UX Design Diary: My bootcamp experience
“What was your experience with Springboard like?”
One of the top questions I get from folks entering the UX design field is about my experience with Springboard and if I recommend it. Through this post I want to share my reasons for choosing Springboard, my honest opinion, and the pros and cons of going through a UX bootcamp. I hope this helps with your decision on whether Springboard or any bootcamp is a good fit for your UX journey.
Why Springboard?
When I first discovered UX design, I did so much research and self-studying my first year which became super overwhelming. I felt like my knowledge of the space was all over the place and I couldn’t see a clear path to transitioning into this career. That’s when I decided to try going through a more structured route like a master’s program or the bootcamps I’ve seen online.
Going to grad school was out of the question at the time because I didn’t have the financial means and time to go back to school. Bootcamps like General Assembly were also out of the question because of the same reasons. I finally came across Springboard which met the flexibility I needed with being completely online (so I could still work) and also with being a little more affordable than the other options.
An honest opinion
For me, Springboard was a way to get a good foundation in the design process, support from a mentor and help with my portfolio. Honestly, you could probably get that same experience on your own or with other bootcamps. A lot of bootcamps have things to draw you in like job guarantees and saying that you will become a designer in super short periods of time. In reality, you are the one that has to put in the work to achieve this and there is no guarantee when it will happen for you. I spent almost 6 months looking for a position and it can take a shorter or longer amount of time depending on the person.
You also won’t learn everything about UX design from a bootcamp. Bootcamps are a start but when you finish that doesn’t mean learning stops. A majority of the skills I have now and continue to work on are from my working experience. So treat a bootcamp as the start of your UX journey not as the whole journey.
Pros & cons from my experience
A list of pros:
- Flexible with my work schedule
- 1:1 mentor meetings each week
- 3 portfolio projects
- Foundation in design process
A list of cons:
- No dedicated teachers for lessons (mainly rely on your mentor)
- No group projects
- Little to no experience working with PMs and engineers
- A lot of companies immediately reject folks with bootcamp experiences
Closing thoughts
I hope sharing my experience and thoughts around UX bootcamps helps provide insight for your decisions with Springboard or others courses. Not everyone’s experience is the same so be sure you take the time and do the research to decide what is right for you.
