Happy May! It's hard to believe that we're almost half way through the year. Hope you all are staying on top of your goals and for those in school, are finishing out the semester! We're back to bringing you back new blog posts every week! This week, we're brining you a new Macademics posts! For this month, I wanted to talk to you about my experience with Bloc.
Bloc is an online company that allows you to do an intensive web development or design apprenticeship program. I decided I wanted to learn more about User Experience and Web Design so I signed up for the Design Apprenticeship Program.
The design apprenticeship program was definitely a MARATHON and not a sprint. It took you through the different processes of design from ideation, user research, prototyping and front-end development. There were four modules with 1-3 submodules with 10-20 checkpoints that all had to be approved by the grading team and in most cases before you had to move on. There were also three assessments where you had to present your work in front of one of the team members. It was a lot of work but at the end, I had a design portfolio website with case studies showcasing full-length projects.
I decided to take a design course because I've always been interested in design and wanted to know more about the science and psychology behind it. While it's quite possible that I could have learned something on my own, I needed a more formalize structure and also wanted to be in an environment where I got feedback for my work.
The Bloc program also pairs you with a mentor. I had two different mentors for the different stages of my program, and both of them were amazing! They provided greater insight in regards to the different viewpoints for UX design and entrepreneurship. I really hope to work and collaborate with either of them in the future.
Design can be really frustrating. It can always feel like you're constantly iterating with no end in sight. Additionally, it's really subjective in the sense that if someone that is critiquing your designs says its not good then it's not good which can be very discouraging.
In terms of the program, I would say overall it's really great! The only thing that has been frustrating for me is trying to find a time to schedule presentations outside of my work schedule. While they do try and find someone who can be accommodating, it did leave a some moments where I couldn't move forward in my assignment for up to two weeks. There are also some gaps in the program that you definitely need to put in the extra effort to fill in the blanks.
I would definitely do another course or certificate program online! I enjoyed the flexibility and also getting to focus on something really specific. If you're interested in applying to Bloc and you're a women reading this, check out their Close the Gap scholarship that's aimed towards aspiring women designers and developers.
Also you can check out my design portfolio here: www.ademusoyo.design
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