Design Actually: Honest Conversations for New UX Designers – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to Design Actually, a podcast about what it’s really like to be a designer — especially when you’re just starting out.

I’m Stella, currently switching careers into product design. This show is my way of learning out loud through honest conversations with everyday designers — not the highlight reels, but the messy middle.

In this first episode, I chat with KD, a designer who moved from psychology into UX. We talk about learning the fundamentals without a design degree, balancing data with intuition, and how to grow when you're in a place without strong design culture.

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00:00 Highlights

00:43 What is this podcast

03:41 KD's background - from Psychology to UX design0

7:51 Advices to career-switchers: staying grounded, staying curious

13:32 What it's like and how to navigate in a place without a strong design culture

20:52 Balancing data and taste

29:06 What research is worth including in a portfolio

33:20 Outro and what's next

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If this episode resonated with you — or if you have feedback, topic ideas, or want to be a guest — I’d love to hear from you!

Feel free to reach out:📩 Email: designactually25@gmail.com 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellayy/

Design Actually is a podcast about what it’s really like to be a designer—especially when you’re just starting out. I’m Stella, transitioning into product design, and this is my way of learning out loud through honest conversations with everyday designers—not the highlight reels, but the messy middle.

In this episode, I talk with KD about job hunting, comparison, and learning for the sake of curiosity—not pressure. We get into what keeps him inspired, how he thinks about talent, and why feeling behind doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. If you’ve ever felt stuck or unsure where you’re headed, this one’s for you.

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00:00 Highlights

01:13 Intro - for anyone who's ever felt behind or stuck

02:34 How KD approaches job hunting

05:52 Domain fit matters more than you think

07:37 What makes a role exciting

09:09 Fellow job hunters: be true to yourself

10:23 How to keep learning without guilt or burning out

19:01 On comparison, pressure, and talent: It may take you longer, but you will get there

26:10 What kind of designer are you?

28:42 KD's creative toolkit

31:05 Outro

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🔗 Resources & Mentions from This Episode

• Cosmos – Visual inspiration board: https://cosmos.so

• Substack – KD follows various designers on Substack: https://substack.com

• Book: Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-Brockmann

• Book: Speculative Everything by Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby

• Akira Kobayashi – Font designer

• Agatha Yu – Designer exploring game engines and interaction: https://www.agathayu.com

• Jason Yuan – Designer, founder of New Computer (Dot), formerly Apple:https://jasonyuan.design/

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If this episode resonated with you — or if you have feedback, topic ideas, or want to be a guest — I’d love to hear from you!

Feel free to reach out:

📩 Email: designactually25@gmail.com

🔗 LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellayy/