With 12 years of experience in testing medical and marketing software, I bring a unique perspective to UX design. Whether testing or designing, I work with an ethos of user advocacy and constant attention to detail.
I asked people I've worked with and who know me well what their thoughts are on what I value, what my strengths are, and any traits I have that stand out. Here are some of their answers:
Being dependable
Honesty
Quality
Doing things right
Clear communication
Organization
Helping
Collaboration
Patience
Perseverance
Curiosity
Conscientiousness
Detail oriented
Logical
Straight-forward
Dependable
Steadfast
I started working in software testing right after college and found that it was a great fit. (I love to find exceptions to the rules.) Usability was always a strength, finding things in the UI that weren't bugs but could be improved. Over time, the field became more and more technical, focusing more on tools and process than representing the user.
I had always thought that UX design required a specialized degree and artistic skills. But in working with my team's designer, I found that wasn't the case at all. My years of working in the software space, focus on usability, and understanding of the various roles in developing software (including users) actually provided a solid foundation for a career in product design. With the support of my manager, I decided to commit to the switch.
Hoping to make the change in-house, I took various online courses to acquire the more particular design skills I lacked. After three years, I was able to officially interview and receive a role as a junior product designer.
My coding experience helped me thrive when embedded with a team of developers. This role was a strategic placement to help form an on-going relationship between the developers and the design team, which was very successful. I've also become one of the main members of the design team working in accessibility, and I continue to share some of my more advanced or technical knowledge of Figma with the team.
This career fits me perfectly — I now focus fully on representing users, solving problems, and collaborating.
Beyond continuing to develop general UX skills (e.g. visual design, solving user problems), I'm particularly interested in going deeper in design systems and finding ways to more practically use my technical skills (maybe dabble in some code).
I've been chip carving (a specialized form of wood carving) since about 2014. I sell items online and locally. My YouTube channel, where I share my process and tips for other carvers, has over 1,400 subscribers with viewers around the world.
Against the Grain Chip Carvings
And, as you may have guessed from my home page, I'm also into bonsai (growing trees in pots and training them to look like mature trees). The use of trees as a medium for living art is fascinating, requiring an understanding of horticultural science as it blends with the artistic eye in seeking to create a visually pleasing representation of a larger and older tree.
