Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Teaching those who transform the world.
In the summer of 2021, while at the Design Institute for Health, I translated 2-years of work for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance into a half-day workshop on systems design for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This work aimed to act as both a case study of our Gavi work while introducing the leadership team at the Gates Foundation to systems design. You can see a portion of our presentation here.
My Role: My job was to synthesize and transform two years, and multiple workstreams into a tight narrative while codifying the Design Institute for Health's emergent approach to Systems Design.
Department of Veterans Affairs
Helping those who served to get what they've earned.
Winter of 2016, in partnership with frog design, I redesigned how veterans apply for their benefits. We transformed a painful, paper-based process by centering the application process around our veterans and their families while streamlining the application from hours to minutes. Our work aimed to create a fully accessible, supportive, and compassionate experience while still adhering to the strict requirements set forth by the VA. This work was part of a broader digital transformation that frog was supporting at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
My Role: My job was to document and deconstruct the existing application journey Veterans and their families take then leverage that knowledge to redesign and update that process.
Magic Leap
Defining the future of multimodal technology.
What does computing look like when our interaction with technology transcends a keyboard and mouse. In winter 2018, while at argodesign, I helped Magic Leap explore a future where voice, gesture, movement, gaze, thought, and emotion all shape our interactions with technology. In this work, we created visions of the future at the intersection of various input modals, helping the Magic Leap team define requirements for future versions of their platform. We also developed an abstraction model for Magic Leap, allowing developers and creators to easily create multimodal experiences.
My Role: A was a member of a team responsible for researching, designing, and testing different ideas around input and technology. We worked closely with the Magic Leap, embedding in with their team and facilitating the creative process.
University of Texas
Teaching a new generation of students.
Spring of 2016, I worked with the Big Tomorrow team to help create TEx, a new educational platform for the University of Texas. This hybrid platform, designed for the needs of first-generation college students, allowed for flexible learning split between in-person and online curricula.
My Role: It was my job to research and design the 'Content Development & Design Guide'—the guide for creating a new curriculum or content for TEx. I also contributed to the design of the instructor's view of the app.
Invigorate
Mapping the emotional pitfalls and triumphs of Parkinson’s patients.
Spring 2019, I ran a research project for Invigorate, a local startup supporting Parkinson's patients by creating individualized care plans. Working with researcher Marissa Ayala, we met with Parkinson's patients and their families, talking to them about their experiences and mapping their journeys.
My Role: My work with Invigorate was part of a pilot program, exploring ways to connect social impact organizations and non-profits with local design talent. I helped direct the project, supporting Marissa’s work while ensuring the Invigorate team received actionable, useful insights into their clients’ needs.
Websites For Friends
Fostering a creative community.
Creativity and creation is a communal act. This core belief informs not only the work I do for large organizations but also the local community of artists and makers I consider my friends. I've helped my community tactically think about their creative endeavors, critically think about who their customers are, and what goals they're trying to solve. Tangibly, I've been able to help a few of them build their websites, translating the beauty they create with their hands into something digital.
My Role: To help my friends think about their work strategically and through a design-thinking lens, and then translating those ideas into intentional digital experiences.
Books
Tangible stories of design.
At argo I carved out a specialty in storytelling, helping teams organize, structure, and synthesize their work into tight, focused narratives. Tactically, I helped build a lot of decks. Tangibly, I ended up writing two books, one for United Rentals and one for Sam’s Club.
My Role: My job was to take complex ideas and design and craft them into streamlined narratives. I outlined and structured our books, designed the story, and wrote the copy. I also informed content with a heavy emphasis on photography.