Experiential learning is a cornerstone of an MBS education, and we encourage our students to seek out new and exciting ways to practice what they’ve learned in a real-world environment. On February 23rd, the User Experience Professionals Association New Jersey Chapter (UXPA/NJ) hosted its yearly design slam, sponsored by the Rutgers PSM program, giving participants from all professional backgrounds a chance to put their design skills to the test. The UXPA supports UX/UI designers through all stages of their careers.
In this virtual design slam, participants were randomly grouped together into three teams and given 75 minutes to improve a design. After opening remarks, the challenge was revealed: redesign a confusing elevator panel.
Participants were split into breakout rooms, and they got to work.
“After brainstorming and rapid sketching, we came up with a solution to provide appropriate visual design to the user,” said Parva Bahani, MBS’23. Bahani also holds a master's degree in industrial design from the University of Tehran, and she has previously worked as a creative director and product/industrial designer.
“Our approach, which highlighted our team's ability to work together effectively, led to our victory in the competition. I credit my team's adaptability and collective effort for our success," said Shreya Sinha Ray, MBS’24. Sinha Ray’s interest in user experience design (UXD) began right here at Rutgers when she was completing her undergraduate degree in Information Technology and Informatics.
However, there was more to the challenge than just fulfilling the prompt: participants had to learn how to work in groups, choose a mode of collaboration, and produce a final result within the allotted time frame.
“Initially, figuring out technology was the biggest difficulty,” said Madhav Ramesh, MBS’24, who is pursuing our new Product Design concentration. He explained that his team started off using Figma, but pivoted to pen and paper once they realized they were running out of time.
Sinha Ray said that she gained insight into design thinking strategies through collaborating with her own teammates and learning from others. Working under pressure pushed her creative boundaries, resulting in outside-the-box thinking. “Participating in the competition was also instrumental in building my confidence as a UX designer,” said Sinha Ray.
This design challenge also gave MBS students a chance to apply what they have learned in their classes.
“The process was precisely the same; we had a problem we should solve,” said Bahani. “So we had a mini case study and provided a solution considering UX/UI process.”
“Drawing upon my previous experience in self-learning bootcamps as well as Rutgers MBS program courses, I immediately adopted a design thinking mindset to create a user-driven solution to the elevator panel problem,” said Sinha Ray.
The design slam had the added benefit of allowing participants to connect with others in their field and grow their professional networks.
“Every new person I meet has their own story and can open new doors and opportunities to your world,” said Bahani. “I like to connect with new people, especially when it comes to designing events and meeting people in my field of study.”
Josephine Giaimo and Lubina Bogoeva of UXPA/NJ also shared news of upcoming professional conferences and encouraged participants to share job openings from within their organizations.
“Even before we got into the slam, there’s this feeling of, ‘we’re here to help you,’” said Ramesh. “There’s a huge networking element. It was easier to network in this community. It seems like a friendly environment to do so.”
Ultimately, this design slam offered participants more than just a chance to redesign an elevator panel.
“I highly recommend individuals who may feel intimidated or apprehensive towards participating in a design slam to seize the opportunity and take part,” said Sinha Ray. “The nature of these high-stakes, solution-oriented competitions can offer profound personal growth and self-discovery, regardless of the outcome. There is much to gain from the experience, and I encourage all to consider it as a valuable learning opportunity.”
The design slam was a good introduction to the field of design as a whole, said Ramesh, especially for those who are considering a transition. He added that it’s a great way to learn how to work in a team with people of different experience levels and incorporate different ideas.
“It was fun working with people. Everyone was really nice, and I realized that there were a lot of Rutgers MBS students. So it was a very familiar environment,” said Ramesh.
To learn more about UXPA/NJ, join their LinkedIn group. You can also read more about last year’s design slam on our blog.