How I Work
Methods
Lean UX, Jobs-To-Be-Done, Design Sprints (read about my geeky thoughts on facilitation), Atomic Design Systems, Stakeholder Interviews, User Interviews/Focus Groups, Competitor Analysis, Accessibility Analysis, Storyboarding, Journey Mapping, Prototyping, and more.
Tools & Technologies
Figma, Miro, UserZoom, WAVE, A11y Project, React, React Native, Ruby on Rails, HTML5, CSS3, SCSS, Git, Gatsby, Middleman.
Influences & Resources
UX Planet, Smashing Magazine, UX Collective, UXmatters, NNGroup, Brad Frost, Alla Kholmatova, Erika Hall, Jared Spool, Chris Messina, Sarah Doody.
What I Value
Cross-Functional Teams
I do my best work when embedded in collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams. I see it as the role of the product designer to steer the conversation and ensure we are asking the question “why” as much as “how”.
Validating Assumptions
It's important to track assumptions early & often and test them against measurable user research. We don't have to be right the first time as long as we check ourselves along the way.
Rapid Delivery & Iteration
Value now is more important than perfect later. I am deeply focused on getting functional software into the hands of users so we can iterate on their feedback & refine over time.
My Background
Senior Designer
HPE, 2021 - Current
Led the design of B2B cloud computing SaaS products spanning multiple platforms and workstreams. Helped evolve the design culture towards design thinking, design systems, Lean UX, and cross functional collaboration.
Highlights
- Led the design of the centralized platform experience that spanned all product offerings.
- Created, evangelized, and rolled out process improvement efforts across teams.
- Contributed towards expanding, refining, and evangelizing the global design system.
Senior Product Designer
Thoughtbot, 2018 - 2021
Led cross-functional client teams through design sprints, MVP design & development, and foundational design systems. Deeply embedded with developers to implement code in React, React Native, Ruby on Rails, and Elm.
Highlights
- Mentored client teams and in-house designers on usability, accessibility, design system, and research.
- Organized and conducted a multi-day workshop on facilitating design sprints.
- Wrote responsive, accessible, scalable, and maintainable production markup and styling.
UX Lead
Mobile Heartbeat, 2017 - 2018
Responsible for the design of all company-wide initiatives, including clinical communication applications for iOS, Android, and web with over 79k daily users in over 92 hospitals. Started as the sole designer before hiring, scaling, and managing a team of three designers.
Highlights
- Helped grow the active user base by 30% in 18 months.
- Earned acceptance into the Apple Certified Partner Program.
- Regularly interviewed, shadowed, and conducted focus groups with clinicians across the country.
Senior Design Consultant
Pegasystems, 2016 - 2017
Embedded with Pega teams across the country to lead their UX efforts and implement front end code. Mentored client teams on usability, design system, accessibility, and design thinking best practices.
Highlights
- Established a design system used by over 50 developers.
- Built custom interfaces within the Pega platform.
- Earned the Pega System Architect certification.
UX Designer
HMH Labs, 2013 - 2016
An original member of SchoolChapters before being acquired by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. We became HMH Labs, a cross-functional/agile internal lab focused on R&D.
Highlights
- Designed web and mobile edtech products.
- Worked alongside developers to implement markup & styling in Ruby on Rails.
- Completed the Firehose Coding Bootcamp.
Freelance Designer
Jeff Stolz Design, 2011 - 2013
After transitioning from a career in architecture, I got my feet wet in software design/development by freelancing and learning through experience.
Highlights
- Designed web and native mobile apps.
- Developed Wordpress and HTML/CSS sites.
- Designed a premium beer series of Boston Beer Works that remains in circulation.
