I’m a Chicago-based Senior Director for a large product design team at Epsilon (a data management company under Publicis Groupe). I’ve been in a UX or engineering role for over 16 years. Currently, I manage UX disciplines across all stages of software development from strategy to design to code. I oversee teams that specialize in product design and development for 50+ enterprise applications. Together, we strive to give users positive and purposeful online interactions by simplifying complex tasks, transforming data into storytelling, optimizing workflow, crafting delightful visual experiences, and writing efficient and scalable front-end code.
I have a strong background in both design and engineering (I joined the career force when UX was barely a buzzword and JavaScript was disabled in browsers by default) which has given me an in-depth understanding of the software development process from both perspectives. No matter how many teams I’ve worked for, three problems have been consistent:
1) An unclear distinction between UX and UI
2) A lack of engineers dedicated to meeting the requests of designers
3) Poor translation from design to code
As I grew to become a leader in my career, I’ve taken a unique approach to building teams that solve these problems. At Epsilon, I’ve established a UX practice with specialized and equal-weighted disciplines in UX Design, Research, UI Design, UX Engineering, and Design QA. My teams and I actively fulfill duties in all of these areas, each being a key player in creating best-in-class software.