Introducing myself. Happy to be here! Amazing value!

Absolutely. That's why I led with my strengths. Writing and business fundamentals. I plan to create a post offering copy writing for free so I can build a professional writing portfolio.

Hey Khadush:

Here is my LinkedIn. Thank you for taking time to read what I wrote. https://www.linkedin.com/in/latishagradyworkshard/

Hey there!

How did I like the course? Did I get a lot out of it. Ummmmmmm...yes and no. My overall experience was a mixed meh. It was the course offered through Coursera, btw. Cost $40+ bucks per month. Very economical pay as you go structure.

Yes, I got a lot out in that that it is good for beginners to learn the fundamentals.
Yes, in that I walked away with two assets for my portfolio website to show my potential as a UX Researcher and, possibly, a front end web developer. https://latishagrady.com

I'm dealing with imposter syndrome around describing myself as a Front End Web Developer because my coding knowledge is not competitive. And I'm sure if that's what I want to pursue in this space. I have more natural comfort around UX Research tasks. Being in this Indie Hacker space confirms how much I need to learn and level up on. And, it's NOT me being hard on myself. It's me being sober.

I'm not into foo foo manifestation talk. I believe in manifestation based on the ACTIONS you take toward what you envision.

So while, I'm sober about what I AM NOT YET, at the same time, I believe I can learn or be anything with the right support and guidance. You are the average of the 5 people (or communities) you hang around and why I'm here. That's what I've been searching for and what has been my obstacle. Finding the right community or tribe. The place where I fit.

Now the no. Not really a no, I just realized that what I learned there, I could have learned on LinkedIn Learning or YouTube for free.

They do provide a mock project for you to work on --which is where it has more value than a LinkedIn or YouTube tutorial.

But this is where the course became something I did not expect.

For, I enrolled in the course thinking I would be able to bring my own project idea to work on... Somehow, I missed that part of the course description--if it was presented clearly. I enrolled intending to go the distance--all 7 modules.

While all modules stand independently (you get a certificate for each one completed like LinkedIn Learn). To get the "pro" designation, you needed to complete all 7 in the series.

For those interested in the rest my experience, read on for the tea (slang for details or story:) ).

THE TEA

At first, I started all bright-eyed and bushy tailed. I was motivated by my Sr. Capstone Project and an entrepreneurship course I was taking that required my group to come up with a serious business idea we could work on beyond the course.

I teamed with a girl who had a dope idea for an app for freshman college students living in dorms we called DesignU. I was like ---ayeeee! I can apply and use this Google Course to fulfill my Sr. Capstone and add value to the entrepreneurship deliverable for my team.

I thought I'd take this course and it could serve as a guide to help me be the UX Designer for this team project. Wrong. The Google Course restricted the the first 5 modules to working on a mock app idea, generated by this idea generator tool.

PROBLEMS
First, problem I underestimated the time it would take me to finish all 7 modules and 4 full-time college courses.

Second, I'm totally new to UX Design frameworks and beginner to intermediate relative to front end Web Design. The idea generator didn't have ANY ideas that resonated with me. Take me as new UX intern at a real company with products I was uninterested in, at least I would have had LIVE HUMAN BEINGS available to consult to quickly fill in the gaps in my knowledge and cultivate an appreciation and interest in the project.

Had I started with the real world project from my course, I think I would have been more motivated to continue on with the course. So I did the first module and by the time I got half way through the second module, I reasoned, I could have a better UX learning experience in another setting under other circumstances.

Third, it's easy to cheat the system and get certificates and not be skilled (that's with most online courses that do NOT have some kind of live real world accountability or deliverable. I think it's better for me to try to UX/Web Design my own ideas and come to communities like this with my questions or find a mentor or even hire a developer as a one on one coach (since I'm willing to pay X amount for these courses) to help me through rough patches.

So that's the tea. Here is what I was able to salvage out of the 1.5 modules.
to put on my portfolio website, to show that I at least know how to think through a PDLC or a SDLC and how to attempt to organize and document UX Research. Which are what I'm interested and strongest in, in this tech space. https://latishagrady.com/cafe-1784/

As a beginner, I'm looking for entry-level roles in UX Research, Technical Writing, User Testing (why I want to up my coding knowledge to learn software QA).

So that's the tea! :) I know it was long. But to start community with people you have to be vulnerable and sometimes that requires details.

What say you? Thought? Constructive feedback? Talk to me.

SMCN, thank you. I look forward to be able to share my knowledge about financial analysis (income statements and balance sheets) also to help you guys convey the value of your offering to business stakeholders. I'll be looking for opportunities to chime into discussions around that in this tech context. My dream job would be doing just that on a team. Being the liaison between development teams and business stakeholders and users.

Thank you for the welcome Ropesneer.