An Interview with Shanda Nelson, Group Design Lead — Education
How did you land at AMBOSS?
E-learning is an opportunity to help others find fun, accessible ways to learn new skills. I have a background in EdTech, and found that the work culture in these environments are very positive because colleagues have a strong willingness to learn themselves, and remain curious about everything.
I applied to AMBOSS because I heard good things about their work culture. Thankfully, it was a mutual fit, and I’m proud to be a part of the team.
What does a typical day look like for you on the Product Design team?
Some alignment meetings and time blocked to focus on design work. A typical week also includes a couple of collaboration workshops.
Because most of us work from home, we also have virtual gaming to socialize with colleagues, in addition to in-person team events.
Which challenges are unique to Product Design at AMBOSS?
I’d say this isn’t limited to just Product Design because it also impacts Research and Product Management… Our unique challenge is that we have a very niche target audience that has a wide range of disciplines that varies from market to market.
For example, a medical student studying during their first year might have a different user journey from that of a Resident. But not only that, the education institutions and their curriculums differ from country to country.
It’s a unique challenge when you’re aiming to create an intelligent e-learning solution.
What’s something you do outside of work that brings you joy?
Lately, I’m in love with renovating old and new furniture. Gimme a DIY or restoration project and I’m a happy gal.
What surprised you about your role or team when you joined?
The amount of internal terms to describe one thing — some of which are medical references or inside jokes…learning the story behind some of the terms is very funny.
What advice would you give someone looking to join the Product Design team?
Be humble enough to compromise, share your voice, and collaborate often (both remotely and in person.)