Work

Public Projects & Artifacts

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia

Complete website redesign and rebuild to include a CMS. Project goals were to allow site administrator to update content frequently without touching code, enable site alerts easily and modernize the design and layout to improve navigation. The plan had three parts: research, design and development.

Starting with research I interviewed the site administer, Clerk's Office SMEs and the CTO. I also reviewed site analytics and conducted card sorting exercises. Additionally, I looked at comparable websites like GA Supreme Court and US Supreme Court. From there I was able to refined the IA to create navigational groupings and confirm assumptions with the project stakeholders.

Next was the design process. I decided to use the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) as it has been thoroughly tested and uses accessibility best practices. Balancing the requirements of the Clerk's Office, IT department and Judges was important in decided the layout for the home page and Judges Bios. Design was presented to project stakeholders with some minimal adjustments requested.

Development was next. I decided to use WordPress as the CMS as it's a well supported, easy to learn and the IT department is familiar with PHP. This site has a surprising amount of content that needed a thoughtful approach when transferring to the new site. At this point I was aware of the areas of the site that were most frequently updated and the areas that were updated automatically. I coded the theme to take the most advantage of WordPress Blocks so anyone who added or updated content couldn't deviate from the design system. This protects the accessibility of the content and maintains consistency.

Delivering the completed site to the client also included leading a training class for the IT department and the Clerk's Office staff to get them familiar with WordPress and the customizations of their new website. Once the website launched and I was able to provide tech support and answer questions over the next few weeks as needed.

Some things I learned during this project was that I needed help. I was able to contract experts to assist with quality assurance, training materials and data entry. This allowed me to focus on the parts of the project that I do best. I know this lead to a better outcome to this project.

Visit Court Website

In Progress - Calendar Refinement Project

Combining the oral arguments calendar with the docket dates calendar to reduce complexity for website visitors and the site administrator. Proposed prototype of the combined calendar created with Figma.

Indivisible.org Sharables App

The goal of the project was to increase civic awareness and create discourse around congressional representation with a mobile phone app that allows people to find their representatives, see how their reps voted on proposed bills, and share this information on social media. The desired outcome was lots of folks sharing curated imagery and increase social media engagement.

My contribution was to outline the user flow for both the intended audience and the content admin. I also created a user journey to map a persons likely path and think through the questions they may have while using the application. I wanted to give the team working on the app tools to create directional and supplemental content and features that would potentially create a desirable and easy-to-use application.

#CauseAScene

The content of the #CauseAScene advocates for antiracism and highlights where white supremacy has caused harm in all areas of the tech community, jobs, non-profits, etc. This content is powerful and uncomfortable for the intended audience. I proposed creating a web experience that presents this information in a predictable and uncomplicated fashion.

My contribution to the project was to help distill all of Kim's ideas and projects into one cohesive website experience and provide low fidelity wireframes (Desktop and Mobile) to start the conversation about content hierarchy and IA.

Want to see more?

The items above are from pro bono and volunteer projects. Most of my professional work isn't publicly available, but I'd be happy to chat in person about my previous work history and projects.

About

Comprehensive experience to complement and strengthen teams in finding practical solutions to complex problems. Hybrid designer and developer skilled at building relationships and facilitate communication with stakeholders, designers, and developers. A foundational understanding of design and technology for SaaS, government, B2B, and eCommerce solutions from start to finish.

Teaching

I'm passionate about design education and mentorship. Reach out to me if you're looking for someone to teach a workshop or give a talk! Here are some my recent events:

Play

Reading

I'm an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy. The past few years I've been trying to read more works from women and non-white folks. I've enjoyed the perspective shift this has brought. You can check out my reading journey at Goodreads.

Gaming

I'm a big fan of indy games and stream on Twitch a couple times a week. Some games in regular rotation are Stardew Valley and Oxygen Not Included. Join in on the fun!

Singing

I'm a classically trained singer. I worked with a vocal coach for over 6 years using bel canto techniques. I use music therapeutically and don't generally perform in public. I highly recommend my vocal coach Bucky Motter. He is a wonderful teacher who is kind and patient.