Design is the strategic alignment of people, processes and technology to achieve desired outcomes. My personal strengths pair well with the world of problem solving: strategic, futuristic, curious, ideative, and empathic. Coupled with my capabilities in design thinking, human-centered design, design research, UX/UI, and workshop facilitation, I have become recognized as a specialized generalist.
I have an innate, natural curiosity to explore and understand the contexts and drivers behind systems (be it cultural, environmental, technological, financial etc.). Why do they exist? How did they come to be? What influenced them to evolve? Who is affected by them? How do they interrelate with others? What value do people derive from them? What is the experience like? Most importantly: what might these systems look like in the future?
I play various roles that shift based on clients, project needs, semantics, and other factors:
User Experience Strategist
(UX Research + UX Design + Innovation, etc.)
Service Designer
(Service Blueprinting, Process Mapping, Customer Journeys, User Personas , etc.)
User Experience Researcher
(User Interviews, Qualitative / Quantitative Research, User Testing, etc.)
User Experience Designer
(Wire-framing, Information Architecture, Journey Mapping, User Flows, Content Strategy, etc.)
I have worked with International brands and enterprises (Herman Miller, Wayfair, Consumers Energy, Gordon Food Service, Caterpillar, Toro), Small to Midsize Businesses (Ferris Coffee & Nut, AOP), and non-profit organizations (Mayo Clinic, United Nations Universities, Spectrum Health).
Engagements have ranged from short week-long strategic sprints, to being integrated within long-term projects within global enterprises.
Driven by a natural ability to navigate ambiguity, backed by an analytical and strategic mindset, and pulling from a diverse toolset of methodologies, I work with, and help teams thrive at the intersection of services, systems, products, business, and technology.
Known to be flexible and adaptive, my strengths are best utilized in nimble, collaborative environments surrounded by diverse subject matter experts, stakeholders, and most importantly: access to real people ("users")!
Boundless curiosity, strong collaboration, deep exploration, and rapid iteration are core principles in my work.
It is my belief that creators bear the responsibility to respect all living things and their ecosystems — be it social, cultural, environmental, or financial. Our actions and inactions have impact.
With this in mind, I love to work with people and organization who strive to create desirable futures that are equitable and sustainable for all.
Exploring the world and its wonders.
Creating art and experimental designs.
Wandering via bike or hike.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Human-Centered Design
Service Design
Design Thinking
Futures
Mission & Vision
Value Proposition
Design Management
UX Design
Branding & Identity
Communication Design
DELIVERABLES & ARTIFACTS
User Research
Analysis & Synthesis
Personas
Journeys
Service Blueprints
Systems Maps
User Flows
Workshops
User Testing
Team Facilitation
Project Management
Presentations
Design Strategy
UX Wireframes
Visual UI Mockups
Information Architecture
Interactive Prototypes
Design Systems
TOOLS & METHODS
Workshops
Pen & Paper
Whiteboards
Sticky Notes
Slack
AirTable
Miro
Notion
Mural
Whimsical
Excel
Dropbox Paper
Markdown
Design Thinking Human-Centered Design
Collaboration
Co-Creation
User Testing
Agile
Lean UX
Iterations
Sprints
Figma
Sketch
Adobe Creative Suite
Invision
Abstract
Dropbox
UserTesting
RECOGNITION & INVOLVEMENT
Design Week
Teaching and leading design workshops
KCAD Collaborative Design
Teaching HCD and DT methods
Weekend for Good
Offering design services for non-profits
Sustainability Champions Award 2016
Service Design & UX for U.N. Conference
Wege Prize 2015
National transdisciplinary team - composting
Wege Prize 2014
Local transdisciplinary team - hydroponics
MWUX13
Scholar focused on placemaking