learning experience. I have been consuming lots of other resources to better my skills and build more projects. I have been practicing a whole lot. If you have any resources that has been helpful in your coding journey, I’ll be glad to have them. Kindly share them with me. As I continue to build more projects, I see how my UX background is an asset, designing and building with the user in mind.

What’s next?

As I continue to grow in Software Engineering, I am excited about the endless possibilities. My goal is to combine my UX skills with my newfound coding abilities to build innovative and impactful digital products. Am I leaving UX? No, at least not now or maybe I’ll grow into a UX Engineer or full time Software Engineer, but let’s see what the future holds.

Being a UXer, is me being in my element. I enjoy understanding user needs and pain points, brainstorming, making research, creating user flows, carrying out user testing, making iterations and creating intuitive interfaces. This journey is about becoming a well-rounded builder. I want to bridge the gap between Product, Design and Engineering, to speak the languages of the three sides. Wish me luck on this adventure from pixels to programming.