I just earned my Artificial Intelligence Micro-Certification (AIC)™️ from Product School and recently joined IxDF - Interaction Design Foundation as a member, where I've been exploring courses that align with how I see design, along with other topics that spark my curiosity.
Shaping experiences while reshaping priorities
Two courses I've been diving into, "Design for the 21st Century" and "Design for a Better World" with Don Norman, focus on humanity-centered design, something that, to me, should be the standard. Design isn't just about usability. It should consider long-term impact, ethical responsibility, and the broader systems it affects. Too often, products are built for short-term goals, overlooking their real influence on people, society, and the environment. We already have the tools to create better solutions. The challenge is choosing to use them.
I've also been diving into UX for VR and AR. These fields go beyond traditional design discussions, and how we interact with technology. As a gamer and a technology explorer, I don't just want to use these technologies. I also want to understand them, break them apart, rethink how they can be applied, and contribute to making them more intuitive and human-centered.
At the same time, I've been reflecting on how I balance work, life, and my own goals. That is why for some time, I have paused building Roopzy App because I want to organize my schedule better and find a way to balance everything: work, personal projects, dreams, and just life in general.
The power of learning and self-belief
Barbara McClintock once said:
"If you know you are on the right track, if you have this inner knowledge, then nobody can turn you off... no matter what they say".
Growing up, I wasn't given much space to explore my interests — not just as a child, but throughout different stages of my life. That's a topic for another post (maybe). But even then, I always knew I wanted to learn more, build more, and do more. Now, I have the freedom to keep growing, and I don’t take that for granted.
Maybe this is where my "achiever gamer" mindset kicked in. In gaming, achievers are the players who chase progress, unlock every challenge, and push themselves to complete every goal in front of them. I've always had that drive, not just in games, but in life. I keep going, not because I have to, but because I want to see what else I'm capable of, what more I can learn, and how far I can go.
Looking ahead
More than any type of certification, the thing that really means more to me is that I can continue to learn and explore without limits. And with much gratitude, I didn't get here by myself. All through these, I have been very fortunate to have all sorts of people around me: people who supported, trusted, and even challenged me during those dark and happy times to become what I am today.
Well, between taking a break after the week and just spacing out, the whole weekend became filled with lessons, notes, and ideas. I really hadn't planned for it to do so, but it happened that way. And so, this year — fingers crossed 🤞 — I'll take the opportunity to study, experiment, and think again over everything which regards design and life as a whole. After all, great design isn't only about creating stuff that's appealing and works, but also about why we design, whom we design for, and the impression that will last after our existence is long forgotten.
