The ADPList: Mentorship for UX designers

As a UX designer, I’ve had the privilege of benefiting from both sides of mentorship, thanks to ADPList:

• As a design mentee, I’ve had the privilege of benefiting from the experiences of professional designers, which made my learning curve steeper
• As a design mentor, I share my knowledge with other designers, which helps me refine my skills and become a better designer

And yes, there are many mentorship programs out there that connect mentees and mentors, but the one I recommend is ADPList. I suggest it not just because I’ve had a good experience with it but also because of how amazing it is — it literally stands for “Amazing Design People List,” after all.

In this article, I will highlight the importance of mentorship in UX design and ADPList’s role in connecting mentees with mentors. Stick through!

What is the ADPList?

The ADPList is a democratized mentorship platform for designers, product managers, and people in tech, where mentees learn from mentors in their field without breaking the bank.

It was co-founded in 2020 by Felix Lee and James Lim during the COVID-19 pandemic to bridge the gap between newbies or less experienced designers and the tech profession. It provides guidance and networking opportunities to help the mentees grow their confidence, expand their professional networks, and advance in their careers.

The main mission of ADPList is to create a democratized mentorship platform for everyone. The co-founders designed a platform that provides a welcoming environment and support system for designers, product managers, and developers. The goal is to help them connect, grow together, and strive to improve.

Key features of ADPList

In this section, I’ll break down the standout features that make ADPList the ultimate mentor-meets-mentee playground:

• Mentor matching — Mentees can browse and filter through a wide variety of mentors, selecting those whose experience aligns with their career goals
• Session booking — Scheduling mentorship sessions is straightforward, with an integrated calendar system that shows mentor availability. Mentees can book 1:1 sessions or even join group sessions hosted by mentors
• Feedback mechanisms — ADPList encourages both mentors and mentees to provide feedback after every session. This helps improve the experience for both parties and ensures standard mentorship.
• Accessibility and inclusivity — ADPList is free and available to anyone, regardless of background or location. This commitment to inclusivity sets it apart from many other mentorship platforms that often require a subscription or fee

Why is mentorship important in UX design, after all?

Let me start with stats. About 90% of workers who have a career mentor claim to be happy in their place of work. This alone shows how crucial mentorship is to professional satisfaction and career development.

Most people think mentorship favors the mentee more, but I’m going to say that isn’t true. Both parties, the mentor and mentee, are positively impacted:

Benefits of mentorship in UX design to mentees:

• Breaking into the field — The non-linear path of UX design can be a big challenge for aspiring designers. An experienced designer, in this case, a mentor, can help guide aspiring designers (mentees) in identifying suitable career tracks, helping them build their portfolios, polishing their resumes, and offering feedback and support to ease their entry into the field
• Career progression — As aspiring designers progress in their UX careers, mentorship fosters continuous growth. Experienced mentors guide mentees in developing their skills, exploring new design tools, and even helping them grow their network by connecting them with other industry professionals
• Skill development — In this phase, achieving mastery in UX design requires dedication and expert guidance. And this is gained if the mentee forms a good long relationship with the mentor. Learning and grinding until the design techniques become part of the mentee, making them skilled professionals in their field

Benefits of mentorship in UX design to mentors:

• Leadership development — Being a mentor on ADPList will help sharpen the leadership skills you never knew you had. While guiding mentees, reflect on your own experiences. The “mentor” role lets you contribute back to the design community and makes you a thought leader in the field
• Mutual learning — While sharing your knowledge with design mentees, you also see things from your mentees’ perspectives and understand them. As you engage with them, your eyes open to different challenges, helping you understand the industry
• Networking opportunities — Mentoring helps you grow your professional connections. Building relationships with your mentees can lead to future encounters. Collaborating with these emerging talents can lead to new opportunities and strengthen your connections within the design community

How does the ADPList work?

In this section, I’ll show how to sign up and get started with ADPList so you can benefit from mentorship as a designer.

Note that you can only sign up as either a mentee or a mentor in ADPList; there is no in-between.

Who should sign up as a design mentee?

1. Aspiring designers — If you’re just starting in UX design, mentorship will help you gain insights, avoid common mistakes, and receive guidance on how to build a strong portfolio
2. Career changers — If you’re transitioning from a different career into UX design, a mentor can help bridge the knowledge gap and offer advice on how to apply your previous skills to this new field
3. Junior designers — For designers with some experience but still early in their careers, mentorship helps refine their design thinking, improve their workflow, and grow their confidence.
4. Self-taught designers — If you’ve learned design on your own through online courses or practice, a mentor can help validate your skills and offer feedback that might not be available in a structured learning environment
5. Experienced designers — Even seasoned designers can sign up as mentees to learn new techniques, stay updated with industry trends, and gain fresh perspectives from other professionals in the field. Mentorship at this stage can help refine leadership skills or offer guidance on transitioning into specialized roles, such as management or strategy

Who should sign up as a design mentor?

1. Experienced UX designers — With years of experience under your belt, you’ve seen the industry evolve. Mentoring allows you to pass on valuable lessons and help shape the next generation of designers
2. Design leads or managers — If you’re already leading a team of designers, mentoring gives you the opportunity to extend your leadership impact, helping others grow while honing your own coaching skills
3. Former mentees — Having been a mentee yourself, you understand the value of guidance. Now, it’s your turn to give back and help someone else navigate their UX design journey
4. Design advocates — They mentor by teaching how to communicate design’s value, influence stakeholders, and advocate for user-centered solutions, helping mentees become design champions in their organizations
5. Startup founders with a design background — Founders bring a unique perspective, combining design with business insight. You can help mentees understand how design impacts product development, strategy, and growth

A success story

Many people attribute their design success and growth to the mentorship they got at ADPList. Cami and Bhu, for example, both reached out to each other on the platform and ever since then, they’ve grown a good mentor and mentee relationship.

They explain how ADPList has shaped their career by bringing them both together:

More Than A Mentor | Amazing Together | ADPList

We’re celebrating our community of mentors and designers like Cami-Travis Groves and Bhu Kandola. When we unite, we can be #AmazingTogether. SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/adplist ABOUT ADPLIST ADPList is a community platform on a mission to inspire creative conversations and collaborations globally. We connect designers from around the world to design mentors for portfolio reviews to career advice.

ADPList vs. other mentorship platforms: A comparison

For designers, the ADPList stands out among other mentorship platforms like MentorCruise and LinkedIn mentorships. I say this not just because it is design-focused but also for its simplicity and other features:

Pros and cons of the ADPList

Pros

• Free to use, removing financial barriers for mentees
• Global mentor pool, offering diverse perspectives and expertise
• Easy-to-use interface with quick session booking
• Feedback system ensures continuous improvement in the mentorship process

Cons:

• As the platform grows, mentor availability may become a challenge due to high demand
• Lack of formalized training for mentors may result in varying levels of mentorship quality
• Limited to design and creative fields, which may not be ideal for those seeking mentorship in other industries

Closing thoughts

If you’re a UX designer in the early stages of your career, get a mentor. If you’re a more experienced designer, consider mentoring someone else.

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All of this might sound straightforward and obvious, but many designers still miss out on the opportunity.

As someone who has been in both shoes of mentorship, I can tell you for a fact that being both a mentee and a mentor has significantly shaped the designer I am today and continue to be. You can also benefit from it with ADPList.

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