UX/UI Designer, Jane Xiao, on community and networking during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Practice Makes: Designer Spotlight
In this issue of Designer Spotlight, Practice Makes speaks with Jane Xiao, a Senior UX/UI Designer and a co-founder of Hexagon UX Houston, a community of women in the field of UX, who support each other through various stages of their careers. Jane’s hobbies include meditation, journaling and embroidery and she has a passion for mentorship and the sense of community she is able to offer the women of Hexagon seeking to transition into UX.
“I was willing to get into the arena… and get my nose bloodied in the process.”
“My background is in Architecture and Social Science, so I have always taken an interest in the blend of the two, designing for people and their spaces based on an understanding of human behavior,” says Jane, on how she got her start as a designer. “My UX opportunities have taken me through a series of different roles that have added to my skill repertoire.”
“Through it all, I took pleasure in the challenge of solving user problems and saying “yes” to what scared me,” she explains, on how she ended up in her current position. “I think I’m able to be where I am now because I was willing to get into the arena, as Bréne Brown would say, and get my nose bloodied in the process.”
“In building a community, I feel like I have found mine.”
Here at Practice Makes, we’re all about community. Through the shared experience of being designers and creatives, we are brought closer to each other and our craft, even in a landscape that doesn’t currently allow us to make those connections easily in person.
“In early 2017, I co-founded Hexagon’s Houston Chapter. It’s just 2 months shy of turning 4 years old! It’s dear to me because of the community, program, and mentorship we offer to Houstonian ladies trying to transition into UX. My team of co-leads are examples of leadership, and I’m thankful for their friendship and support.”
“One of my biggest passions right now is my community. It is so important to have a network. A network of support, of friends, and mentors, especially professionally. That’s not something I wouldn’t have learned in normal conditions,” Jane continues, on what the Pandemic has taught her. “The relationships I have cultivated have shined brightly this year. I feel very grateful. In building a community, I feel like I have found mine.”
