I'm Marcos Vera

My strongest skill is putting one foot in front of the other. I like to tell stories and listen to other people's stories. Now I'm learning to design User Experiences and to solve problems that frustrate people in their everyday life. I'm passionate about helping other people, and I'm passionate about tacos. I'm very passionate about tacos.

How I got started in user research

When I was 18, I took a gap year from college and I did that thing where you jump on a Greyhound bus and travel the United States. Growing up as an avid reader, I'd always loved the great travel books: Huck Finn, Around the World in 80 days, and, of course, On the Road. It was on these buses that I learned to take my nose out of my books and listen to the stories that were going on around me. That's how I realized that the story of a mother in Omaha trying to get to her kid's birthday party in Denver can be more valuable than any story by Kurt Vonnegut. And that's what I really love about UX Design—you get to jump into someone's journey and become a part of their story and (hopefully) be a part of their solution. Even though I took that journey more than 10 years ago, stories have kept me tied to that experience on the American Road, and now that I'm a UX designer, the journey can keep on going.

What I've been working on

Recently, I just finished getting my UX Certification from General Assembly. In my free time I am sharpening my design and research skills, playing guitar, and running around with my dogs.

Before moving into UX Design, I spent 7 years working at a Credit Union in Austin, TX where my time in Training and Project Management helped me sharpen my teamwork and organization skills. See more of my professional experience here!