Focusing on user challenges and business goals, I bring a research-grounded, systems-level approach to product design, from discovery through delivery.
NN/g certified in UX Design. I bring a collaborative, iterative approach to simplifying complex software experiences, with a strong commitment to WCAG accessibility standards and a grounding in Design Thinking that keeps discovery and definition ahead of solutioning.
Research should answer the right questions, not just validate assumptions. NN/g certified, I use interviews, contextual inquiries, usability testing, A/B testing, surveys, and prototypes to find the most cost-effective path to genuine user understanding.
Complex products rarely fail at the screen level. I map workflows end-to-end, across roles and touchpoints, to find where the real friction lives before any design work begins.
The best thinking happens when disciplines work together openly. I partner with product, engineering, and stakeholders to generate better ideas, build shared understanding, and keep teams aligned from discovery through delivery.
Guiding teams through Design Thinking exercises, Jobs-to-be-Done discussions, and the writing of clear, goal-oriented user stories in an Agile environment.
Design does its best work when it has a voice in the right conversations. I help establish that presence by creating regular cadences for sharing work, gathering input, and keeping stakeholders informed of what the team is working on and why.
Strong teams grow the designers around them. I mentor junior and mid-level designers through regular 1:1s, design critiques, and project pairing, focused on building independent judgment rather than producing the work for them.
Consistency at scale is a design problem, not a documentation problem. I work within and contribute to design systems that keep teams shipping faster, products feeling cohesive, and patterns evolving alongside the work they support.
Designer, researcher, and facilitator who knows that the best outcomes start with the right conversation.
I hold a B.A. in Peace & Conflict Studies from U.C. Berkeley, including a semester studying abroad in Mexico, with a focus on community-based education. Studying how communities navigate conflict and competing interests turned out to be useful training for design work. It taught me to look for the system behind the problem, and to take seriously the different perspectives people bring to finding a solution.
I later earned an M.A. in Multimedia from California State University, East Bay, where my thesis team explored the cultural impact of digital media. In 2023, I enhanced my skills by earning Nielsen Norman Group certifications in both UX Design and User Research.
Outside of design work, I enjoy spending time outdoors; cycling is my favorite pastime, though I also appreciate a good hike. Originally from California, I now call Vancouver, WA home.
"Good design, when it's done well, becomes invisible. It's only when it's done poorly that we notice it."
Jared Spool