```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2F1JjAlptIuyPWtEiVKcfh%2Fce0429c3-f12c-40f6-9db0-d84e6447491f.png?alt=media&token=d29799eb-a743-4ed3-947d-c6980c3acf6d","id":"ce0429c3-f12c-40f6-9db0-d84e6447491f","width":1920,"height":1440,"filename":"303shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

(Click on images to enlarge)

Feeding Pets of the Homeless (FPH) is a non-profit organization in Nevada that provides pet food, other items, and emergency veterinary care to pets of people experiencing homelessness. During my time with [Commit the Change](http://ctc-uci.com), I was able to design a portal that would ease FPH's workflow, ensuring that more furry companions received the support they require.

### **Role**

UI/UX Designer - User Experience, User Journeys, User Flows, User Personas, Competitive Analysis

### **Team**

Minh Nguyen (Design Lead), Christine Nguyen (Designer), Michelle Pak (Designer), Kaitlyn Tran (Designer)

### **Duration**

November 2023 to March 2024

---

## **The Problem ✍️**

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2F1JjAlptIuyPWtEiVKcfh%2F586d8deb-bfef-4041-893f-6c1edf03bb22.png?alt=media&token=bd45e737-ad38-4cc3-97fb-d3f564bef8e2","id":"586d8deb-bfef-4041-893f-6c1edf03bb22","width":1920,"height":1280,"filename":"677shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

\
At Feeding Pets of the Homeless (FPH), the current process of gathering information from donation sites across the nation relies heavily on manual reporting. This manual approach proves inefficient and opens the door to miscommunication. Additionally, the burden of reminding these donation sites about submitting their forms falls on FPH, often requiring personalized emails to prompt action.

### **So, the problem we wanted to solve was:**

## **How might we build a functional, efficient portal that keeps track of donation amounts in order to showcase donation impact, manage donations, and provide FPH with up-to-date information on donation sites?**

### **The Solution**

We developed a **dashboard** to **streamline** onboarding and donation reporting for donation sites. FPH would now be able to **oversee** all sites, monitor onboarding, and review or remind sites to submit donation forms through the platform.

Our **primary users** were to be FPH (AKA the non-profit organization), and our **secondary users** were to be donation sites (AKA stores that would accept donations and report donation amounts).

---

## **Our Research 🧑‍💻**

We wanted to make sure we thoroughly understood the problem we were addressing before we started designing, so we partook in:

> **User Interviews, User Personas, User Journeys, and Competitive Analysis.**

### For **user interviews**:

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2Fb05b4ee1-ad26-4c85-88cf-6e7676735b5f.png?alt=media&token=402de12f-cc4d-480f-8c72-534931739bc1","id":"b05b4ee1-ad26-4c85-88cf-6e7676735b5f","width":1648,"height":1184,"filename":"Screenshot 2024-05-05 at 5.35.02 PM.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

I was able to interview our primary users directly during a meeting early in our design process. We were able to discuss things such as:

* The **demographics** of the employees

* Their **typical workday** and use of **technology**

* **Common frustrations** with the current system in place

Through our interviews, we uncovered valuable insights into the challenges faced by donation site managers, including **time constraints**, **administrative burdens**, and the need for **simplified donation reporting processes**.

Knowing this, I was able to prioritize features such as intuitive reporting interfaces, automated reminders, and streamlined communication channels to enhance efficiency and usability.

### For **user personas & user journeys**:

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2F90355199-1a5f-48f0-916c-78dd80772361.png?alt=media&token=14d530af-1a1e-4f54-8e18-684dfcd7ac61","id":"90355199-1a5f-48f0-916c-78dd80772361","width":1920,"height":1080,"filename":"817shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"User persona & User journey","border":false}]}
```

I created a user persona and user journey to better understand who would be using our website. This was especially helpful in brainstorming our website's functionality, as we laid out our user's pain points. I was able to identify possible opportunities to solve them, such as urgent notifications to help businesses remember to upload donation forms.

### For **Competitive analysis:**

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2F5b729d0e-94a9-4347-ba7f-f52c0fc956be.png?alt=media&token=019d963a-292e-4442-8fc7-199f769dd9e1","id":"5b729d0e-94a9-4347-ba7f-f52c0fc956be","width":1860,"height":1216,"filename":"Screenshot 2024-05-05 at 9.43.05 PM.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Competitive Analysis & Feature Diagram","border":false}]}
```

To gain a comprehensive understanding of donation websites, we began by identifying existing websites operating within the space of donation management and support for homeless pets. Our research involved a diverse range of organizations, platforms, and initiatives with similar missions or offerings.

Our main find was that while many competitors offered donation functionalities, we found that some lacked flexibility in donation options or had cumbersome processes for donors to navigate. So, in our designs we ensured that users were able to make donations seamlessly through various channels.

---

## **The Details & What We Delivered ✓**

After research, it was finally time to start designing. **I created the** **donation sites' interface**, while the rest of my team worked on FPH's dashboard and onboarding. \
\
The donation sites' interface consisted of the following:

> **Home, Supply Request, Settings, Notification Center, and FPH's Contact Information.**

### **Home**

The Home page was the main focal point of this project for me. There were *many, many* iterations of the home page. (Click image to enlarge)

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2F6c4a65bd-5e9e-4a7c-bd07-b911418b4363.png?alt=media&token=6f86b4c4-2ca7-4393-9787-1e48fbe99e7f","id":"6c4a65bd-5e9e-4a7c-bd07-b911418b4363","width":1920,"height":1440,"filename":"765shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Final high-fidelity design","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2F16e0f07a-fe5e-464d-b666-f6dffe713d61.png?alt=media&token=98595ebd-7054-4c50-b9b7-33931533218e","id":"16e0f07a-fe5e-464d-b666-f6dffe713d61","width":1920,"height":1440,"filename":"587shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Low fidelity","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2Fbd06b1cc-b385-4a88-96c1-7814a4854aae.png?alt=media&token=7ab60737-f978-40db-bca9-7eb1249fa50b","id":"bd06b1cc-b385-4a88-96c1-7814a4854aae","width":1920,"height":1440,"filename":"640shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"First sketch","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2F3950c4ce-bb42-4a01-aed4-1a303945dc1c.png?alt=media&token=e48b93e8-f024-4406-bcd7-5388a4f63998","id":"3950c4ce-bb42-4a01-aed4-1a303945dc1c","width":3675,"height":2740,"filename":"Section.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Some of my many iterations...","border":false}]}
```

One of the main problems that FPH was dealing with was donation sites not submitting their totals in time. To minimize this, I created a dashboard that showcased **their impact,** as well as a **notification center** with urgent notifications.

* Their impact shows the dollar amount of their total donations, the total pounds they have donated, and the number of days since their last form submission; If businesses were able to **see the impact** of their donations, they would feel **more inspired** to keep donating. Seeing how many days it's been since their last submission **ensures they know the timeline** of when to submit again.

* Their notification shows different types of notifications, such as donation forms being due; If businesses were to easily see important notifications of an upcoming due date, they would **feel a sense of urgency** to submit a form.

### **Design System**

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2F649f158d-bf30-4f14-b25f-84abea969875.png?alt=media&token=6744b282-e114-4851-a4dc-9858f92f4dfa","id":"649f158d-bf30-4f14-b25f-84abea969875","width":1920,"height":1536,"filename":"997shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Design System Updates","border":false}]}
```

Of course, our design process wasn't 100% perfect. Midway, we realized our designs were becoming a bit disconnected with one another (such as our buttons or input screens). So, I and one other designer updated our design system. Above is what I created, and I learned that having a well-thought-out design system saves a lot of headaches!

### **Validating Our Designs**

But of course, our designs couldn't just be pretty, they had to be **logical**.

So, we partook in remote usability testing so that we knew our designs made sense and were simple to navigate.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Ffeeding-pets-of-the-homeless%2Fbdde2f32-6280-4e22-bd87-cca187bc0367.png?alt=media&token=a11e4f56-fdc9-4583-97ec-1b4a723c0292","id":"bdde2f32-6280-4e22-bd87-cca187bc0367","width":1312,"height":1174,"filename":"Screenshot 2024-05-05 at 5.43.32 PM.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Usability testing recording & script","border":false}]}
```

I created **four** tasks for our primary users to complete, which involved the features I described previously, as well as...

One of the bigger design iterations I had to make came from this usability testing: the action of **submitting a supply request**. When businesses sign up to be a donation site, FPH sends them supplies to advertise their status.

### **User Guide**

Finally, after all of our designs were complete, we developed a detailed User Guide on GitBooks, which includes step-by-step instructions to help anyone navigate the website with ease.

---

### **All in all...**

I am extremely grateful for what this project has taught me. Working directly with our stakeholders let me feel the impact of my work, and I'll forever remember seeing the smiles on their faces when they saw our designs. 

As I move forward, I carry with me the lessons learned and the memories created during this project. I am excited to continue applying these insights and skills to future endeavors, knowing that this is just the beginning! :)

Feeding Pets of the Homeless

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F73b7ca7f-306e-4272-b102-7c6fc80b06eb.png?alt=media&token=392bc5a4-6972-4ac3-83b6-6c1ce2992f31","id":"73b7ca7f-306e-4272-b102-7c6fc80b06eb","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**HobEz** is a project I created in Design at UCI's project team program. I engaged in a quarter-long project along with 4 other designers. Below is my team and I's design process!

---

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2Fc22dc00a-5207-40bf-95c3-a95848da1eb7.png?alt=media&token=84bc22ac-652b-4530-b542-4fc5750208fb","id":"c22dc00a-5207-40bf-95c3-a95848da1eb7","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (1).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F4696db6b-ccf2-4a1a-817c-c22a1a5dc242.png?alt=media&token=f17ccc06-e0cd-4a40-8ebe-000c7207bfb4","id":"4696db6b-ccf2-4a1a-817c-c22a1a5dc242","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (2).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2Fbf46bcc4-39f6-4443-ac68-23599f4375a0.png?alt=media&token=d1051caa-f1cb-447b-aba8-a075792edc62","id":"bf46bcc4-39f6-4443-ac68-23599f4375a0","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (3).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F87bb1238-34d7-4782-bac2-d076147e2d68.png?alt=media&token=f5e81442-0f95-435a-8103-78fb86f2eebb","id":"87bb1238-34d7-4782-bac2-d076147e2d68","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (4).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F5724f9e3-45bf-4abc-bddc-acd8e311fc07.png?alt=media&token=c8a41b0b-4f93-4e47-a26e-dd91e0650154","id":"5724f9e3-45bf-4abc-bddc-acd8e311fc07","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (5).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F6a27a8a3-c708-4c20-bbbc-bf55d8637e4d.png?alt=media&token=070ec8e7-d7a4-480e-9e3d-714293ef6e01","id":"6a27a8a3-c708-4c20-bbbc-bf55d8637e4d","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (6).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F91cb29ad-280b-485e-b069-b7a3cec1271e.png?alt=media&token=2a5c8e6d-afac-4dcb-a253-9413adea3964","id":"91cb29ad-280b-485e-b069-b7a3cec1271e","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (7).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2Fbfe3e6fb-5b1c-423e-a45f-910ad798dc2e.png?alt=media&token=c11fc6ad-ccdf-407e-a150-e8dbbeaf42e2","id":"bfe3e6fb-5b1c-423e-a45f-910ad798dc2e","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (8).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2Faedb25e2-6caf-497a-8782-1b884d727047.png?alt=media&token=ee75be96-e923-4b04-8c5a-1523bb19c26e","id":"aedb25e2-6caf-497a-8782-1b884d727047","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (9).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F259960a5-ad3b-4040-af3f-bc78a180585b.png?alt=media&token=3f85f7af-684b-4424-b552-deaf29ced034","id":"259960a5-ad3b-4040-af3f-bc78a180585b","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (10).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F23aa1703-257b-4dd2-ba94-30402c257f4e.png?alt=media&token=adbe2356-2552-440f-8b3a-11932a258d9e","id":"23aa1703-257b-4dd2-ba94-30402c257f4e","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (12).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2Fb73e7803-a620-4a14-a06b-5a678c88d9df.png?alt=media&token=71c94e2d-e560-4eef-9689-c3e4fc6f7e58","id":"b73e7803-a620-4a14-a06b-5a678c88d9df","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (13).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2Fe3e64157-8e2e-468b-bd3f-cb687117f3fc.png?alt=media&token=3cc93efc-876d-46b1-9b81-d1b6fe68de88","id":"e3e64157-8e2e-468b-bd3f-cb687117f3fc","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (14).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2F722f441d-37ad-489e-82d8-bad9735c2208.png?alt=media&token=7c80c48f-b574-4782-80c6-59c74cd360cd","id":"722f441d-37ad-489e-82d8-bad9735c2208","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (15).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fhobez%2Fe057f92e-f868-4763-a134-943b2c046765.png?alt=media&token=2f10f622-054d-4c35-8fb5-3b2f4958674c","id":"e057f92e-f868-4763-a134-943b2c046765","width":960,"height":540,"filename":"Team 6, Project Teams Fall 2023 (16).png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

HobEz

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fecho-ai%2Fa1efc3a9-aa0f-4cf7-be97-d9ef7e747dc2.png?alt=media&token=c3a02b91-9e96-4efb-89ae-04ce0da0e37d","id":"a1efc3a9-aa0f-4cf7-be97-d9ef7e747dc2","width":1920,"height":1440,"filename":"202shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

(Click on images to enlarge)

Echo.AI is a product created as a part of [Product Association @ UCI's Fellowship Program](https://www.productuci.com/fellowship). The goal of Echo.AI is to assist students who are travelling abroad in practicing and learning a new language by completing a three-stage lesson plan.\
**\
My Role**

Product designer - UX/UI, User Flows, Branding, Usability Testing, Research

### **Team**

Aadi Mehta (Product Manager), Ruby Ko (Product Marketer), Rhea Jethvani (Software Engineer), Benjoseph Villamor (Software Engineer)

---

### **The Problem 😵‍💫**

### **It can be pretty hard to learn the ins and outs of a language.**

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fecho-ai%2Fbfa1c785-8cde-41f6-83af-dbd08e7caae5.png?alt=media&token=7f2e1c86-3f1f-47b8-833c-d1cb94ab2282","id":"bfa1c785-8cde-41f6-83af-dbd08e7caae5","width":1920,"height":1280,"filename":"361shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"The various problems language learners bump into.","border":false}]}
```

Many language learners experience the lack of real-life practice, making it difficult for users to grasp cultural nuances needed for effective communication.  Furthermore, it is hard to find topic-specific lessons, making niche situations hard to navigate. \
\
With these pain points, I crafted this problem statement:

> How might we create a language learning app with customized lesson plans to help students who are studying abroad enhance their situational speaking skills?

### **Iterations 🔄**

### **More Iterations!! 🤔**

### **What I delivered 💌**

Introducing Echo.AI, a user-friendly language learning tool designed to make mastering a new language simple and enjoyable. With a diverse selection of languages and personalized scenarios, Echo.AI offers a tailored approach to language learning. Our unique **3-step lesson plan** breaks down complex language concepts into manageable steps, ensuring that learners of all levels can progress at their own pace.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fecho-ai%2Fb7b3e9eb-6c0e-4fb6-8453-7e15028e818d.png?alt=media&token=f6f0a4d1-8486-4a41-9d00-ed886da3787e","id":"b7b3e9eb-6c0e-4fb6-8453-7e15028e818d","width":1920,"height":1280,"filename":"373shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Three stage lesson plan","border":false}]}
```

## **Design Details**

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fecho-ai%2Fef25c023-4942-4330-81c9-5066dbb2021c.png?alt=media&token=502ef2a1-6d31-4720-9948-3e3ece70e31a","id":"ef25c023-4942-4330-81c9-5066dbb2021c","width":1920,"height":1080,"filename":"341shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

### **Visual Identity**

When my team and I settled on a language-learning app, I knew I wanted to have a mascot to have a strong visual identity.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fecho-ai%2Fc43ef531-a333-4740-9236-d5987ae420bb.png?alt=media&token=fe1ecd6d-9d5c-4385-9d25-538062153e1b","id":"c43ef531-a333-4740-9236-d5987ae420bb","width":1920,"height":1280,"filename":"996shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Echo in advertising","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fecho-ai%2F5cd8a989-aa48-4c6d-8656-bca1e7c59d4e.png?alt=media&token=584ea7aa-7c3a-4e87-84d2-50e156f9fc3e","id":"5cd8a989-aa48-4c6d-8656-bca1e7c59d4e","width":1920,"height":1280,"filename":"560shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Echo being used in the Learning Dashboard","border":false}]}
```

I also created a design system so that all of my designs would be cohesive, including ChakraUI so that my software engineers could smoothly translate my designs into code.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FfzBq0lWAwqc6K0qfWYQjEcMQCCD2%2Fecho-ai%2Fb99c3932-890d-484f-baa9-5016d122cb81.png?alt=media&token=161b8b18-6060-4db2-b200-eb537744b3d1","id":"b99c3932-890d-484f-baa9-5016d122cb81","width":1920,"height":1280,"filename":"344shots_so.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

---

### **All in all...**

This was an incredibly rewarding experience. This was my first time being a solo designer while in a cross-functional team, and I learned a lot through my time working on Echo.AI. I learned more about the importance of mentorship, as I looked towards my mentors during times I had difficulties. I learned more about trusting my own design decisions, and gained confidence through the many decisions I had to make. Surprisingly, I got to learn more about learning curriculums throughout ideating the three-step program!

There were so many learning experiences during this project that I am grateful for. I hope to leverage these skills in many more projects to come!

```cv
figma
{"url":"https://www.figma.com/file/NIhpNBZrnnFtabb5GaV2jl/%5BProduct%5D-Wireframes?type=design&node-id=2%3A3&mode=design&t=3UPaAv2iQcBNBPI1-1"}
```

Feel free to poke around my Figma file!

Echo.AI

Designer

Dean's Honor List

Awarded for Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024.

People's Choice Award

Voted People's Choice out of 10 teams. Awarded 2x, Spring 2023 and Fall 2023.

Expected graduation December 2025.

* Relevant Coursework: Project in Human-Computer Interaction, User Interaction Software, Intermediate Programming, Software Design, Programming in Java
* Activities and Societies: President @ [Commit the Change](https://ctc-uci.com/), Design Lead @ [Product Association](https://www.productuci.com/)

Article spotlighting my role as President of Commit the Change.

Commit the Change Spotlight

UX/UI Design, Web Design, User Journeys, User Flows, User Personas, Competitive Analysis

A web portal for a non-profit organization that facilitates the tracking of various donations for both administrators and donors.

UX/UI Designer

UX/UI Design, Web Design, User Flows, Branding, Usability Testing\
\
Perfecting students' study abroad trips one lesson at a time.

Product Designer

UX/UI Design, Mobile Design

Where hobbies take flight.

Design Lead

Reader for upper-division Informatics classes (INF 131: Human-Computer Interaction and INF 133: User Interaction Software). Read and graded over 300+ students’ papers and assignments, including hi-fi designs, user personas, design analyses of various applications, HTML/CSS websites, and swift mobile apps.

Undergraduate Reader

Actively mentored 30+ students on their coding journey, fostering a solid foundation in Python and Java. Promoted a team-oriented environment that values shared success and mutual growth. Demonstrated expertise by mastering the curriculum, enabling the ability to coach and mentor students, and fostering an environment of continuous growth and learning.

Coding Instructor

Conducted in-depth research on user behavior and best practices related to gamification within financial apps for a FinTech startup. Prepared detailed research findings and presented recommendations to improve user engagement and gamification strategies.

UX Research + Gamification Intern

Collaborated with PhD and undergraduate students to gain insight into how blind and low-vision professionals navigate their work.

kayleedoliente

2024

2023