I went to art school with the intention of becoming a print or museum exhibit designer. But as one of the only technically-minded students in my cohort, I was drawn to web-focused projects and was recruited by one of my digital design professors right after graduation. As a web designer, I provided frontend solutions to backend developers in the form of mockups and coded prototypes. I often managed my own projects, especially in the independent agency world, and a desire to see projects through from start to finish eventually led me to backend development. Working as a dev actually made me realize that I was more valuable on the frontend. UX was a natural place for me to land — I have had almost every job along the project pipeline, which equips me to better understand the needs of my colleagues and teammates. My range of experience and broad skill set help me communicate more effectively, ask quality questions, and serve the project in the most productive way possible. Throughout my career evolution (and before UX Designer was a title anywhere I worked!), I have always advocated for the user and been keenly interested in how interfaces can best support a solid user experience.
I have strong opinions. I like to ask questions. I generally vote to keep things simple (except when added complexity improves and simplifies the overall user experience). I devour details. I love color. I see beauty all over the place and am still a kid at heart. I believe that design is about communication. I draw. I am keenly interested in how and why people use and respond to things. I am a student of the user experience. I value good design and get frustrated with those who dismiss it as disposable and/or pretty. I am intrigued by packaging, by messaging, by games, by exhibits, by interaction with designed objects. I am interested in how stories are told. I enjoy bringing things to life with code. I am delighted by a good interface.
I graduated from Parsons School of Design with a degree in Graphic Design and had the pleasure of being an occasional guest lecturer in their Digital Design department. I also hold degrees in Communications Technology and Music from St. Louis University and in Children’s Book Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Additionally, I survived the Turing School of Software & Design, a seven-month intensive immersion program for web developers that expanded my coding skill set and increased my fluency in dev-based communication.
I work remotely from a base in Providence, Rhode Island, where I captain a SciFi/Fantasy Writing Group, investigate local ghosts, and eagerly await the next RI Food Fight.
If you would like to work with me, have questions about what I do, or just need to get in touch, please drop me a line at katelane [at] Gmail.
