CASE
STUDIES

So, I designed this logo — it is simple yet nuanced; it clearly conveys a concept executed in a visual medium, and it invokes an emotional response.

But design, at its core, is simply "…anything not created by nature." That logo kind of screams nature, am I right?

If you break it down, it's basically an amalgamation of observational skills and mechanical intuition at play. Couple that with a keen interest in the nuances of the human psyche, add in a directive with an objective — and you're basically primed to become a UI+UX designer.

The cofounders had one very specific requirement: for it to be unlike anything or anyone else in the home remodeling space. Whereas most in their industry inventorize their services and product offerings, Power wanted to showcase the lifestyle benefits that come with achieving your dream home.

They wanted video. They wanted animation. They wanted lifestyle photography — and they had the budget and enthusiasm to see it to fruition.

It's a ton of fun to focus your efforts on a single product, especially when that product is the face of an e-commerce platform shipping millions of dollars of merchandise to a fanatical fanbase — derr, userbase.

With a need for a system that could accommodate thousands of uniquely complex online orders spanning a bevy of categories, I designed custom UI+UX solutions through iterative testing — everything from homepage through checkout, to your inbox. Or, in this case, your doorstep.

*The site has changed since 2011, but the fundamental building blocks are still largely intact.

Okay — I realize these wireframes are basically grayscale designs. It was one of those unique situations where the university's team already had a solid IA in place and, with ambitious plans for the future — having just launched a massive rebranding effort — sought an upgrade for their .EDU.

When the client hands you their fresh brand and says "Wow us"... it's when things get exciting.

The Dana Foundation provides grants and funding for neuroscience research and education. The previous site hadn't seen a refresh in over a decade — making a near 1:1 desktop-to-mobile experience critical.

We delivered a full-spectrum mobile-first redesign — new brand identity, intuitive navigation, and a flexible layout for showcasing a comprehensive array of neuroscience content.

A traditional top-bar navigation was not going to work — and no way was I hiding these taxonomies behind a hamburger button. (…okay, okay — burgers are acceptable for mobile.)

Eight regional campuses, dozens of international locations, and multiple internal entities with unique priorities and initiatives. Given Kent State's breadth across the region and the world, I set out to develop IA and UI+UX solutions that accommodated their complex and atypical infrastructure.

I refactored their IA, created wireframe and design prototypes showing the intended functionality, and walked through various user-flow scenarios giving the client a clear understanding of form and function.

Additionally, I engineered a separate navigation system from the ground up. While it didn't make it to fruition, it served as an invaluable thought experiment in creative and analytical problem solving. — Shout-out to my developer for that insane implementation.

Most of my UI+UX experience had been for websites — I mean, responsive websites that you can view on your phone. But the expectations are different when you're handling a native app.

You can imagine how thrilled I was when I joined O3 World and was immediately presented with the opportunity to finally get my hands on app work — operating on an efficient 2-week sprint cycle with weekly face-to-face meetings with the client.

The app was privately funded by its founder, and we met with his team on a weekly basis. In a world where most meetings occur on the cloud, it was great having face-to-face time — direct feedback, working out solutions, and getting approvals in real-time.

One thing I excel at: translating data points into pixels. Having worked with client teams of all types through the years, I've developed a knack for translating their hard requirements into conversation pieces that make the creative process actually creative.

I may have spent as much time, if not more, in spreadsheets and word docs outlining technical specs, functional requirements, and UX specifications than I spent working on UI in Sketch.

I was approached by the SVP Creative Director who stressed this was straight from one of the Board members — so the pressure was on to deliver my best. Onus was mine to dive into the SAP Hybris platform and weigh the system's features against the client's requirements.

UX efforts ranged from iterating standard Order Lists, to designing complex data tables optimized for the layperson's mobile device, to granular documentation of micro-interactions throughout the sales funnel — add to that list navigation and taxonomy systems. My forté.

No cliché themes. Don't be derivative. Think modularly.

I liked the idea of a dot representing a unit — an individual — and the idea of numerous circles representing many, humankind. The circle itself: a metaphor for the mind and its infinite properties.

I used general geometry relative to the proportions of a circle to create a bespoke typeface system — taking the Dana Foundation from a rasterized image logo to a modern, accommodating design and branding system. It lost out by a few votes. I'm told it was close.