Who Am I?
I'm Jude Licea.
I grew up in Eugene, Oregon, and moved across the country to chase my goal of working at the intersection of science & design. I’m currently a student and design consultant, studying Cognitive Neuroscience, Design, and Human-Computer Interaction at WashU in St. Louis.
My passion for UX & UI sparked in my computer science class, where I first realized the value of applying the principles of human behavior I’ve learned from cognitive neuroscience. I enjoy practicing empathy and applying design frameworks to better understand user needs and pain points. Approaching design problems like this allows me to structure my creativity and implement impactful design solutions.
Outside of academics, you can find me in the pool practicing water polo, or in the mountains skiing and camping. I love to play piano and discover new music to share. This year, I’m on a quest to complete my exhaustive reading list (though I’m still open to suggestions, or hearing your favorite books!).
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Why the llama? It's my favorite animal and deeply aligns with who I am. They are social, curious, and love the outdoors. This vector drawing was also my very first design project.
Come learn some more about me…
My Bread and Butter
Values
Collaboration
My best work comes from working with others. Having multiple people on a project means more ideas and better outcomes. I find reassurance in a team that pushes me to do my best and vice versa.
Constant Learning
I thrive in a work environment that allows for mistakes and values growth. There is immense value in learning from everyone, especially the more knowledgeable.
Structured Creativity
The more structure and guidance I have, the better. As a designer, I love to have a process to follow. It allows me to focus my creativity and make better products.
Empathy
Putting users first and understanding people's needs and feelings are vital for successful products. Empathy is a skill that can be learned and used in design.
Data Insights
Designers need quantitative feedback to shape their products. Research helps avoid biases and can guide the design process.
Constant Feedback
Receiving feedback is essential. Sometimes, it can sting, but it helps me create a better end result. Designs are never perfect at first; it's the refinement that makes them succeed.
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Go-to Artists
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My Learning Goals.
Cross-Functional Teamwork
I want to understand how different roles in a tech team contribute to a successful product. Working in this environment requires strong communication and knowing your role in the project. I’m eager to learn how I can contribute to a product's success within a diverse team.
Gain More Buisness Accumen
During my recent internship, I gained some business insights, but not as much as I hoped. Since my classes don’t cover business, I need to learn through internships and solve real business problems. I aim to develop my product thinking and impact business through design.
Communicating Design Thinking
A key skill for designers is explaining your decision-making. As I transition to product design, I want to practice communicating my thought process. This clarity leads to better product development, cross-functional communication, and can drive product success while benefiting stakeholders.
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Best Reads
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What I Bring to the Table.
Holistic Design Approach
As a designer, my first priority is understanding the problem thoroughly. Empathy plays a huge role in guiding my design approach, and I rely on research and insights to uncover how I can truly impact people. I enjoy using frameworks like the double diamond model to maintain a systematic and clear design process.
Users First, Always
In my experience, successful design always begins with the user. Users provide invaluable insights that can redefine a project, and my Cognitive Neuroscience background helps me dig deep into their behaviors. My focus on user behavior drives my design decisions and allows me to understand user experiences accurately.
Growth-Mindset Obsessed
Being a designer means staying open to feedback and being ready for sudden changes. I actively seek input to make sure my designs are sharp, purposeful, and impactful. Feedback is crucial to my growth as a designer, and I constantly look for ways to refine my skills and improve my work, especially through mentorship.
Comfort Movies
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Relevant Courses
Visual Principles for the Screen
In this studio course, I explored the increasing demand for graphic literacy and how design functions to create user-centered products and communications. Focusing on web, mobile, and other screen-based applications, I learned about hierarchy, typography, iconography, layout, color, and image. The course was ideal for learning fundamental graphic design and messaging principles while producing researched website and mobile application prototypes, supported by lectures and readings.
Experimental Psychology
In this course, I received training in psychological research techniques, gaining experience in designing experiments and interpreting results. Topics included experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing, with lectures covering general principles and labs providing hands-on experience. I also completed an independent research paper.
Data Structures and Algorithms
In this course, I studied fundamental algorithms, data structures, and their effective use in various applications with Java. Emphasis was placed on choosing and implementing data structures to obtain the most efficient algorithms, with a key focus on worst-case asymptotic analysis for determining scalability and effectiveness.
Interaction Design: Human Health and Wellbeing
In this course, I immersed myself in the principles and methods of interaction design through a mix of lectures, discussions, and hands-on exercises, all focused on tackling health challenges. Working in cross-disciplinary teams with an external partner, I experienced a human-centered design process, developing various deliverables like prototypes and sketches, culminating in a final presentation.
Communication Design: Interaction Foundations
In this hands-on course, I applied interaction design principles for digital media, primarily browser-based. I learned and applied HTML and CSS fundamentals, explored user interaction, examined digital interactions, and understood digital devices as a 'canvas.' Working independently and collaboratively, I designed interactive solutions for various communication challenges.