This experience was a period of growth and learning for me. I had the opportunity to challenge myself in new ways, especially since Apprenta was a start-up with no solidified branding, meaning directions and opinions were always changing. Working on various projects, I learned how to take abstract ideas and bring them to life through design, all while ensuring consistency and clarity in the overall vision. One of the most valuable parts of the experience was the chance to contribute to both the product design and branding discussions, which helped solidify my understanding of how these two aspects work hand-in-hand. I also gained confidence in myself as I was able to make suggestions to be implemented in pitch decks, and hear feedback from stakeholders directly to see how these approaches resonated (or didn’t resonate) with them and why.

The collaborative nature of the team made the experience even more rewarding. I worked closely with both the design and marketing teams, learning not only how to create effective wireframes but also how to adapt my designs to different mediums, like presentation decks. Regular feedback from developer meetings helped me think more critically about the relationship between design and programming, giving me a broader understanding of product development and the role of design decisions in that process.