Nevertheless, Shilpa Coded

My journey as a woman in tech so far...

Two years ago, I started my coding journey as an HTML developer. It was quite an exhilarating start for me. Later, I learned HTML, CSS and Javascript as well.
After months of converting PSDs to HTML designs, I realised I wanted to do more, to learn more. I wanted to pick up new skills that I could apply to my work. While I was looking for more to learn, UI/UX attracted my interest the most, so that's what I decided to delve deeper into.

I've learned a lot since then, and now, I'm one of the go-to UX people in my firm. For the interfaces I design, my approach is simple: I want the user to achieve what they're trying to through the medium while having a joyful experience. That's an important belief of mine. Good design not only works, it also makes the user happy. My current work gives me a chance to experiment with a lot of different UIX designs and see what ultimately works best for the users. It's exciting and it gives me a sense of purpose.

I think I can summarize my feelings for my work with a great quote I read in a Medium article a while back:

"A very unique nature salt has is, its presence is never felt but its absence makes all things tasteless."

I feel the same about design. Bad design also gives a dull experience to users just like food without salt.

I am very happy to have progressed so much as a UIX designer in a short amount of time. For this year, my main goal is to delve deeper into the same discipline and gain even more expertise in it.

My advice for allies to support self-identifying women and non-binary folks who code is...

1. Act as an advocate and for them and their work. Include them in important meetings and plans. Helping them develop a healthy network is also a good idea.

2. Help them develop a strong sense of purpose by supporting them in what they do and trusting them to do it well. Provide them with constructive criticism so they can improve their skills, and vocally appreciate them in front of their peers when they do a good job.

I am grateful to my team for being super supportive of me in my journey and helping me grow into my role as a UIX expert. I'm excited for what the future holds for me!