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.

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.