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Hello! I'm Samuel Hulick, and I obsess over user onboarding for a living.
How did you get started in UX, what is your background?
I was initially a developer, and wound up having to code out a lot of things I didn't think would ultimately serve the user (but were too late in the design process to change). I decided to move "upstream" to the strategy side of things and became a fully-fledged UX designer within a couple years.
Where did you study? Looking back, would you recommend your path to beginners in UX?
I was self-taught with everything. I think it's really important to have a strong autodidact streak in the profession, since it's still evolving so quickly. If you're relying on what you learned in college and then stopped learning when you got out, your perspective is going to become obsolete very quickly.
What are the books and weblogs about UX helped you to improve your professional skills?
I remember devouring every single episode of the UIE Brain Sparks podcast five or so years ago. I don't really listen to work-related podcasts anymore, but I bet it's still great. Also, lots and lots of book-reading, especially Steve Krug's "Don't Make Me Think".
Do you work at studio/home office or prefer to mix a few activities?
Yes, I have a home studio and couldn't fathom working anywhere else. I'm a total shut-in.
Who are the UX designers, colleagues you admire most?
I owe a lot of my professional perspective to people like Kathy Sierra, Stephen Anderson (@stephenanderson), Ryan Singer, Joel Spolsky (@spolsky), and many others I’m sure I will be immediately be embarrassed for forgetting.