ABOUT
Hi again :-)
I'm Kay, a Chinese-Canadian product designer based in Toronto with 10 years in design (6 of those spent in UX!). I have a background in cognitive science, graphic design, research, and fine arts. I enjoy working on products that impact happiness and businesses, learning from other people, or teaching myself new crafts!
I'm currently reading:
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Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
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Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo
Recruiter summary
Let's make your life easier
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UX professional since 2018 (6 years)
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Remote preferred, open to contract
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Available to start any time
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Education in User Experience, Design Communication Arts, Cognitive Science, and Visual Studies
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Was in sunny LA for about 3 years B.C. (before covid)
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I'm a graphic & interior design nerd ✌️
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I run a biz selling my art using Square (online & pop-ups)
Colleagues (& friends) say my strengths are
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Driving clarity in communication
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Critiquing with empathy and kindness 🫶
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Strategic, lateral, and organized design thinking
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Growing like a weed in cracked pavement haha
You could say I specialize in
But I'm interested in exploring more
Experiences
In reverse chronological order
Lead Experience Designer @ IGM Financial
NOV 2022 — MAY 2024, SR DESIGNER JUNE 2021 — NOV 2022
Managed a team of 5 UX/UI designers, defined UX strategy for digital marketing, established design processes and governance for 2 design systems as a democratized owner.
Freelance Designer & Illustrator
JUNE 2014 — PRESENT
When I find the time, I do a variety of creative work for small business clients including web design, brand collateral, digital illustrations, and physical product design (merchandise).
UX/UI Designer @ B2Sign
APRIL 2020 — SEPT 2020
The sole product designer for B2B, B2C, and design service products, I worked with 7 developers and 2 product managers to craft intuitive e-commerce experiences and product systems.
UX Research Analyst @ Ticketmaster
OCT 2019 — APRIL 2020
I was part of the Research & Insights team, conducting user interviews, usability tests, and uncovering fan insights that drove the designs of Ticketmaster.com's products.
UX/UI Design Intern @ Hawke Media
JUNE 2019 — SEPT 2019
I created wires, UI assets, and implemented them on Wordpress and Shopify with our client-facing designers for growing businesses like Let's Make Art, Jenny Many, and Budberry.
Graphic Designer @ Embroider Buddy
APRIL 2016 — MAY 2017
I designed physical products and marketing collateral as an in-house designer for Embroider Buddy & parent toy company, Parkdale Novelty.
Digital Artist @ Mycena Cave
MAY 2015 — DEC 2016
I drew collectible characters, items, and UI icons for a browser-based virtual pet game and supported player experiences.
Skills
But honestly, I'm a generalist
USER EXPERIENCE
Product design
UI / Interaction design
Mixed method research
Usability testing
Rapid prototyping
Motion design
Service design
SOFT SKILLS & MORE
Storytelling / Demo
Workshop facilitation
Mentorship
Cross-team collaboration
Agile framework
Open & always learning
Independent & proactive
SOFTWARE
Figma
Adobe Creative Suite
Sketch
InVision
Axure
Procreate
LANGUAGES
HTML / CSS
Javascript
Python
Java
Awkward