The early explorers used to inscribe the words “Here Be Dragons” at the edge of their maps to mark uncharted territory – to denote the dangerous and the unexplored. It’s both a daunting and tantalising prospect: to venture forth, to see for oneself what lies at the edge of the unknown.

This is where I find myself midway through 2024: on the precipice of an exciting, but also daunting, new chapter. I have left my known world behind, the world of architecture that I was so embedded in for nearly 12 years. I embark on a new career voyage, one to waters partially known, and one where I feel my pursuit of that elusive sense ikigai lies.

In August, I started a new role as a UX designer for a rapidly-growing finance company based in Cape Town. It’s an entirely new world, a new language and environment for me to acclimatise to. But the prospect of the new, of plunging into the unknown, is exhilarating. Parts of this journey aren’t entirely unknown to me: I’ve long held a passion for the tech world, for designing digital user experiences. My work on the MyDojo platform for SKKSA exposed me to the full spectrum of digital product development. And after deep introspection (I don’t embark on such dramatic life changes on a whim, and of course have been carefully planning and studying this career shift for a while now), I realised that this is where my purpose lies: in harnessing my passion for tech, design and problem solving towards crafting a career that can be fulfilling, exciting and one where I can thrive.

Getting there

Once I realised that the UX space is where I wanted to be, I began to bridge the knowledge gaps I needed to make the leap. Fortunately, my architectural background held me in good stead: as architects, we are problem solvers using space to create physical user experiences that are functional and bring a sense of joy and delight into users’ lives. UX Design is essentially being an architect for the digital, rather than physical, world: organising digital structures and crafting experiences for users in the digital world, and reducing the friction for users between their needs and the tools they’re using to achieve those needs.

I took the Google Professional Certificate in UX Design via Coursera, which is a 7-course certification that I felt provided a solid foundation for entering the UX world. It was challenging as I was still working as a professional architect, managing a demanding job during the day, and finding any tiny gap of free time, evenings and weekends to get through the modules and activities. But once you discover your passion and purpose, a new sense of energy is injected, and the deeper I went into the programme, the more I realised that this is the world I wanted to be in. That fuelled my desire to push through those moments of doubt and get me to the finish line.

The Sunk-Cost Fallacy

Shifting careers is a big decision. The hardest thing to get through is not the coursework, but a shift in mindset. It’s about getting through the sunk-cost fallacy, whereby one is reluctant to pursue a major change because of the amount of time or effort invested in their current trajectory. My years in architecture were not wasted, but rather set me up with a solid design-based foundation, and practical experience in a dynamic, professional environment that equipped me with the tools and techniques to solve challenging problems, overcome obstacles and, above all, operate with the user’s needs foremost in mind.

Searching for Ikigai

This is perhaps my biggest takeaway from undergoing this major career shift: mindset is paramount. Understanding your “why” is central to charting your journey through the unknown. For me, that “why” was discovering what my professional purpose was, and then designing the journey to get me to that point. It’s unique to each person, and unique to what you’re seeking out of your professional life. For me, purpose, balance and, ultimately, seeking ikigai in my own life, is what drove me towards a career in tech and the field of UX. Solving user problems through design excites me, and being able to play a role in how people navigate their daily challenges – and in reaching millions of users through my work, hopefully bringing some spark of joy through the interactions I craft – energises me.

The journey continues, and I look forward to chronicling bits of it here on the blog, as well as exploring topics around UX, design and tech. I am learning a whole new vocabulary, learning how to engage with different kinds of thinkers, stakeholders and voices, and so dragons still lie at the edge of my own world map.

But as Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote:

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”

These words have guided me through this journey, and continue to do so.

And as the tagline for this blog remains: haud ignota loquor – I speak not of unknown things. I look forward to chronicling this journey as it unfolds, understanding and exploring the things that remain unknown. There’s lots to unpack, and I look forward to taking you along with me.