Abdelrahman Afia: UI/UX Designer

About My Journey as a UI/UX Designer

From Design to Development: A UI/UX Designer's Path

My journey into UI/UX design and front-end development wasn't a straight path-it was built on struggles, curiosity, and resilience.

In 2021, I started university as an engineering student, but I quickly realized that my background in the American diploma system left me struggling with math and physics. Instead of letting those setbacks define me, I made one of the most important decisions of my life: I shifted my major to Digital Arts and Design in 2022. That decision completely reshaped my future.

The first year in design was eye-opening. From Photoshop and Illustrator basics to photography, painting, and video editing with Premiere Pro, I explored creativity from multiple angles. I even ventured into 3D modeling with 3ds Max, where I built projects like the Cairo Tower and Mohamed Ali Palace. These experiences taught me the importance of foundations-color, composition, and storytelling.

In my second year, I faced a big choice: Game Design or UX/UI Design. Even though I've always loved gaming, my heart leaned toward UX/UI design, because it combined creativity with problem-solving. I dove into Figma, building wireframes, prototypes, and even cloning real apps to understand design systems. My professors noticed my passion and energy, and I often pushed projects further than what was required. That's also when I picked up After Effects, exploring how motion could enhance interfaces and showreels.

Then came HTML and CSS-and with them, new struggles. At first, I felt lost. But with the encouragement of a friend who explained the simplest concepts-like div, p, and h1& I found my footing. Slowly, I moved from static pages to experimenting with JavaScript. Even when I failed a semester, I refused to give up. Instead, I doubled down: studying online, exploring what front-end, back-end, and APIs meant, and teaching myself how to build not just designs, but fully functional websites.

One project that marked a turning point for me was the Giza Zoo AR Website. It wasn't just an academic assignment-it was proof that I could connect design, code, and interactivity into a meaningful experience. Seeing my professor's trust and appreciation reminded me why I chose this path.

Today, I define myself as a UI/UX Designer and aspiring Full-Stack Web Developer. My toolkit spans Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and even AR tools like Adobe Aero. But more importantly, my story reflects who I am: resilient, adaptable, and passionate about bridging the gap between design and development.

For me, UX/UI isn't just about making things look good-it's about solving problems, telling stories, and designing experiences that feel human. And every struggle I've faced along the way has shaped me into not just a better designer, but a stronger person.