Scott Aquilino

Can you tell us a bit about your education and career background?

I've been working as a Designer for the last 12 years. I got my start as an intern at a design firm where I went on to work as Senior Graphic Designer, this gave me a great foundation for visual design before moving on to focus solely on user experience and product design.

Why did you choose to study at BrainStation?

I loved BrainStation’s sense of community and building a culture around digital skills. I saw that they provide a ton of opportunities to grow your network and career.

What motivated you to start digital skills training?

As I started to work more closely with product teams in a leadership role, I wanted to be able to better communicate with Product Owners and Managers. The Product Management course at BrainStation helped me understand the unique perspective within the product team. I later decided to go back to BrainStation to sharpen my skills as a UX Designer and further develop my understanding of UX research techniques.

What was the highlight of your learning experience?

Getting the opportunity to present ideas and designs in an environment where it is safe to fail is extremely valuable. So much of my work involves communicating design decisions and testing my abilities to convey ideas. Getting feedback has really helped point out my blind spots.

I wanted to be able to better communicate with Product Owners and Managers. The Product Management Certificate I got at BrainStation helped me understand the unique perspective within the product team.

What was the most challenging part of your learning experience?

Working remotely through the pandemic has had its challenging moments, but the classes and content were engaging enough to make a few more hours at my desk go by more easily.

How has your BrainStation experience impacted your career?

Having insights and perspective on the needs of people in different roles on a product team helps strengthen communication. Being able to speak the language of your teammates helps you address each individual's needs so that there is confidence among the team.

What would you say were the most valuable skills you learned?

The most valuable skills I learned were presenting, communicating, critiquing, and giving feedback.

How have you incorporated those skills into your current role?

When I am communicating design decisions with my product team, or looking for feedback from other Designers. I now have the skills to navigate those conversations.

What advice would you give to professionals considering a BrainStation course?

Reach out to BrainStation – they have amazing Learning Advisors who will answer all your questions and work with you to make the right decision.