Comfort Survival (she/her)

About me

I was born/grew up in: I was born in Nigeria, and grew up in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria

I now live in: I live in Ottawa, Ontario

I completed my training/education at:  I graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelors in Political Science & International Relations. I picked up UX/UI design at various bootcamps. I completed the Google UX certificate course over the pandemic.

What I do at work

I conduct research to understand the needs of users who visit our website. Then I design user interfaces to make sure everyone who uses our site has an enjoyable experience. To make sure I’m not just working by assumptions when I design, my team and I would often conduct usability tests. To do this, we organize a small select group to test our assumptions. In this way, we get to see how users interact with our product before it goes live to the public. This process allows for feedback after testing. Based on the feedback, we may have to make changes to address the issue.

My career path is

In high school I studied the sciences up until my first year in university. In university, I started doing courses in computer science and engineering. I wasn’t enjoying it, and it wasn’t going that great. So, I switched to the arts - political science. I graduated with a degree in political science and international relations. I picked up UX/UI design at different bootcamps and completed a Google UX certificate course over the pandemic.

Fast forward to the present. I did not think I was going to find myself back in the sciences again but here I am.  4 years after my undergraduate degree, and a career switch, I’m doing a new thing that I really enjoy, and which is somewhat related to my starting point. It really feels like a full circle moment!

I am motivated by

Problem solving motivates me. It is great that I can provide solutions for a multitude of people at once. Knowing in my heart that my solutions will in turn enhance their experience with Let's Talk Science is a great feeling. We have educators, students, and volunteers using our site every day. As a result, my solutions must consider every type of user. I also really enjoy designing! Putting together shapes to form components of a site, deciding information hierarchy, and playing around with color is fun. I use the Figma interface design tool for my everyday design. Exploring all the parts and what they can do, the plug-ins and features of the app is fun. I spend so much time playing with colors and different designs, work tends to go by really quickly!

How I affect peoples’ lives

It is a fulfilling career because I believe I am solving people's pain points. I am providing solutions to the things that stress them the most when they land on a website. Research and testing help clarify assumptions. It also helps ensure that we are speaking with real people and solving problems we know real people encounter when they land on our sites.

Outside of work I

I'm really interested in all kinds of design. In my free time, I design clothes. It’s a hobby that I picked up and I really enjoy it. User experience design and fashion design may be completely different, but I tend to draw inspiration from each. I often draw inspiration from clothes I make that translate to curves on a website.

My advice to others

Do what you enjoy, especially if you intend to be doing it long term! A linear part after graduating might not be ideal for everyone. Go with the flow and find a career that fulfils you. Your hobbies will help you figure out what you enjoy doing long term.