I thought I wanted to be an architect. I studied architecture because I was fascinated by how design shapes human experience, but eventually realized I was more interested in the people, systems, and ideas behind buildings than the buildings themselves.

I wasn’t looking to leave design. I was looking for a different medium.

The signs were already there. My graduation project explored imaginary spaces and human experience rather than a building. For my first product design interview, I presented a kindergarten built around a tree, translating parents, teachers, and children into stakeholders, journeys, and workflows.

Today, I still think like an architect. The medium changed. The way I think about design didn’t.