introduction
Exploring the world of product design.
My internship at Sonatype was unparalleled. Over 10 months, I explored all facets of product design, refining design systems, optimizing developer tools, improving usability, and collaborating with user researchers. I worked across three different teams that challenged me to grow as a designer.
experience
I worked alongside three amazing teams.
Design Systems Team
My role involved not only redesigning components to utilize Figma's full potential but also enhancing existing ones. I worked on 50+ components created a new organizational system for the design team.
User Research Team
I participated in interviews, created usability tests, and conducted surveys. Then translated the accumulated research into valuable insights to inform our future designs.
Developer Tools Team
I had the opportunity to work with developers and contribute UX and UI enhancements to various developer integration tools within the Sonatype Developer team.
reflection
My biggest takaways from this experience.
Cultivate a deep understanding of the product and company.
Sonatype offers a variety of products with complex flows and use cases that are challenging to grasp without a developer's background. I found that diving deep into understanding this space significantly enhanced my ability to improve the products. To excel in your work, it’s essential to cultivate a deep understanding of the product features, company business goals, and the intricate network of internal teams.
Always take time to plan.
Success in design isn't about rushing ideas but taking the time to grasp the problem deeply. This shift in perspective showed me that effective designs come from a clear understanding of the problem. In product design, a well-thought-out plan isn't just a step, it's the foundation for purposeful solutions.
Have confidence in your design your design decisions.
As an intern, I often felt that my opinion didn't carry much weight. However, working with my manager taught me how to advocate for my design decisions and present my reasoning effectively. This experience enabled me to contribute to major design decisions confidently and helped me grow immensely as a designer.
Unfortunately, I am unable to share my work publicly.
If you would like to learn more about my experience at Sonatype and see a full case study, please contact me!