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EPISODE
36
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December 16, 2024
Building Global Design Solutions: Insights from Senior Product Designer Aaron Onu | AFTER HOURS 🍸
with
Aaron Onu
Available on
Aaron Onu is a a senior product designer and co-founder of Los Hombres design studio . Aaron shares his journey from electrical engineering to becoming a respected figure in product design. Aaron's story begins with early exposure to design through his brother's computer school projects, leading to an internship at Jumia where he discovered the power of data and user research. His career includes impactful projects like Trips (formerly Plenty Waka), where he helped transform public transportation across three countries and contributed to securing $3 million in seed funding. He also led design for Speechify's Audiobooks team, making reading more accessible worldwide. A compelling aspect of Aaron's journey is his focus on creating products that genuinely improve people's lives. Now, as co-founder of Los Hombres, Aaron and his team support founders and startups with design solutions while developing their own products, including Good Skin, a personalized skincare routine builder. With over 13 years of collective experience, they pride themselves on being "best in class" and maintaining close proximity to the problems they're solving. Aaron shares valuable insights for aspiring designers, emphasizing the importance of sharing work publicly and embracing global design opportunities in the age of remote work. While the barrier to entry for UI/UX design might be lower than traditional fields, standing out requires consistent practice, problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of both design principles and user needs. The conversation also explores the evolving role of designers, with Aaron recommending that designers learn coding skills to better communicate their ideas and potentially become "design engineers." His only career regret? Not learning to code earlier.
Guests
Aaron Onu is a senior product designer and co-founder of Los Hombres, . Aaron shares his journey from electrical engineering to product design, his role in shaping impactful projects like Trips and Speechify, and his insights on design, problem-solving, and the future of UI/UX. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on career growth, global opportunities, and why designers should consider learning to code.
Embrace Early Exposure & Learning – Aaron’s design journey began with curiosity, inspired by his brother’s computer school projects, showing that exposure to different fields can spark career shifts.
Design Can Drive Impact & Investment – Aaron played a key role in transforming public transportation with Trips (formerly Plenty Waka), contributing to securing $3M in seed funding—demonstrating how good design can fuel business success.
The Value of Sharing & Community Engagement – He encourages designers to showcase their work publicly, network, and take advantage of global design opportunities, especially in the era of remote work.
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