Published on <a href="http://ift.tt/2tuLEMh">| Prototyping: From UX to Front End &mdash; Medium</a> Deanna Ritchie <img alt="" src="http://ift.tt/2tVTl1f">
The surprisingly short journey from new grad to lead android designer.
Disclaimer to you technical people: yes I know it’s technically a ‘projection’, not a ‘hologram’ (but it was amazing to build either way).
In September 2015, I began my last year of undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo in Canada. At this time, my mum gave me a piece of advice that I am grateful for; start looking for a full-time job now.
I had recently wrapped up a UX internship at Canadian Tire Innovations. The experience was incredible! Every day I experimented with new technologies, learned how to gather quality information from user interviews, and designed interfaces for every screen size.
After this internship, I knew that I wanted to pursue a UX career. I was confident in my resume, and eagerly started applying for positions on LinkedIn.
From September to December I sent out 47 applications. The outcome — a single interview.
The cumulative rejections over four months made me realize that my approach needed to change.
<h3>Time to Create</h3>
The first step to landing a new job is to stand out amongst the competition. I redirected the energy I spent sending out resumes, into producing something creative.
<h3>Discover</h3>
Everyone’s had an idea that’s stuck with them for months on end. This happened to me when I stumbled across a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YWTtCsvgvg">video</a> on YouTube. Some brilliant individual built a hologram out of a CD case and his phone, HOW COOL IS THAT?! I was so amazed by this video that I made my own hologram.
<h3>Design</h3>
I followed the DIY video and made prototype #1.
To create the hologram, you need a plastic prism and a very specific type of video.
The prism is made by cutting four triangles out of an old CD case and taping them together.
The video is divided into four equal screen quadrants. Each quadrant will play the same image on a black background, and each image will be rotated towards the center of the screen. Plenty of videos like this can be found on YouTube.
When the video is playing on full-screen, the prism is placed in the center of the quadrants, the image is reflected onto the plastic sides. When looking into the prism at eye level, the image floats! Voila you’ve made a hologram!
<img alt="" src="http://ift.tt/2uv4Mdf">Prism version 1
<h3>Iterate</h3>
My first version worked, it was cool, but I knew it didn’t show off as well as it could; the tape was ugly, the plastic was scratched and cloudy, and the base was uneven and wobbled.
I incorporated a base to solve both the wobble problem, and to remove the need for tape. High quality plastic sides were cut, and the sides would slide into groves in the base. I partnered with an engineering student to create 3D models of the base, then I used the 3D printer on campus to bring the models to life.
<img alt="" src="http://ift.tt/2tWql9O">Base version 1 (left) and base version 2 (right)
Base version #1 had a few issues. The base itself was too big and interfered with the projection on smaller devices. The flat top also created a problem; it was incredibly difficult to hold when sliding the plastic sides in. There was nothing to grip onto so I either dropped the base if I held it too loosely, or felt like I was going to dislocate my thumb if I held it too tightly.
Base version #2 fixed these problems. First, the base was smaller in size, so it no longer interfered with the projection. Second, a ‘hill’ was added to the previously flat center to enhance grip when assembling.
When the sides and base were combined, a working hologram was born! The hologram was easy to assemble, and portable (so it could be mailed out across the world, ideally to potential employers).
<img alt="" src="http://ift.tt/2uv7QpU">Final version of unassembled sides and base
<h3>Deliver</h3>
Now I had this incredible side project. What to do with it?
The University of Waterloo has an incredible co-op program and employers across Canada and the USA come to host company information sessions and engage with prospective students. I tapped into this network.
I had attended numerous information sessions throughout my undergrad. Recruiters would talk with me, I’d give them my resume and portfolio link, go home feeling good, send them a thank you email, and never have a serious conversation with them again.
All this changed when I brought my hologram to these recruitment events.
The conversation would start as usual; “What program are you in?”, “What kind of career are you interested in?”, “When are you graduating?” — All the standard autopilot questions. I can empathize with these recruiters, talking with students all day would be exhausting. Everyone begins to look and sound the same…
Until someone brings a mobile hologram into the room.
The conversation instantly changed. I asked the company representatives “Can I show you something I’ve made?” I gave a quick elevator pitch as I assembled the hologram, then I presented my creation.
The response was overwhelming.
A switch was flipped. I interviewed with companies, visited offices, talked with design leads and CEOs, and (most importantly) had meaningful discussions about future UX opportunities.
<img alt="" src="http://ift.tt/2tWs0Mw">Me as a lego figure! The light is too bright to display the image well, but this photo nicely displays how the sides sit into the base.
<h3>Outcome</h3>
The deeper conversations that the hologram led to gave me the confidence to speak to my interests and experiences, so that when the right door opened, I was ready…
Deanna Ritchie is a digital experience designer at Manulife Canada. She leads android design for Canadian-division applications and strives to bring creativity to the conservative insurance industry.
Thank you to Emanuel Santos for his 3D modeling expertise, to Jordan Mandel for his fantastic ideas about technical improvements, and to Janna Cameron and Adam Merrifield for their edits and recommendations.
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<a href="http://ift.tt/2tWs1A4">I Made a Mobile Hologram to Land My First Full-time UX Position</a> was originally published in <a href="http://ift.tt/2cAqCpx">prototypr</a> on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I Made a Mobile Hologram to Land My First Full-time UX Position

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