What’s it like working at ExperienceLab? – My first 2 months at EL

What’s it like working at ExperienceLab? – My first 2 months at EL

I’m Constance Ip, a UX Researcher and Consultant at ExperienceLab. It’s been two months since I joined this brilliant team and took my first step into the world of consulting. I wanted to share a reflection of my experience so far, which hopefully provides some first-hand insights to anyone who may be interested in joining us!

Why ExperienceLab?

I chose ExperienceLab because of two important factors.

Firstly, I wanted to further my career as a UX researcher by gaining exposure to a variety of projects across different industries. I previously worked at a design studio and loved the breadth of projects and clients I worked with. I knew ExperienceLab would allow me to do the same, and I was right –there’s never been a dull moment and all the projects I’ve worked on so far have been super interesting!

The second factor is about the people. Being able to work in a diverse team is extremely important to me. From experience, working with people from different backgrounds and disciplines enriches the research and design process and also makes it so much more enjoyable. Being able to meet several members of the ExperienceLab team throughout the interview process really helped me learn more about the team culture and to make the decision to accept my offer. I can confirm that we’ve honestly got the dream team here.

My first week

In my first week, I met my manager Emily and the rest of the team over virtual morning and afternoon teas. I really appreciated these as a way to get to know everyone, especially since we’re all still working from home due to the pandemic. I was also assigned a buddy to help me settle in. Shout out to Kelly who was super friendly and made me feel right at home! It’s reassuring to know that you instantly have someone to casually message or call whenever you have any questions (tip: ask lots of questions as a newcomer, there are no silly questions). Everyone was also understanding and helpful when I was sorting out my IT issues, which is so much more difficult to do when working remotely.

Putting my work hat on

The first project I worked on and recently wrapped up was for a private sector client. It was both exciting and daunting because I didn’t really know what to expect. Luckily, I was paired with my buddy Kelly on this project. I was given responsibility from the very beginning and worked on various tasks, from handling recruitment screeners and client communications to analysing usability test results and helping write a whopping 95-page report!

I learned so much from this one project alone and from working with Kelly as well. We had some intense deadlines to meet, which wouldn’t have been possible without her positivity and professionalism. I’m grateful to have worked on such an interesting project right from the get-go.

Fun fact: Within this short time, I’ve somehow become known for my note-taking skills. I never expected the notes I made during interviews and usability tests to be praised by the client! Never underestimate the power of positive feedback from a client…

Any free time I had went to developing my personal development plan with Emily, working on internal projects, or providing support on other client projects. I love being able to offer my help wherever possible and getting a glimpse into the other projects at ExperienceLab. Everything is a learning opportunity and a great chance to further my understanding of our different clients. Working on a diverse range of projects from all kinds of sectors has got to be one of my favourite things about this job!

Overall thoughts

It honestly feels as if I’ve been at ExperienceLab for longer than two months. Time flies when you’ve got your hands full with project work, but it’s the people here that have made my journey so enjoyable so far. I’m also surprised at how much I’ve already contributed to projects – I can’t wait to continue my growth from here onwards!

Join us at ExperienceLab

We are recruiting Service Designers, Senior UX Consultants, UX Consultants and Account Managers now.
Check https://www.experience-lab.com/careers/ for all the great reasons to join and links to our live ads.

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