For my networking event, I attended an interactive speaker Panel called “How to transition into UX with UX Designers” on October 10.  This was an event that took place at Ebay Inc. and It featured three different UX practitioners who all talked about their journey, key roadblocks and how they overcame those to effectively transition into a UX role. I decided on going to this event because the lead designer at my internship (who I consider a mentor) recommended It would be really helpful to learn UX since I was good with UI Design.

Once I entered eBay Inc. I was greeted by one of the people in charge who told everyone they could get free taco and beer in the kitchen.  The panel room was very big and it had a small kitchen in the back where many were already waiting. The first 30 minutes or so was spent checking-in or mingling, so I decided to get some beer and I met with two other guys there who talked with me about their careers.  Almost everyone who attended came from some kind of graphic design background, but there were a few who have never done design before and it was interesting hearing their stories on how they got interested in this field.

The panel started at 7:00 pm with an interview between the presenter and the three guest speakers followed by occasional questions from the audience. I learned a lot from the guest speakers and got a really good understanding of what UX was all about. Two of the speakers were graphic designers that transitioned into UX in less than a year and they expressed how important it was for them to attend and participate in various networking events.  

At 8:30 the talk was over and people either left or they stayed to mingle some more. I decided to stay for a bit and even interacted briefly with one of the speakers before I left.

This was my first time ever going to a networking event like this and it was a great experience meeting up with so many creative people from different backgrounds. Mostly everyone was new to UX just like me, so I didn’t feel very intimidated. This experience encourages me to start attending more networking events in the near future.