Humble reflections from a full-time nomadic product designer.

I recently attended Config in SF, and once again, I returned home convinced that the best takeaway from the conference is always the introductions made with fellow designers and the deeper understanding of our incredible community.

During these great intros, one of the first questions everyone asks is, “Where do you live?” My answer is always different: “I’m everywhere! / I’m nowhere / it’s complicated.” This time, these answers and the engaging conversations they trigger made me reflect on how this lifestyle shapes me as a professional in an industry that still idealizes the San Francisco life.

?? How it started

About two years ago, my wife and I embarked on this lifestyle. With both of us being lucky enough to secure remote jobs, we realized there was nothing holding us back from living our dream of traveling to as many places as possible while working on the road—and saving some money in the process! While it's important to acknowledge the privilege that enabled us to make this choice, we also feel incredibly proud of the moment we decided to take the leap and just go for it.

So we got a travel trailer and fully renovated it to make it feel like our home. Having a big desk for my design gadgets and my wife's art supplies was especially important to us. Since then, we've moved our house on wheels every two weeks, exploring deserts, forests, canyons, mountains, beaches, and national parks across the US.

?? How this life shapes me as a designer

So, like I said, this got me thinking and reflecting on the relationship between this lifestyle and my career. Am I a different professional since I started this journey? I think I am, in a lot of ways, and I'd love to share some of them with y'all:

• Embracing restrictions

Living on the road comes with its own set of unique challenges and limitations. With solar power only, limited water supply, and fewer options for groceries, I’ve had to adapt and find creative solutions to everyday problems. This forces me to embrace restrictions and has taught me a valuable lesson that resonates deeply in product design: doing more with less.

Designers often (pretty much every day?) face the requirement of creating solutions with minimal resources. This principle has become a daily reality for me. For instance, managing our energy consumption, or water tank, has made me prioritize and optimize my laptop use, ensuring I achieve maximum productivity with limited resources. This great experience translates directly into my work, where I now approach projects with a focus on efficiency and sustainability.

Folks, even grocery shopping has turned into a lesson in adaptability! With fewer options, we’ve had to get inventive with meal planning, paralleling how I tackle design challenges by making the most of what’s available and finding ingenious ways to meet goals.

• The creative boost of new environments

Our ever-changing scenery has proven to provide a refreshing reset for my mind, keeping creativity alive. This constant change acts as a natural antidote for the white canvas problem that I've struggled with so many times before.

When the surroundings shift from a desert to a forest, it’s like a mental reset button is pressed. Each new location brings fresh perspectives and inspiration, making that Figma infinite blank page less intimidating. This also helps me maintain a dynamic and flexible mindset, essential for tackling design challenges.

By continuously exposing myself to new sights, sounds, and experiences, I can draw inspiration from the world around me, making my decisions more diverse and original even when working within the boundaries of a design system.

• Understanding UX through new interactions

Passing through super small towns and staying at RV parks all around has given me the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people from very different backgrounds. This constant interaction with different individuals has profoundly impacted my understanding of UX and the importance of user research.

Each new person I meet brings unique perspectives and experiences, reminding me of the incredible diversity among users. These interactions have highlighted the necessity of thorough research and empathy in design: understanding the needs, behaviors, backgrounds of a broad user base is crucial to creating inclusivity.

A couple of years ago, many of my colleagues could tell you how skeptical I was about investing in user research. However, having had the privilege of experiencing a wide range of perspectives and diversity on the road, I now feel more empathetic and effective in product design. This journey has truly underscored the importance of thorough user research in creating meaningful and inclusive solutions for everyone.

?? Conclusion

If you've made it this far, thank you. I don't write often because I don't consider myself a great storyteller, but this felt worth sharing. Living and working on the road has transformed me as a designer, boosting my creativity, problem-solving skills, and empathy. I hope my journey inspires others to embrace new experiences and perspectives, wherever they are.

Happy travels and happy designing!