Stepping into the world of UI/UX design as a fresher is both exhilarating and overwhelming. The first few months are a whirlwind of learning, unlearning, and adjusting to the fast-paced rhythm of real-world product design. When I began my internships, I thought my biggest challenge would be creating visually appealing designs. But as I progressed, I realized that the true challenges lay beyond just the design tools—understanding user needs, collaborating with engineers and product managers, and balancing creativity with business objectives.

I vividly remember the first project I took on. I was obsessed with making my designs look sleek and modern, spending hours perfecting micro-interactions and animations. But when I tested my work, I found that these elements slowed down the user journey and distracted from the primary task. That was my first real lesson: aesthetics alone don’t create a great user experience.

Over time, I encountered more pitfalls, each teaching me invaluable lessons. Here are some of the most common mistakes I made—and how you can avoid them.

One of the first challenges I faced was learning that design is more than just aesthetics. In my early days, I was obsessed with making everything look visually stunning. Every element had to be sleek, every microinteraction had to be engaging, and every screen had to feel like something straight out of a high-end Dribbble shot. But I soon found out that an elegant design that ignores user behavior and business objectives is just decoration. There was a time when I designed a sign-up flow that looked incredibly polished but failed to guide users efficiently through the process. The drop-off rate was alarmingly high, and the product team had to step in to simplify the experience. That was a wake-up call—design isn’t just about how things look but about how they work. Real-world UI/UX is about solving problems, not just creating visually appealing screens.

Another realization that hit me hard was the importance of communicating effectively with engineers. I had assumed that once I handed over my designs, developers would magically bring them to life exactly as I envisioned. But I quickly learned that ambiguity in my files and a lack of detailed specifications led to misinterpretations, delays, and sometimes even features being built differently than intended. I once designed a complex interaction for a mobile app, only to find out later that implementing it was nearly impossible within the given time and tech constraints. Instead of a seamless collaboration, we ended up going back and forth, trying to salvage the design within what was feasible. Over time, I started working more closely with engineers from the beginning, discussing constraints, documenting every interaction clearly, and making sure I understood the technical trade-offs before finalizing designs.

Understanding the business side of design was another steep learning curve. As designers, we often get attached to the experience we’re crafting and want to make everything as delightful as possible. However, in a real-world setting, a product doesn’t just serve users—it also needs to align with business goals. In one of my early projects, I designed a feature that I believed would significantly enhance user engagement. It was interactive, immersive, and felt like a fresh addition to the product. But after launch, the metrics told a different story. Engagement didn’t increase as expected, and worse, the complexity of the feature led to higher bounce rates. The product managers helped me see that every design decision needs to be validated against measurable outcomes—whether it’s increasing sign-ups, reducing churn, or improving conversions. This shift in perspective made me more data-driven in my approach, ensuring that my designs not only looked good but also performed well.

One of the biggest personal challenges I faced was learning to detach myself from my designs and embrace critique. The first time I presented my work in a design review, I was incredibly nervous. When feedback started pouring in—some of it quite critical—I felt defensive. I had put so much effort into those designs, and hearing that they weren’t working as intended felt disheartening. But over time, I realized that feedback wasn’t personal. It was about making the product better. I started asking questions instead of reacting emotionally. "Why do you think this approach isn’t working?" "What would make it better?" This shift in mindset helped me see feedback as an opportunity to improve, rather than as a judgment of my skills. Some of my best work has come out of iterations that stemmed from constructive criticism.

Perhaps the most unexpected challenge was understanding how to work within a team. In college, most of my projects were solo efforts. I had full control over my designs, my decisions, and my process. But in a professional setting, design is deeply collaborative. Engineers, product managers, marketers—everyone has a stake in the product. Initially, I struggled with balancing different perspectives. I would push for design choices without fully considering technical limitations or business constraints, and that led to friction. It took me a while to understand that the best products come from a blend of insights across disciplines. Now, I proactively seek input from different teams, involve engineers early in the process, and align my designs with business objectives from the start. It’s no longer about me owning the design—it’s about the team building something great together.

Looking back on my journey from a design student at NIFT to working across diverse internships at Stylumia, Whatfix, OnFinance AI, Dimerse, Lovable Sports, Niti AI, and Adymize, INKPPT I realize that most of what I've learned has been through mistakes. Each blunder was a stepping stone to becoming better at my craft. Reflecting on my journey from a wide-eyed design student to a more confident product designer, I realize that most of what I’ve learned has come from making mistakes. Each blunder has been a stepping stone to becoming better at my craft.

The most valuable lesson? Design is a team sport. The best work happens when designers collaborate closely with engineers, product managers, and most importantly, users. The second most valuable lesson? Mistakes are inevitable, but learning from them is optional.

If you’re just starting out, take heart: mistakes are part of the process. What matters is how quickly you learn and adapt. Keep your ego in check, stay curious, and focus on solving real problems for real users.