How boredom led Gabriel Inyamah to become a product designer at Andela
When Gabriel Inyamah, a product designer at Andela, is asked why he went into design, his answer is a surprising one-word response: Boredom.
It wasn't passion, parental influence, or education, the usual drivers of a career path.
"I wouldn't say it was passion," Gabriel admits. "I was just bored, and design caught my attention."
He’s right. Looking back, his childhood offered few clues about his future in design.
Growing up as the third child of four in a middle-class Lagos family, he describes his childhood as "pretty boring." Sundays were brightened by the occasional trip to Mr. Biggs, a popular fast food chain.
Hailing from a blend of Nigerian cultures thanks to his parents' backgrounds, Gabriel never felt confined by a single tradition.
He excelled in school, consistently ranking among the top three in his class. While his artistic talent leaned towards cartoon characters (likely fueled by watching cartoons at a neighbour's house since his family didn't have a TV), his creative pursuits extended beyond drawing, encompassing drama, poetry recitation, and choreography.
Yet, when it came to choosing a career path, his path took a surprising turn – he initially aimed to become a doctor.
“It sounded cool and my dad was proud of me when I told him I wanted to be a doctor, so there was no need to think about any other alternative.”
University admissions proved a hurdle for Gabriel. Twice he fell short due to low scores, enduring a miserable wait while his friends were in university. "It was tough," he recalls, "seeing my siblings get in right away, and my dad looking at me with disappointment." On his third try, needing a sure path, he opted for Biochemistry at the University of Ilorin.
Biochemistry offered a unique mix of challenge and intrigue. Gabriel wrestled with complex biochemical pathways and enzymatic reactions, taking pride in passing his courses. Yet, even amidst his studies, a niggling doubt persisted about the degree's practicality. He even considered switching to Microbiology, a field rumoured to hold better job prospects. "Design wasn't even on the radar," he reflects, "my focus was simply finding a job or pursuing a master's degree after school."
Despite his career uncertainty, Gabriel dabbled in modelling for runway shows in Ilorin for two years. While the income was "decent," as he describes it, it wasn't a life-altering sum. In fact, modelling was his first paying gig, as his third-year student internship at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research in Lagos was unpaid. However, two failed auditions in Lagos in 2018 forced him to close that chapter, definitively ending his modelling aspirations.
Unemployed, broke, and facing an uncertain future
Assigned to the Federal Medical Center in Lokoja for his NYSC year upon graduation, Gabriel found himself researching and documenting. The experience made him consider the possibility of pursuing a career aligned with his degree, especially if offered a permanent position. But at the end of the service year, he wasn’t retained; so he returned home.
The job hunt proved challenging, as expected–the market for Biochemistry graduates wasn't brimming with opportunities. While waiting for a breakthrough, Gabriel briefly dabbled in Forex trading, but after incurring losses, he swiftly moved on.
Unemployed, broke, and facing an uncertain future, Gabriel received a life-changing nudge from a programmer friend. His friend relentlessly pushed him to learn to code, but Gabriel initially resisted, insisting, "I wasn't built for this stuff."
Undeterred, his friend persisted, offering various options. One internet-less day, out of sheer boredom, Gabriel turned to a video course his friend had shared. This Adobe XD course introduced design to Inyamah in a whole new light, sparking a realisation that would redefine his path.
"The lecture sparked a newfound curiosity. I started dissecting everything around me – the AC unit, the light fixtures, everyday objects. I became fascinated by the purpose behind their design."
He dove into the course but didn't complete it. Instead, he focused on building a portfolio by creating quick design sprints. This DIY approach landed him his first client, from Canada. Knowing his experience was limited, Gabriel relied on senior designers' guidance to set his price. To his surprise, he secured a ₦100,000 ($65) contract to design an app and its admin dashboard.
"Looking back, those early designs were rough, to say the least. I can't pinpoint what attracted the client, but thankfully, he liked them enough to give me an opportunity.”
Gabriel executed the design project and went on to do a few others before getting his full-time design job at Launchbridge, an IT services and consulting company.
This role, where he was a design intern and the sole designer, exposed the gaps in his knowledge. Gabriel readily admits his learning process was far from complete. "I jumped in headfirst," he recalls, "taking a course halfway through before diving into Figma and calling myself a product designer.”
“The foundation wasn't there, and it showed – I'd constantly second-guess design decisions, much to my boss's amusement.”
His boss would often jokingly tell his colleagues to 'Beg Gabriel not to change anything!' just to get something finalised.
Seeking mentorship and growth, Gabriel actively showcased his work on LinkedIn. This led to an opportunity at Cornie Health, a healthtech startup, where he honed his skills by building and launching a successful healthtech product.
Gabriel's career trajectory, which included short stints at different companies, has been marked by a relentless pursuit of both personal and financial growth. At Prunedge, a software development company, he played a key role in a landmark project: developing Nigeria's first multidimensional poverty data index, in collaboration with esteemed organisations like the National Bureau of Statistics, UNDP, UNICEF and Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
His impressive work continued at Enyata, where he contributed to building Sojorne, a Techstars-backed mobile app for people with disabilities, recognised as one of Atlanta's top 40 innovations.
Dealing with Oga-centric design and more
Throughout his design journey, a persistent challenge has been managing stakeholder expectations. Gabriel has encountered developers who struggle to translate his designs accurately and product owners who interject with design decisions.
"Frustratingly," he admits, "few developers execute my designs flawlessly. Some suggest changes like adding buttons where none were intended. But if buttons were the solution, I would've included them from the start!"
"Another hurdle is 'oga-centric' design," he explains, referring to a top-down approach where user research is often neglected. 'These executives might have valid points,' he concedes, 'but the communication is often the issue. Often, in these dev shops, user research takes a backseat.'"
"Ultimately, design goes beyond aesthetics," Gabriel emphasises. "Sometimes, suggestions feel like shortcuts. I even offer to let them design it themselves if they believe so strongly in their ideas."
Despite his impressive journey, Gabriel remains grounded in his beginnings. He remembers the challenges of starting without mentors, which fueled his passion for ADPList, a global community of Mentors and Learners. In just seven months, Inyamah has logged close to 100 mentorship sessions on ADPList, making a significant impact on the design community. He's now eager to expand his reach through speaking engagements.
"I mentor designers who, like me at the start, are new to the field," he explains. "I’ve done a lot of one-on-ones and I still intend to continue doing that but I’m also excited about the prospect of group mentorship to reach an even wider audience."
Gabriel's design vision extends beyond product design. He sees himself exploring 3D design, modelling, and even venturing into game design. His foray into development, fueled by learning basic HTML, CSS, and Javascript, has a personal touch.
"A developer once challenged me by saying a design was difficult to implement," Gabriel recalls. "So, I took it upon myself to learn the code and prove him wrong!"