Why I Became a Blogger

My First Blog Post! Hooray!


After 24 years of being alive, I have finally begun the highest purpose a human can achieve in their lifetime: writing a blog.

I want to begin by explaining why I am starting a blog. No, it’s not because I desperately need something to do with my time during this ongoing pandemic. Well… maybe it has a little to do with that, but the main reason I am creating a blog is for the same reason I decided to become a designer.

 

Where It All Began


Three years ago, I experienced a rare moment when I realized what I wanted to do with my life. While studying abroad in Barcelona during my Junior year, I took a class called New Trends in International Marketing. One day, instead of the usual lecture our professor conducted an activity that lasted the entire class time. We were put into pairs and then taken through several steps of the design thinking process. Our objective was to design a new innovation that would improve the process of giving someone a gift.

We interviewed our partners, defined the problem, developed ideas, and then narrowed down a final prototype. From the conversations with my partner, I pulled together insights that identified why gifts mattered. I realized it wasn’t the gifts themselves that’s important, but the experiences and memories that come with them. This resulted in my final idea: a customizable wrapping paper that featured a montage of photographs selected by the user. My idea stood out from the other classmates, as most people came up with an app that helped people generate gift ideas. While working on the project, my partner said something that has stuck with me to this day, “You’re really good at this.”

 

Why I Became a Designer


My fourth grade art project.

My fourth grade art project.

Growing up, I loved art class. For 8 years in a row (from grades 1 to 8) I had an art project featured in my school district’s annual art show. The photo shows one of my designs from fourth grade. I made a clay bowl which my family still uses in the kitchen to this day. Design has always been a part of my life, but I never fully embraced it.

That is until 5 words changed my life in a moment of clarity: “You’re really good at this.” I don’t remember my partner’s name or what she looks like (couldn’t even point her out in a line-up), but I do remember what she told me that day in class. She made me realize I was good at design and I loved doing it. I’m not sure if I was fully aware of it at the time, but after that moment I knew I needed to become a designer one day.

Deep down, I think we all know what we want to do with our lives. Except, we convince ourselves we won’t be good enough or that our passion will fad once we commit. The truth is, none of that actually matters. What does matter is that we follow the burning feeling inside and not let our doubts guide us.

 

Why I Became a Blogger


A few, simple words sparked my journey to becoming a designer, and 3 years later I have just finished my first year in a graduate program for Human-Computer Interaction and design. This spring semester, I had worked on an assignment for a design theory course. I had to examine the ways designers explore, present, explain, and argue for design in the context of a blog. In doing so, I began to understand why I would want to write my own blog. I could write stories on the topics I care about in design, the challenges I go through, and any advice I can give. After reviewing my analysis, Oscar Lemus, the Associate Instructor for the course, encouraged me to create a blog saying, “I think lots of folks would gain from your approach.”

Oscar is right. I enjoy writing and I believe I have stories worth sharing. So, here I am. I decided to start this blog for the same reason I became a designer: I was inspired by the kind words people said to me. Now, I want to do the same. I am writing a blog because I hope my ideas can encourage others to see the world in a new way, discover new potential, and understand ourselves a little better.

This is the first of many stories to come. Stay tuned.

Zack Gilbert

I am a Junior UX Researcher at Alight Solutions and a M.S. HCI/d graduate from Indiana University.

https://zackgilbert-portfolio.squarespace.com/
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My Design Philosophy Part 1: Learn From the Past