PROFILE
UX Designer skilled in accessible and pleasant design, product strategy, and cross-team collaboration. Translates complex systems and ideas into beautiful and engaging experiences. Strong user-advocate skilled in bridging communication between stakeholders, developers, and their users.
SKILLS AND METHODS
- UX Design
- Prototyping
- Style Guide Development
- Product Strategy
- Product Architecture
- Journey Mapping
- Persona Development
- Usability Testing
- User Research
TOOLS
- Figma
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Sketch
- Qualtrics
- Office Suite
- HTML and CSS
- InVision
- Nvivo
EXPERIENCE
UX Designer
Jul 2019-Nov 2022
Experience Team, Research and Development–Shmoop University, Lehi, UT
- Redesigned the student Test Prep tool, leading to a CSAT increase from 1.8 to 4.3 in three months.
- Developed and designed an SEL tool (Heartbeat) which allowed students to explore their own context and find solutions without being placed into prescriptive boxes.
- Redesigned the master style guide for the entire Shmoop digital properties, bringing improvements to aesthetics, accessibility, and information architecture.
UX Architect/Designer
March 2017-May 2019
Digital Customer Experience–ThomasArts, Farmington, UT
- Developed user-centered designs and Prototypes. Recruited participants and ran Usability Tests.
- Trained the company in creating positive user experiences by understanding users and testing solutions. Increased insight-driven design by promoting and running Usability Testing.
- Led mapping exercises to understand high-level experiences, creating User Flows, Site Maps, & other types of Experience Maps. Included user motivations and reactions (gathered from research).
UX Researcher & Designer
August 2014-March 2017
Digital Marketing and Research Services. – LDS Church, Salt Lake City, UT
- Developed UX solutions through user attitudinal and behavioral research. (100+ surveys, 10+ heuristic evaluations, 80+ usability tests/interviews, 10+ focus groups, etc.)
- Increased empathy and understanding of users when presenting findings to developers, UI/UX designers, project managers, and other key stakeholders.
Web Publisher
August 2013-May 2015
Publishing Service Dept. – LDS Church, Salt Lake City, UT
- Gathered site analytics (including mouse-movement, scrolling, and attention heat maps) to improve the UX design of LDS.org and its various subsites (Temples, Scriptures, Addiction Recovery Program, LDS.jobs, etc.).
Web Content Writer/Editor
October 2012-August 2013
Welfare Dept. – LDS Church, Salt Lake City, UT
- Conducted user interviews to develop success stories of LDS Employment Services or the Addiction Recovery Program users. Wrote over 30 articles for various sites in total.
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Customer Service Rep – Corporation of the Presiding Bishopric – Salt Lake City, UT – Mar 2012-Oct 2012
Customer Service Rep – Connexion Point – Salt Lake City, UT – Oct 2011-Mar 2012
Print Depot & Technician – Office Depot – Salt Lake City, UT – May 2010-Jul 2011
EDUCATION
University of Utah
Graduation Date: June 2014
BA, English; 3.9 GPA
Writing, UX Design, and User Research
Thomas Larsen 