Ready for Anything: The UX Designer’s Hybrid Toolkit

This week, digital exploration met physical exploration, and I loved every minute of it. I had the chance to meet with some of my colleagues in Colorado with my colleagues from Seeq Corporation, and this picture shows my workspace for the week.

As a UX Designer, I’ve learned that it’s important to be ready for anything, whether I’m working online or face-to-face.

When I know I’ll be meeting in person, I always come prepared. I carry my UX bag filled with the essentials: pens, pencils, dry-erase markers, sticky notes, Sharpies, rulers, tape, erasers, and whiteboard cleaning spray. I also pack mini whiteboards and either a large writing pad or blank paper, which is perfect for capturing quick sketches or spontaneous ideas.

On the flip side, digital prep looks a bit different. It’s about making sure my laptop is fully charged, I’ve got my charger, I’m connected to reliable internet (with a hotspot just in case), I have an adaptor for connecting to a second monitor or projector, and I have access to whatever collaboration tools we’re using such as Miro, Figma, Confluence, Google Docs, you name it.

The tools and spaces may change, but the mindset stays the same: be ready, stay flexible, and keep creating.

This week was fun, as we jumped back and forth between digital tools and physical tools. It’s important to be innovative and work in an environment that fosters collaboration, brainstorming, and great ideas.