Student Spotlight: Martha Willis, Designation

With a degree in Advertising Art Direction, Martha Willis was looking for a way to build on her current skillset in pursuit of a web-based career. So she enrolled in Designation, a full-time, immersive design course in Chicago. We get the scoop from Martha about the application process, her new job as a UI Designer, and how she's continued her education after Designation. 

Remember, the Course Report community is eligible for a $500 scholarship to Designation!

 

What were you doing before you started at Designation?

Just before starting at Designation, I was working as a junior designer at Proof Integrated Communication - a small NYC based digital agency. I worked on traditional print pieces as well as digital web design. 

 

Did you have a technical or design background before you applied?

My undergraduate degree is in Advertising Art Direction, it’s very similar to a graphic design degree but with additional focus on strategy. I also took a web development class where I learned HTML, CSS, JavaScript and basic PHP. It gave me a great foundation going into Designation.

 

Why did you choose Designation? Did you apply to any other bootcamps?

Designation was the only bootcamp I applied to - I was originally looking for classes I could take while still working full-time. I wanted something to supplement my current knowledge base, that could lead to a more web-based career. When I compared the various programs I realized that Designation would be the best fit for me. I really liked the idea of being able to fully immerse myself into my learning and surround myself with other passionate creatives.

 

What was the application process like?

I made the decision to apply fairly close to the deadline for the first cohort so my application process was fairly quick. I filled out the online application, submitted my portfolio site and went through an in-person interview. It was a really great way to get a better sense of the program and the people involved.

 

What was your cohort like? Did you find diversity in age, race, gender etc?

My cohort was fairly mixed group. Many of us were a few years out of college, others were older. My cohort was mostly female, but the cohort right after was mostly male. Ultimately, we all had the same goal - to become better at our craft and support each other in our endeavors.

 

Who were your instructors? What was the teaching style like and how did it work with your learning style?

The instructors were designers/developers currently working in their chosen field. They are incredibly knowledgeable and were more than happy to share that knowledge (both in and outside of class). Class structures varied depending on the topic being discussed. Usually there was a lecture component and a workshop/hands-on component. We often did peer review for our visual design, all-day workshops for user experience and live coding classes. They were very open to adaption so if something wasn’t working or a student needed extra help, they would do their best to accommodate students. 

 

Did you ever experience burnout? How did you push through it?

Burnout is pretty standard in any creative endeavor - especially when you’re working as many hours as many of us did while at Designation. Being able to take a walk and get a change of scenery are easy ways to restart your brain. Also, making sure to make time for self-care is really important. Even though it’s a rigorous schedule, there is still time to get away and clear your head. It also helps that there are other people going through the exact same thing you are so you can rely on each other for support and understanding.

 

Can you tell us about a time when you were challenged in the class?

There were plenty of times I was challenged while at Designation. For me it was usually getting my logic correct when working with javascript. It was great to be able to turn to my neighbor and ask them for help. If two or three of us couldn’t figure it out we would go to one of our instructors and they were able to explain where we got mixed up.

 

Tell us about a project you're proud of that you made during Designation.

Near the end of my time at Designation, we worked in teams of three-four to design and pitch a native mobile app to a local startup. It was really a great experience to be given the opportunity to work on real client work. We had to apply everything we had learned up to that point - with some help from instructors as well. For our wireframing and prototyping, we worked in Adobe Illustrator and Omnigraffle. Most of our design work was done in photoshop and then everything was moved into Invision to create a working prototype. It can be viewed here!

 

What are you up to today? Where are you working and what does your job entail?

I am currently working as a web and mobile designer at Spartz, Inc - a small start up in Chicago. I work with some very intelligent, passionate people and I am given a lot of creative freedom. I currently do a little bit of everything; user experience design, interaction design, interface design and occasionally some CSS. I was connected to the company through one of the instructors at Designation.

 

Did you feel like Designation prepared you to get a job in the real world?

Designation definitely helped to prepare me for my new job. What I learned there can be applied to everything I do in my new position. I was given a great foundation to build upon. I have never regretted leaving my previous job to go to Designation and pursue something I was really passionate about.

 

Have you continued your education after you graduated?

I do a lot of reading to continue to build my knowledge base - both books and online blogs/magazines. There is no lack of information and resources out there to be discovered. Some are better than others, but there is always something to be learned from what you read. I also find that the best thing you can do is to keep building. Whatever your craft is, being young or new to the field means that you should always be creating. I strive to create as much as I can. It doesn’t have to be something large or groundbreaking, just something creative that gets my brain thinking.

 

Want to learn more about Designation? Check out their School Page on Course Report or their website here!