Name: Danielle Williams
Job title: UX Developer at Synergy Learning
What does your typical day look like?
Each day starts with a daily stand up meeting, where the full Synergy Learning operations team gathers for a quick run through of our project work. From there, I’ll get started on the development work I have scheduled. My main job as a UX developer is to build themes for our customers’ e-learning applications, but it’s definitely a team effort, so my day will include a lot of communication between other teams within the company. This includes working alongside different teams like design and project management. In this role, I’m also very hands-on with customers and will speak to them daily, whether that be for general project communications or holding meetings or UX workshops.
What are you currently working on?
Despite the pandemic, we have been kept busy and it’s great! I’m working across multiple projects at the moment, but most recently, I’ve been creating learning solutions for Plan International, St John’s Ambulance and NFON.
What inspired you to join this company in particular?
The role of UX Developer was really intriguing to me as it’s quite a niche title. It focuses on combining development and design skills and ensures user experience is always at the forefront of everything. This seemed to match perfectly with my skillset. The 1team culture and the group of people that work at Synergy Learning were also massive reasons for joining the company.
Did you always want to work in the tech industry?
During school I always really enjoyed art, so I thought I’d go down that path. Then in fifth year of high school, when I started to do very basic web development for my ICT GCSE, I knew that I could probably have the best of both worlds and combined that passion for design with the technical world of development.
What’s your favourite part about your work?
The creative side of the role, working closely with our design team and building out interfaces. It’s also great to work hands-on with customers and it’s a really rewarding feeling when they love our creations.
How do you see this technology impacting on our lives?
The work that Synergy Learning does is so important and relevant in the current climate. With so many people now working from home, online learning is needed more than ever. It’s great to see first-hand how our services have made a difference to our customers during this difficult time. For example, we worked with University Hospitals Birmingham to build a learning platform that would give NHS staff the training they needed to lead the fight against COVID-19.
What would you say to other people considering a job in the tech industry?
Go for it! It’s a great community to be part of and there are so many different areas of specialisation - the options are endless. The industry itself is growing rapidly and there are lots of opportunities for career development.
Who inspired you to work in this field?
I would say the female ICT teachers in my school. They really advocated for this field of work and were always encouraging me to take the next step and study for a computing degree at university.
What do you consider to be the most important tech innovation or development in recent years?
On a general note, it's hard not to mention the enormous role technology has played in the COVID-related detection and treatments we’re now seeing, which is incredible. On a personal note, I love the smart home technology that's now available.
What tech gadget could you not live without?
My phone.
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