How My Engineering Days Sparked My Passion for UX Design

What does a remote-controlled car, flying chappals, and late-night 'chai pe charcha' have to do with UX design? For me, these seemingly random moments were the stepping stones of a journey that took me from coding frustration to crafting seamless user experiences. This is the story of how engineering shaped my passion for design.

I still remember the lockdown days during my 3rd year of engineering, sitting in my room with JavaScript tutorials on my screen. Determined to replicate my future corporate life, I forced myself to sit for 8-9 hours straight, trying to learn concepts that didn’t come naturally. The hours dragged on, and with each passing moment, frustration grew. I was curious, too—curious if this was really the life I wanted.

By 3 AM, I was still staring at the screen, struggling to meet the goals I had set for myself. I flipped through endless tech stacks, hoping something would click. But instead, my mind rebelled. An inner voice spoke up, almost mockingly: 'Beta, coding tumhare bas ki baat nahi hai... kuch aur dekh lo.' (Son, coding isn’t your thing... look for something else.) It was both a moment of defeat and the spark I didn’t know I needed.

Now, you might ask, why did I choose engineering? Let me take you back to when I was a curious 6-year-old. My uncle gifted me my first remote-controlled car, and like any excited kid, I played with it for days. But soon, my excitement turned into curiosity—how does this thing work?

So, I did what any curious child would do: I cracked it open. Suddenly, I had four motors and an antenna in front of me.

But now, I had another challenge—explaining to my mom why I broke the toy and saving myself from the flying chappals. With limited options, I got creative and built four portable fans powered by 9V batteries. That was my first lesson in problem-solving, and I loved every moment of it.

Fast forward to 9th grade, when I got my first smartphone during the Jio 4G revolution. My curious mind shifted gears: how do these applications work? Combine that with my love for mathematics and logical thinking, and Computer Science Engineering felt like the obvious choice.

In college, I explored everything I could. Those four years were a journey of trying, failing, and discovering what I was good at—and what I wasn’t. One pivotal moment came during the Smart India Hackathon. Although I didn’t make it past the college round, the experience taught me invaluable lessons: I could logically approach problems, speak confidently in front of people, and most importantly, I realized how much I loved the visuals of the app we designed.

I started noticing a pattern. Some applications were seamless, intuitive, and enjoyable to use, while others were so frustrating they made you want to throw your phone. My brain couldn’t stop asking: why is this happening? How can I fix it? I didn’t know it at the time, but I had stumbled upon the world of User Experience.

Thanks to Google Baba, I learned about UX design, and my curiosity took over. During the 3rd wave of COVID-19, when the world was quiet, my nights were buzzing with new ideas. At 10 PM in my room, I began teaching myself UI design.

I started by replicating designs from Dribbble and then began creating my own. I dove headfirst into sketches, wireframes, user flows, interactions, color theory, and typography.

Every click, every iteration, every late-night design session only made me more certain: I had found the perfect intersection of logic, creativity, and problem-solving. UX design wasn’t just a career path—it was my calling.

But that wasn’t the end of my struggles. While I had found something I loved—a goldmine that kept me motivated and energized for hours—there were challenges that tested me at every step.

One big hurdle was being in an engineering college. Let’s just say, it was both a blessing and a curse. Here’s the curse: I was surrounded by peers who were passionate about their chosen field, but very few understood or cared about design. And mentors? Forget about it. I had to figure out everything on my own.

As a self-learner, I spent countless hours trying to solve what I now realize were silly doubts. Feedback was a luxury. When I did show my designs to friends, their responses were predictable: 'Dwivedi, design to achha banata hai. Bhai, ek logo banwa de na?' (Dwivedi, you’re good at design. Bro, can you make me a logo?) I was stuck in a bubble where no one really understood design, and ironically, that made me feel like a 'pro noob.'

Despite this, I kept going. By the time my 4th year rolled around, I had improved my skills and was ready to start applying for internships. In my 7th semester, I began sending out applications. Most companies asked for a portfolio and resume, and I thought I was set. But here’s the funny part—I didn’t even know what a proper portfolio looked like.

I made the rookie mistake of attaching multiple Figma links in my emails, thinking that would suffice. Unsurprisingly, rejection emails flooded in. But every rejection taught me something new. I learned what a portfolio should be—a well-curated collection of your best work. So, I got to work. I created my first portfolio, one that actually showcased my skills, and started the process all over again.

Meanwhile, my friends were on completely different paths, preparing for coding placements while I faced rejection after rejection. There were moments of doubt, moments when I felt like giving up. But I kept pushing forward.

Then came the winter of 2023. One evening, I was outside my college, having 'chai pe charcha' with friends, trying to lighten the mood and plan our next steps. That’s when I saw it—a notification on my phone: 'Welcome Onboard.'

With teary eyes, I shared the news with my friends and family. That email wasn’t just a job offer; it was validation of all the hard work, late nights, and struggles I had faced. We celebrated with a small party, and just like that, I started my journey as a UI/UX Intern.

After joining the company as a UI/UX Intern, I had the opportunity to work on multiple projects. Many of these projects were built using the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js), which was a perfect bridge between my engineering background and design work. My familiarity with the technical side allowed me to design solutions that were not only user-friendly but also technically feasible.

One of the biggest advantages was during technical discussions. I could communicate my design ideas in a language that developers and stakeholders understood, ensuring smooth collaboration. At the same time, I could anticipate technical constraints and adapt my designs accordingly, saving time and effort for the entire team.

I’ll never forget what an experienced developer told me on his last day at the company: 'Abhinav, you changed the way we used to work. Everything was so smooth with you.'

Hearing that as an intern from someone with years of experience was one of the most rewarding moments of my career.

That’s the true boon of having an engineering background—it allows you to bridge the gap between creativity and technical implementation seamlessly. It’s a skill that I believe sets me apart and makes me a stronger UX designer.

Looking back, my journey from cracking open a remote-controlled car to designing user-friendly experiences has been anything but linear. Every step—whether it was building four portable fans, navigating engineering without design mentors, or sending out those embarrassing Figma links—shaped the person I am today.

To my fellow designers and engineers: never stop opening the door to curiosity. Embrace those silly mistakes, because every error is a step closer to growth. The journey is far from over, but every 'chai pe charcha,' every late-night learning session, and every minute spent investing in yourself will bear fruit one day. Struggles don’t just challenge you—they shape your future.

If you’ve gone through a similar career transition or are navigating one now, I’d love to hear your story. Let’s connect and inspire each other.