Non-UX inspiration for beginners

Inspiration can – and should – come from sources outside of UX. Recently, some movies have caught my eye in this regard, and I’m writing a mini-review of one of them.

Not only is this just a good movie, period, but it gives good insight into how Chanel became the brilliant designer that she was (having Audrey Tatou as the lead role certainly helped in this regard!) Here are some things that came to mind that may be of help to beginning UX designers:

Be observant in everyday life: Chanel observed people intensely. She noted details in clothing such as color and shape. These would eventually become part of her own designs.

Aim for simplicity: you can see from her clothing in the early days how Chanel embraced androgyny when women were still squeezing themselves into corsets. Later, she made suits that move with the body, not the opposite.

Get a mentor: you don’t have to be a courtesan, but it will definitely help to have a mentor who can help you improve your designs and build up your skills, and can introduce you to people who may be able to find you a job or a freelance project.

There’s nothing wrong with self-education: Many who are in the UX field now didn’t get degrees specifically in IA, IxD, etc., as these programs are just emerging. If going back to school isn’t financially feasible for you, read up on UX through blogs, discussion forums, and recommended books (many of which are available in libraries.)

Coco Before Chanel is the perfect movie break from your latest UX project. Seeing her at work on her designs – cutting the fabric, laying it out on the dressforms, her meticulous handsewing – is truly inspiring. There are times when she’s in that state of effortless flow we all long for. And there are times when she’s frustrated and blocked, but she still keeps at it. It’s become all too easy for us beginners to be frustrated and discouraged by the current job market, which leads to an inertia of sorts (I too am guilty of this, seeing the time gap between this post and my last one.) But we all just need to keep at it.