PC: Ben Garza (Portfolio)
Hello! I am an Experience Designer with a broad but keen professional background that spans many disciplines of digital design. Currently, I specialize in User-Driven Experience & Interface Design, Product Design, Web Design, Digital Brand Identity, and Art Direction. I have strong technical skills in a variety of creative and prototyping tools. (XD, Figma, Adobe CC...) Additionally, I possess a working knowledge of HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, and am ceaselessly broadening my knowledge base and learning new skills. (At the moment I am learning C#, Unity, and Azure). I am currently looking to take the next step in my career and take on a new and exciting challenge that will continue to push me to grow and learn.
In August 2022, I took on the role of Senior Product Designer at Campspot. This was a pivotal moment that marked the beginning of the next steps in my career and has been filled with significant contributions to the outdoor hospitality industry.
My journey started with leading the design of multiple integrations, as well as other feature improvements. Some of these projects include the enhancement of our utility metering feature and a reworking of the Terms and Conditions framework to better protect parks in legal situations. Amidst these projects, I was integral in designing Campspot Signals, an analytics suite that transformed complex data into actionable insights for campground owners and operators. All of these features helped to enhance Campspot's software functionality and user experience.
Our team also played a key role in crafting a compelling business case for a critical pitch with KOA, a task that required a deep understanding of the campground industry and a strategic approach to design.
As the year progressed, my involvement in a company-wide brand refresh became a focal point. This initiative demanded a collaborative approach with various stakeholders to redefine and ensure consistency in Campspot's visual identity across all touchpoints. Reflecting on the past year, it has been a rewarding journey marked by growth, collaboration, and a deepened commitment to user-centered design. From leading design initiatives, crafting compelling business cases, to redefining Campspot's visual identity and design system, I am proud to have contributed to the ongoing success and evolution of Campspot as a leader in the outdoor hospitality industry.
At Practimind I lead the charge forward in all things design. Be it our products or branding, everything we put out has been on my desk or had my hands on it in some capacity. In Q4 of 2021, we branded and launched our website. In Q1 of 2022, we launched our flagship product, SureScout, a 2-sided COVID Audit Protection Service targeting businesses impacted by the vaccination mandates. Currently, we are pushing into our first In-Person/Remote hybrid solution, for urgent care and general care. Our aim ultimately is to increase the access to affordable care that is both high in quality and quick to diagnose.
I joined this team in its infancy, to help push its flagship product out of the door under a tight deadline. With a great team, we charged forward trying to process and synthesize our stakeholder's thoughts and visions into testable wireframes and later high-fidelity mockups to reach deadlines while mitigating risk. Management, however, did not seem to value any level of our UX/UR process and displayed disrespect for tangible metrics, and legitimate data. Speed was valued over quality and this led to a mutual agreement that the fit wasn't right.
- Client - Medavie Blue Cross (VillageHub)
- Lead UX|UI designer primarily working on the Villagehub App
- Provided all guidance and creative for product branding as well as new feature planning, design, integration and testing.
- Communicated with clients in house UX team to collaborate and make changes as requested to maintain a curated look and feel.
- Directed and supported internal teams of developers while working on implementation phases.
- Design services including but not limited to basic architecture, wireframes, high fidelity/articulate mock ups and execution.
- Oversaw full rebranding for Teacup Tech LLC including planning, design, and oversight of development for a web relaunch.
- Project manage special builds and projects for Switch|NAMA
- Execute architects vision as closely as possible while also respecting codes and guidelines that may become issue during inspection.
- Build|Manage |Use, specialty wood & metal working shop to save money and keep as many special projects in house.
- Plan|Purchase| Fabricate, specialty furniture and lighting.
- Apply branding to signage and plan execution|fabrication in a way that complies with RVA’s historical committees. As well as gaining other approvals from city hall.
- Solve any other problem that arose on the job site during build/install that would compromise aesthetic integrity.
- Leverage social media following to promote events in D.C.
- Help in coordination and execution of dance music events.
- Provide design collateral for festival and events marketing.
- Artist Relations
- Clients - US Airforce, US Army, DARPA, DoD, NAVSEA, ONR, Raytheon
- SBIR DoD contract execution
- Rationalize creative spending to C level and Military Officers.
- Work to bridge the gap between the Human Factors and Cognition Team and the Engineering Team to provide easy to use, aesthetic, 508 compliant style guides and asset files for seamless builds.
-UX|UI design for all internal products resulting in the release of 9 fully operational applications.
- Execute an internal rebranding to allow for product suite development.
- Web design services including but not limited to basic architecture, wireframes, high fidelity/articulate mock ups/execution and launch of new site to reflect new brand.
- Marketing collateral for products that had civilian application.
- Web design services including but not limited to basic architecture, wireframes, high fidelity/articulate mock ups/execution and launch of new site to reflect new brand.
- Rationalize design decisions to C level officials in a startup environment.
- Bridge the gap between the graphic artist and the Engineering Team to provide easy to use, aesthetic, 508 compliant style guides and asset files for seamless builds.
- UX|UI design for the internal product which was the company.
- Marketing collateral creation.
-2nd best hackysacker in the office.
- 14 Years of Adobe Creative Cloud
- XD - Figma - Omnigraffle - Balsamiq - JustInMind - Sketch
- Google - JIRA - Slack - Airtable
- Web | Responsive | UX|UI Design.
- 508 Fluent
- Photo | Video | Capture | Production.
- Large Format Print - Production and Formatting
- Wordpress | Drupal | Squarespace
- HTML5 - CSS3
- JAVA (expanding knowledge here)
- Mailchimp Campaign Management .
- Cross disciplinary leadership
- Adaptable to various workflows. Agile - Lean UX - Six Sigma
- Social Media Marketing