Being a UX design intern in 2018
Guest Contribution
The stone age of design internships is over so whats next?
I’m now over half way into my first internship in UX design, I can’t believe I have lived in Germany for more than six months now. Crazy. This internship has been for Bosch Power Tools and I have learnt more than I could possibly begin to explain. I have had countless experiences that I won’t forget soon and the lessons that I have learnt will shape the rest of my design career. This post is a reflection and prediction of what to expect as a UX design intern in 2018.
Looking back to look forward
Remember those stories from parents or grandparents about when they were an intern? The horror? The hard work? that we have it easy? It’s exactly those types of stories that place emphasis on the end of the stone age of design internships. Internships are no longer about being a tourist but actively contributing towards the core values of the business and it’s product folio.
UX interns especially are no longer seen as assistants but equally valued among teams as they bring a fresh mind into projects that have often been overlooked. UX interns have the potential to influence and encourage change in projects even if they don’t have the power or pull to make actual decisions. Even the smallest feature is a huge win and if given the chance as a UX intern you will learn to take the failures as lessons more than a win.
“…to place emphasis on the end of the stone age of design internships.”
UX interns are also becoming a fresh resource for information and design education. The design industry has changed drastically over the last five years alone, the wave of design culture taking over larger organisations was naturally met with hesitation from some but with a younger generation being educated with this culture, combined with the experience of valuable mentors, means that UX interns are in a great position to further themselves and the teams they find themselves in.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges for a UX intern in 2018 will be grasping and understanding the business and marketing side of products. Design education can be said to be flawed as it is nearly 100% design with none of the peripherals but this is when being a Ux intern becomes a great chance to catch up and ready yourself. New design models like agile or lean methods are based around more than pure design so getting to grips with product strategy or sales is a must.
Teams are more diverse than every, cross functional teams are bringing all kinds of experiences to the table for UX interns to embrace and learn from so although this sounds daunting there is always someone on hand to help you.
Saving the best for last
I guess the greatest thing to expect in a UX internship in 2018 is that you will come to finish the internship and have an amount of experience that could never be measured when compared to education. Larger organisations are keen of taking and educating interns more than ever as they have embraced young designers as the future. Smaller organisations or start ups will embrace interns on a different level but still one with an equal worth.
Thanks for reading – I’m currently a user experience intern at Bosch Power Tools and an Industrial Design student at Loughborough University. Feel free to get in touch or check out my website.
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