My story (in a nutshell)
As a kid, I was always the quiet one tinkering around on whatever the latest technologies were. I remember building my first website on Geocities and presenting my school assignments as flash games (even when it was totally unnecessary).
I was always a builder and a creative.
I had a deep desire to share my knowledge with the world, while still being able to build things for myself. For a few years I had my own little startup, sharing my own discoveries on leveraging digital products and designing and selling my own publication of physical diaries.
Slowly, my tinkering matured into something more profound. I was deeply curious about how things work together. And I wanted to do it with other people. When we're all working towards something together, it can be magical.
That led me to work in tech, and eventually, while I was working at SafetyCulture, I got the opportunity to become a Product Designer.
In the last 10+ years of my career, being a Product Designer has been the most fulfilling.
I came to love working with deep and complex systems. I've been extremely lucky to work on the leading edge of technology - but now instead of Geocities - I'm working with AI powered products, enterprise platforms, mobile apps and even IoT tech like sensors & rfid.
While I do love making things beautiful on the surface, what intrigues me is how something works, how people interact with it, and how to build things that truly add meaning to people's workflows.
As a kid, I was always the quiet one tinkering around on whatever the latest technologies were. I remember building my first website on Geocities and presenting my school assignments as flash games (even when it was totally unnecessary).
I was always a builder and a creative.
I had a deep desire to share my knowledge with the world, while still being able to build things for myself. For a few years I had my own little startup, sharing my own discoveries on leveraging digital products and designing and selling my own publication of physical diaries.
Slowly, my tinkering matured into something more profound. I was deeply curious about how things work together. And I wanted to do it with other people. When we're all working towards something together, it can be magical.
That led me to work in tech, and eventually, while I was working at SafetyCulture, I got the opportunity to become a Product Designer.
In the last 10+ years of my career, being a Product Designer has been the most fulfilling.
I came to love working with deep and complex systems. I've been extremely lucky to work on the leading edge of technology - but now instead of Geocities - I'm working with AI powered products, enterprise platforms, mobile apps and even IoT tech like sensors & rfid.
While I do love making things beautiful on the surface, what intrigues me is how something works, how people interact with it, and how to build things that truly add meaning to people's workflows.
My stack
My approach
My approach is to understand where a business or problem is at any given time, and pick and choose parts of the framework to deliver a confident solution that respects the realities of real work.
Here are just some real examples of my decision making process when I’m planning my work:
My approach is to understand where a business or problem is at any given time, and pick and choose parts of the framework to deliver a confident solution that respects the realities of real work.
Here are just some real examples of my decision making process when I’m planning my work:
How do I align multiple teams to understand a problem area?
For me, the best way to get a team around an idea, a concept, or a problem is to do it together. I enjoy running workshops, huddle sessions to investigate existing states, and co-design sessions. This is done with all kinds of people; PMs, Engineers, Marketers and Sales people.
How do I align multiple teams to understand a problem area?
For me, the best way to get a team around an idea, a concept, or a problem is to do it together. I enjoy running workshops, huddle sessions to investigate existing states, and co-design sessions. This is done with all kinds of people; PMs, Engineers, Marketers and Sales people.
How do I share an idea with a stakeholder to get them onboard?
Recently, I’ve been really into using AI to build out “mid-fidelity” functional prototypes. If a visual can communicate an idea, then something that can be played with, can take it even further. If the idea isn’t at the stage where a solution is needed, then I’m also a big fan of storyboards - it feels a bit more interactive than a report, while equally able to convey how big a problem something is.
How do I share an idea with a stakeholder to get them onboard?
Recently, I’ve been really into using AI to build out “mid-fidelity” functional prototypes. If a visual can communicate an idea, then something that can be played with, can take it even further. If the idea isn’t at the stage where a solution is needed, then I’m also a big fan of storyboards - it feels a bit more interactive than a report, while equally able to convey how big a problem something is.
How should I validate a complex concept or a design solution for an existing part of the product?
In the last few months I have been experimenting building ideas with AI, alongside engineering, straight to production and gating them behind a feature flag. It’s meant that we can actually test these ideas with customers in their account, and business context, without the risk of degrading the experience of the rest of a customer base. These quick experiments take less than a month to turn around and feedback is rapid and more trustworthy, because it’s the real thing.
How should I validate a complex concept or a design solution for an existing part of the product?
In the last few months I have been experimenting building ideas with AI, alongside engineering, straight to production and gating them behind a feature flag. It’s meant that we can actually test these ideas with customers in their account, and business context, without the risk of degrading the experience of the rest of a customer base. These quick experiments take less than a month to turn around and feedback is rapid and more trustworthy, because it’s the real thing.
What about a simple concept for a new part of the product?
Release, monitor and iterate.
What about a simple concept for a new part of the product?
Release, monitor and iterate.
How do I decide what UX pattern to use?
Still love an old school way to do this; competitor analysis’, audits of existing components within a platform and simple wireframe explorations. Recently I’ve also outsourced some of the brainstorming to AI which can generate me MANY iterations for a flow or pattern. Still, it’s up to me which elements I want to keep and which ones to trash.
How do I decide what UX pattern to use?
Still love an old school way to do this; competitor analysis’, audits of existing components within a platform and simple wireframe explorations. Recently I’ve also outsourced some of the brainstorming to AI which can generate me MANY iterations for a flow or pattern. Still, it’s up to me which elements I want to keep and which ones to trash.
How do I communicate designs to my developers?
Working together from the beginning of a project to map out user flows and expectations, continuous feasibility feedback, prototype walkthroughs, and then high fidelity screens based on the order of the pages and components being built out + regular design QA pair testing. As AI capability grows, this process is beginning to shorten, but I still stand by my principle of building and GIVING away trust when working with a team of engineers.
How do I communicate designs to my developers?
Working together from the beginning of a project to map out user flows and expectations, continuous feasibility feedback, prototype walkthroughs, and then high fidelity screens based on the order of the pages and components being built out + regular design QA pair testing. As AI capability grows, this process is beginning to shorten, but I still stand by my principle of building and GIVING away trust when working with a team of engineers.
This is a very very high level summary, and the answers are still super dependent on the actual project. Every single project is unique. But I hope this illustrates my general approach to problem solving.
This is a very very high level summary, and the answers are still super dependent on the actual project. Every single project is unique. But I hope this illustrates my general approach to problem solving.
My values
Empathy
Empathy
I believe we do our best work when we hold genuine kindness towards each other; whether that's working together in a team, or understanding deeply how customers experience a problem.
Wonder
Wonder
The world is full of sparks; uniques ideas that link together that bring a greater understanding of our reality. I'm no stranger to bringing together different perspectives to a new domain in order to build our collective knowledge of a subject.
Creativity
Creativity
I am compelled to create — the ability to transfer the things I imagine in my mind, things that don't exist, and will them into possibility. Some of my passions outside of work include painting, dance, environmental design, and sculpture.
Let's work together
to build the future
Email me at reeyanna@gmail.com
