Interview: My first week at HeyForm

Hi there, I’m Arlene Xu, the new UI/UX designer at HeyForm, and I’m excited to share my experience of joining this amazing team. Starting a new role is always a mix of excitement, curiosity, and challenges, and I’ve been lucky enough to dive into all three during my first week at HeyForm.

A Little About Me

Let’s start with a bit of background. My journey to becoming a designer has been far from linear. You know how Steve Jobs talked about “connecting the dots”? That idea resonates deeply with me. My academic background is actually in finance, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that my true passion lay in communicating with others, exploring new ideas, and solving problems. I initially began my career as a human resource consultant, helping businesses refine their HR strategies. It was in that role where I discovered my love for problem-solving and creating better experiences for people. Over time, this interest morphed into a desire to focus on user experience (UX) design.

With continuous learning and practice, I eventually made the career switch to UX design. Then, as luck would have it, an incredible opportunity with HeyForm came my way, and I jumped at it! After some seamless onboarding, I found myself as a part of this fast-moving team. It almost felt unreal, but I knew I had to quickly adjust to the pace of HeyForm's dynamic environment.

Joining the HeyForm Team

HeyForm, as the name suggests, is all about making online forms easy, efficient, and accessible. Our platform helps users create conversational forms for various purposes—whether it’s surveys, quizzes, or polls—without the need for coding skills. From the moment I joined, it was clear that HeyForm is more than just a form builder. It’s a tool that’s designed to simplify the process of collecting and organizing data while keeping the user experience at the heart of it all.

During my first week, I quickly noticed how smooth and effective the team’s workflow is. Everyone works hard but collaborates even harder. There are no cumbersome layers of management—communication is open and direct, even with our CEO Luo. This openness fosters creativity and ensures that everyone’s ideas are heard. The ability to share thoughts freely has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my time at HeyForm so far.

The Challenges and Joys of Working in a Start-Up

Working at a startup like HeyForm is both exhilarating and demanding. The pace is fast, and the expectations are high. Every day presents new challenges that push me to grow both as a designer and as a collaborator. We’re constantly refining the product, whether it's iterating on design elements or figuring out new ways to improve the user experience. The high standards and tight deadlines can be intense, but they also make every achievement—no matter how small—feel incredibly rewarding.

And let's be honest, challenges are what help you grow, right? Each task, each problem to solve, is an opportunity to learn something new. And the satisfaction of seeing an idea take shape and come to life is worth every bit of effort. The team’s energy is infectious, and that’s what makes every day exciting.

First Impressions: My First Week at HeyForm

So, what was my first week really like? Well, it was a whirlwind of design work and collaboration. My day-to-day responsibilities revolved around refining user interfaces and enhancing the overall user experience of the platform. One of the most striking things I noticed was the level of transparency and teamwork. Every person is encouraged to contribute, and feedback flows in all directions—whether it’s from the development team, the product team, or even the CEO.

One of my key takeaways from this week was just how user-focused everyone at HeyForm is. Every decision we make revolves around creating a better experience for our users. Whether it’s simplifying a form creation process or making the interface more intuitive, the user is always at the center of our work.

A Note to HeyForm Users

To all our users, I want you to know that I’m here to ensure that your experience with HeyForm is as seamless and engaging as possible. I’m constantly learning and growing, both as a designer and as a member of the HeyForm team, and I’m always open to your feedback. If you ever have thoughts or suggestions on how we can improve, don’t hesitate to reach out! After all, I’m not just designing for HeyForm—I’m designing for you.

Wrap up

My first week at HeyForm has been a blend of learning, growing, and collaborating with some of the most dedicated professionals I’ve ever worked with. This team is passionate about building a product that makes life easier for our users, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that mission. I look forward to the challenges and successes that lie ahead and am excited to continue growing alongside this fantastic team.