Osborne Chen

"There's no question that CSUF's UX Certificate is a great starting point for those looking to break into the UX field"

Osborne Chen
UX Designer

“I graduated from the UX Certificate program in February 2013, which helped me land a job in the industry much sooner than I expected. The people I met at the program and what I learned from class really helped in my career transition into UX design," says Osborne Chen.

“There's no question that CSUF's UX Certificate is a great starting point for those looking to break into the UX field,” he notes. “Plus, the staff, instructors and fellow students are a great bunch!”

Right after graduating from college with a degree in Economics, Osborne started working in the defense industry as a business analyst. He enjoyed his work, but wanted to be involved with something that was more hands-on with digital technologies.

When Osborne participated in Startup Weekend Orange County for budding entrepreneurs, he discovered what he wanted to do. “I met some talented designers,” he says, “and many of the winning startup ideas from that competition were led by UX designers. That served as my introduction to the user experience industry.”

He research relevant courses and found EIP’s Certificate in User Experience and Customer-Centered Design. “The UX Certificate was engaging and really helped me prepare for my job search,” he says. “I learned practical skills like prototyping, crafting user personas and blending design with sound business strategy. I also became well-versed in the language of user experience and digital project management.”

Osborne used what he learned to create a portfolio that he had in hand when he began to look for a UX job after completing his certificate program. “The entire process from application to job offer took about 3 months,” he explains. “Several interviews later, I chose a job at an interactive agency, which I feel will give me the necessary breadth and depth as a beginning UX professional.”