WWW… Wednesday! Finding an Online UI/UX Community

Recent events have made visiting coworking spaces unadvisable and in some cases impossible. While you’re likely accustomed to learning and working alone, losing the option to work in the presence of others can be a hard pill to swallow. Feedback is a key component of any design process, and without it, our designs may not realize their full potential. While working on a project alone it can be easy to fall victim to tunnel vision and focus on our strengths while neglecting other elements of our design. We aren’t always in the position to have a team to support us, but having friends to give our work a quick once-over can make a huge difference in the final product. Oftentimes all it takes is a fresh pair of eyes to notice something we had overlooked.

So where do you find these friends? In web-based industries, especially UI/UX, jobs are becoming increasingly remote. Even when you work with others, making friends with your team can be a difficult task if you’ve never met them and all of your communications are job-focused. Without the opportunity to socialize, it can be hard to get to know others on a personal level.

Fortunately, the same tools we use for work can be used to make friends and build a network of trustworthy experts we can rely on in a pinch. Messaging platforms like Slack and Discord have become popular tools for like-minded individuals to gather and make friends. Regardless of your industry or area of interest, chances are, there’s a Slack or Discord group for you.

If you’re interested in front end development, give this group a shot. Maybe you’ve recently made the jump to Sketch and want to learn a few tips and tricks from the veterans, then give this group a try. Or maybe you just want to test the waters and see what these communities are like, here’s a great group to start with.

There are too many to list here, but there are an endless number of groups out there, just waiting to be found. Pick your field of interest and do a quick search and you’ll see what I mean. Whether you want to improve your skill set, expand your network, or are just in need of some quick feedback, you’re bound to find what you’re looking for. Many of these groups are created by working professionals to foster a sense of community within the industry and push the field as a whole. Since you’ve likely got time on your hands, you might as well give it a shot because now more than ever, connection is vital.