Quantity Surveyor to UX/UI Designer
A story guide to professional considering the career switch
What is Quantity Surveyor?
Also known as Cost Consultants, Cost Engineer and Cost Estimator. Quantity Surveyor (QS) is to ensure building projects remain within budget. They provide cost and material estimates, draw up projected budgets, and work alongside as a team (Architect, Engineer, Supplier and Sub-Contractor).
QS responsible for allocating work out to suppliers, sub-contractors, and contractors, putting in control of billion projects sum. QS gets to see the project through to the end (average 5 years per project), monitoring the progress of plans and keeping the client fully updated, and reporting on the results.
One of the most daring decisions?
Yes and No. Why?
I did about 2.5 years of research on UX/UI Design. I finally took action to change the career from Quantity Surveyor to UX/UI Design.
My background seems as far as possible from any type of technology. Everything happening is linked to technology, like the Nokia phone to iPhone, Nokia used to be the world's best phone, but now iPhone blew everyone's mind.
Being immersed in the innovation of the tech industry gave me the awakening that technology needed. I believe that the future of the Construction industry is autonomous self-building, it will be built faster, better and safest.
But how would the skills gap "fill" and make this career change?
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Why Quantity Surveyor is not fulfilling my soul?
Don't take it personally, in my deep bottom of my heart I still in love with Quantity Surveying and I do not regret a single day of all my previous projects. I enjoyed, learned, problem sloving, and collaborated as much as I could. I also met amazing people and made great connections among the teammate.
Below I will share some pain points:-
Pain Points #1 : -
Projects take about average 5 years to design, construct and complete
For every stage of a construction project, there are certain steps and processes there is need to be followed to ensure a successful outcome. Many changes can happen between the time of design and construction, it will indirectly affecting the success of the project for the end-user and the business objective. What we plan now, might not available after 5 years, technology is ever-changing, so you have to be willing and able to change times and needs fast.
All the work is performed by multiple contractors and sub-contractors. Construction planning and the schedule of a project are very important. This is especially true for sub-contractors who need certain parts of the job completed before they can begin their portion. Bad project planning and management, it lead to serious delays and budget overruns.
Hence, to avoid serious delay of work, we should use some kind of digital solution. For example, new building projects today have adopted building information modeling (BIM), a 3D model-based process that makes the planning, design and construction of buildings more efficient.
Pain Points #2 : -
Once project completed unable to switch back time
In order to test our design, architects will request to build a lot of physical design mock-up and temporary show units (it will throw, is part of construction wastage not eco-friendly at all) to test Architect's design idea before proceed and approved the design.
There is no end-user testing on the physical mockup, idea testing was tested by the project team (Architects, Engineers, and clients). We can only rely on the previous project completed to get end-user feedback.
After the construction is completed and units are fully occupant. It is extremely hard to make signification changes, revise, amend, and demolished the work. It will cause budget overrun and it needs a lot of effort, time, money, coordination, and energy.
Pain Points #3 : -
Workload ≠ Salary
Quantity Surveyor (QS) is not a boring job, it is a challenging job, other than project planning, handling disputes and it is a stressful job. QS has to deal with tight deadlines, long working hours, and poor work-life balance. There is a common culture in the construction industry, you are the first one to arrived office and the last one to leave the office (We don't get to see sunset very often). My ex-colleague even did receive a warning letter, with reason stated "Warning no.1 - no working Overtime, low productivity".ðŸ¤ðŸ˜° (High performance = extra working hours).
QS is often doing unpaid overtime to meet our deadlines or preparing the cost budgeting based on each design changes. I learn how to have better time management. I often rely on digital products and software to help me speed up the work and have a better work-life balance.
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What to do next?
Thanks to my QS career journey, I got to know that technology can increase workplace productivity and help on employees to have better time management, accurate and better work-life balance.
Hence, I started to find a way to bring my skill and filling it up.
Step #1 : -
Research
I often have a lot of question in mind, "How do they know what's QS needs for these tools/software?", "How they find out?", "What do they really know about QS needs?"
"Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the foundation of digital transformation in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. BIM integrates structured, multi-disciplinary data to produce a digital representation of an asset across its lifecycle, from planning and design to construction and operations." (Autodesk software developer)
Every person behind the screen who designs the software or digital products. It coming from all kinds of different backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives. They committed to build and diversity fuels new ideas, creativity, and business growth.
Hence, I got ideas that I could also be the one who creates products it provides meaningful and relevant experiences to users.
The next question is "how?". "How might I learn from scratch?" "How to kick start?" "Back to school again?"
1) Bootcamp
Bootcamps is one of the most cost-effective ways to get the real-world skills and training you need for a successful career in tech. (In a comparison of time and price, if you getting back to university life)
2) Self-learning
Youtube is always the best channel to learn everything from people around the world.
Step #2 : -
Participate in design challenges, build your portfolio and get mentorship
To brush up on your design skills, basically, you have to get your hand dirty. Start from zero to something. Don't be shy about asking a question to your mentor.
At first, I participate in the design challenge Shopee product & design challenge 2020-2021. This is a two weeks design challenge open to the public and students to participate. This is to gather all kinds of ideas from different backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives. You got to learn a lot of design ideas during this open competition.
To improve my design skills, I participate in Daily UI Challenges. It's a daily design inspiration that helps to improve my time management, software tools, to experiment with designing in different ways, and to practice & research, and to improve.
Lastly, we all need guidance and feedback on our portfolios. Therefore, I book and get mentorship from ADPList. This is one of the websites that provide free guidance and career advice mentorship around the. world!
Step #3 : -
Be your own unicorn🦄
During my one of the interview with XXX company.
the interviewer said, "aiya, you are from a construction background, nothing to do with design at all, you are wasting your time!"
From a non-design background doesn't mean it was a weakness and look down on yourself. Let's turned it into your achievement and strength. There must be something that drew you further towards UX/UI Design. Every person's career milestone is important and it makes me who I am now.
I was being asked at every interview about why you decided to make the career switch?
"My background seems as far as possible from any type of technology. Everything happening is linked to technology neither me nor you can unlink it".
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Key Takeaways
Career transition is never easy. It involves significant risk-taking start from the square again. It can often make you feel isolated, lost of direction, and doubtful about your credentials.
My past experience gave me a strong foundation to be a better UX/UI Designer and it's helped me transition smoothly. Looking back, I know I absolutely do not regret being a UX/UI Designer. All the effort I put into tech would be worth it.
- Eilin -
- The End -
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