Designation

I would not be where I am now without DESIGNATION. Looking back I can't believe how much they were able to teach and mold me in such a short time. I'm not going to lie, it was hard. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I feel like they take  1-2 years worth of content and experiences and cram it into 4 months. Our instructores really knew their stuff, they could be hard on you but in a way that pushed you to do better. I loved that it wasn't just theoretical content. I got to work with real clients and was able to leave with a portfolio of work and an understanding of how to work with other designers.

Great people, great vibes, great instruction. Other descriptors? Long hours, lots of coffee, tons of laughs. I learned the theory and technical skills, while making great friends along the way. For those looking for a career transition into the world of digital design, DESIGNATION allows the space to learn a whole new set of skills in a very short amount of time.

On the instructor side, most of the instructors don’t have to be teaching (and could probably be making more money designing instead). Yet you have these teachers that do it because they want to be there. (I've heard it's a different story for GA.) Whether it’s the nighttime instructors who work day jobs too or the day-time instructor Won who could definitely get any full-stack designer/developer job in Silicon Valley, the passion is palpable on all fronts.

DESIGNATION is a complete experience that was overwhelming with all it had to offer. As a career switcher who had only 18 weeks to learn everything I could, I graduated recently wishing I had more time or preparation going in so I could absorb even more of the content. I chose to focus in UX but seeing the quality of the curriculum in UI and front-end development made me wish that I had the time to specialize and learn all I could in those areas as well. 

I came away from this immersive experience feeling extremely confident in my new skills as a UX Designer but also confident that my experiences and the assistance here will help me find a job.

If you are looking for a change in careers this bootcamp not only has the best curriculum, but they put into practice what they teach. With each cohort the curriculum is getting better and evolving. I was trying to learn design on my own but I needed to have structure and support from peers and instructors and that's what DESIGNATION provided me with. The entire curriculum is completely up to date and the programs that I learned to use were a mixture of industry standards along with popular, newer, programs that companies are starting to use such as Sketch and InVision.

The instructors/mentors are knowledgeable and know their field inside and out. You always have someone that is willing to critique your work, help you get better, and offer their advice.

It has been roughly two weeks since I graduated and I feel confident in my abilities to land a job in design.  Instructors from the program have kept in touch with me post-graduation to make sure that I have everything I need to complete my portfolio, get a job, and have even send me job postings in my area.

I left my job and career to take a huge chance and attend DESIGNATION. It turned out to be the best thing I could have done.  Considering how all great the reviews are for the program I would probably be a little skeptical, but it's all true.  You will come out of the bootcamp completely equipped for a UI, UX, or front end development job. Expect to put a ton of extremely hard work in, sacrifice your social life, and have some stressful days. After finishing up my portfolio I landed many interviews and had 3 job offers. All of the late nights are totally worth it.  If you're on the fence about attending DESIGNATION, just do it.

I enjoyed my experience at Designation, and would highly recommend it to others considering transitioning careers into design.  Designation provides the resources, knowledge, and support to help you in your career transition into design.  As part of the program, you become part of a broader community of 1) passionate, eager students, 2) instructors/staff that want their students to succeed, 3) start up clients and connections in the 1871 space (Chicago incubator and cowork space), 4) alumni across the nation in varying fields/industries/design roles. This community has upbeat, resourceful, encouraging, helpful, and engaging pre/during/post my time at Designation.

I believe this program stands out compared to masters programs and a self hack education because their curriculum is often updated to include the latest patterns, design tools, emerging technology, and trends going on in the tech / design field.  They also provide collaborative, immersive exercises that allow you to apply new design and front end development skills.  This program stands out compared to other bootcamp programs, because they teach you the end to end design process from research, UX, interaction, visual design to front end development.

What you put into it, is what you get out of it especially related to finding a job afterwards.  There's alumni across different types of design positions and companies, so it is definitely possible and proven to land a design job. Designation won't babysit you put together your portfolio and practice your interviews.  They'll be available if you reach out for help.  

I discovered Designation when I was looking for a career change. I had a background in marketing but found I didn't have all the skills or experience to get that new job I wanted. I really liked that Designation offered UX, UI, IxD and front-end development as I wasn't set on any particular path at first. (you'll choose a direction once you're there)

My experience was great and I would do it over again if I had to. I really suggest prepping yourself and learning all the fundamentals you can before starting because from day one it's intense. That's what I loved about Designation– you're with these great, motivated people, who each bring something different to the table everyday. The instructors are wonderful and truly care about you. Your time there will consist of lectures, assignments, projects, guest speakers, working individually & with groups and hopefully karaoke-ing after hours on Thursday nights. I definitely suggest giving the experience your 110% commitment because you get what you put in it. Designation will provide you with the tools and resources but it's up to you what you do with them. I was a part of one of the earlier cohorts and as every good designer should constantly iterate their designs...Designation constantly improves their curriculum. I think the biggest take-aways that I walked away with was the confidence in my new career direction and the network of new friends and colleagues I made. The design world is amazing & I love how passionate everyone is. 

I know there's at least a few of you out there that can relate to the start of my journey in transitioning to UX/UI design. I had been working in PR for several years and, while I invested a great deal of time in my work and enjoyed certain aspects of my job, my achievements never really felt meaningful.

I spent several months researching how others got started in UX/UI design, read countless design blogs, and even tried to teach myself a few of the tools. I also checked out several design courses, including DESIGNATION Labs and General Assembly. In the end, I realized the best way to learn the trade is to immerse yourself: get hands-on experience and guidance and surround youself with others that share the same passion and drive to be the best designers. I learned so much from the course instructors, client projects and working with other classmates who come from diverse work backgrounds. I left DESIGNATION with a killer portfolio and the skills and confidence I needed to land an awesome job as a UX designer. 

If you're reading this review and are still nervous about making this big step, just take a deep breath, imagine the best outcome, and make it happen. If you put in the effort and hard work, you'll get to where you want be, any likely make some great friends along the way. :)