Design Actually: Honest Conversations for New UX Designers

Stella Yan
  • 5.0 (2)
  • DESIGN

Design Actually is a podcast about what it’s actually like to be a UX designer. Hosted by a designer-in-progress navigating a career switch, this show features honest, low-pressure conversations with everyday designers. Not the polished highlight reels, but the real stuff: imposter syndrome, awkward feedback, weird interviews, and the small wins that keep us going. It’s about design — but also about finding your way, building confidence, and growing through uncertainty. If you're quietly ambitious and still figuring it out, this podcast is for you. Let's figure it out together.

Episodes

  1. AUG 6

    #2 It May Take You Longer, But You Will Get There: On Design Growth, Self-Doubt, and Creative Identity with KD

    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. - 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 - 🔗 Resources & Mentions from This Episode Cursor – AI-powered code editor: https://www.cursor.com Cosmos – Visual inspiration board: https://cosmos.so Substack – A platform for newsletters and longform writing: https://substack.com Book: Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-BrockmannBook: Speculative Everything by Anthony Dunne and Fiona RabyAkira Kobayashi – Font designerAgatha Yu – Designer exploring game engines and interaction: https://www.agathayu.comJason Yuan – Designer, founder of New Computer (Dot), formerly Apple: https://jasonyuan.design/ - 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/

    32 min
  2. #1 From Psychology to UX: KD’s Journey Through Intuition, Craft, and Finding His Corner

    JUL 14

    #1 From Psychology to UX: KD’s Journey Through Intuition, Craft, and Finding His Corner

    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. - 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 - 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/

    34 min
  • 2 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Design Actually is a podcast about what it’s actually like to be a UX designer. Hosted by a designer-in-progress navigating a career switch, this show features honest, low-pressure conversations with everyday designers. Not the polished highlight reels, but the real stuff: imposter syndrome, awkward feedback, weird interviews, and the small wins that keep us going. It’s about design — but also about finding your way, building confidence, and growing through uncertainty. If you're quietly ambitious and still figuring it out, this podcast is for you. Let's figure it out together.

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