Intention Statement for Synthesis

In December 2016, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology. While my husband was stationed in New Mexico, I had the opportunity to teach physical education at a bilingual elementary school. While that was rewarding, I missed being creative in the arts. Most of my associate’s degree was focused heavily on the arts. I quickly found myself taking a graphic design certification, which led to the opportunity to work for the United States Air Force as a visual information specialist when I moved to Mississippi.

As a visual information specialist, I was quickly immersed in marketing, communicating with stakeholders, creating and handling digital or printed products to be distributed, and helping impact the target audience. That job helped set me on the path to studying to become a product designer, where I found my true calling.

As a product designer, I learned and applied many new skills, such as user research, design thinking, Figma, and data integration. I used these skills to design user flows, wireframes, mock-ups, prototypes, and much more to collaborate with developers and stakeholders throughout the development process. I also conducted user testing both in person and online and participated in continuous group brainstorming sessions, both online and in person. One of my achievements was helping take ownership of a new product and trying to figure out the minimum viable product. It focused on data integrations and designing complex and dynamic interfaces for multiple data sources and platforms.

I have left my position as a product designer for a few reasons. The big two were because my schedule was not conducive to my current lifestyle as a military spouse with continuous changes, and the other was because I had a vision to create a fitness training app. Very shortly after leaving my position, I realized my business knowledge was lacking more than I let myself admit. After some research, I came across the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Masters of Science Program. Obtaining a master's and continuing to pursue this vision is mind-blowing, and I am so excited to continue through this program and learn everything I possibly can. As one of my favorite exercise sports scientists, Dr. Andy Galpin, says in one of his many long conversations with Dr. Andrew Huberman, "The methods are many, but the concepts are few" (Huberman, 2023, 4:53). I think it's a beautiful way to view life, there is no one right way to execute something, but success is a success.

Upon completing this program, I aspire to walk away with a ready-to-go business blueprint, a solid product roadmap with my features mapped out, and the business knowledge I need to feel confident when launching my minimum viable product.

References

Huberman, A. (2023, January 18). Dr. Andy Galpin: How to Assess & Improve All Aspects of Your Fitness. Huberman Lab Guest Series. Retrieved from YouTube at https://youtu.be/zEYE-vcVKy8?si=xl3Ea-fBeAISIUCJ