Hi there! I’m Daphanie, a UX Designer and graduate from the University of Washington (UW) with a degree in Human-Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE). I’m passionate about simplifying our world and making technology more intuitive.
My journey into the UX world began with coaching gymnastics. I discovered a passion for helping my little gymnasts overcome the challenges of somersaults and backflips. Coaching taught me the importance of understanding individual perspectives to guide skill execution. Whether it was a little boy needing a dragon-fighting story to master his somersault or a gymnast navigating the technicalities of a full-twisting layout, I loved tackling these challenges together.
At the University of Washington, I was accepted into the HCDE program, where I had the opportunity to learn from a diverse mix of esteemed and unique instructors. We delved into various research methods and explored how past and current world developments intersect with the UX field. Driven by my curiosity to understand and simplify complex problems, I worked on projects focused on accessibility and the outdoors, refining my skills and deepening my passion for UX research.
Outside of academics, I continued my passion for coaching by ski instructing at a non-profit called Husky Winter Sports, which focuses on making snow sports accessible. Eventually, I took on the role of director, further developing my leadership and mentoring skills. Growing up surrounded by nature in the Pacific Northwest, I spend my free time hiking and diving into the icy alpine lakes atop our beautiful mountains, embracing the breathtaking outdoors.
Current hobbies: Writing columns about random bits of my life, rehabbing my ACL and longing to ski again
Current Favorite book: Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton
EXPERIENCE
Product Designer - Subject to Climate
October 2024 - Present
Conducted user research studies to identify pain points and uncover growth opportunities for early-stage startups; facilitated user interviews, internal surveys, and external networking to inform new strategic projects.
Redesigned core site search and created universal widgets to improve accessibility, functionality, and usability; validated solutions through user testing and iterative design.
Synthesized research findings into user personas, journey maps, and design requirements that guided product decisions and improved user experience.
Produced detailed developer handoff files including pseudo-code and specifications to ensure smooth implementation and alignment with design intent.
UX Researcher & Designer - Expedia Group x UW Capstone
January 2024 - June 2024
Led 8 user testing sessions to optimize the trip planning functionality, significantly improving user satisfaction and engagement.
Analyzed secondary data, qualitative data, spotted trends.
Collaborated with seasoned UX researchers, contributing innovative insights and collaborative solutions to elevate the app's usability and interface design creating 3 design solutions that leverage user insights.
Constructed 3 interactive high-fidelity user flow prototypes using Figma, aligning with design systems to build intuitive user
UX Graphic Designer & Web Developer - MOR
June 2022 - December 2024
Optimized Onboarding: Created a scalable, user-friendly onboarding toolkit that reduced the process from a week to 2 days, streamlining efficiency and enhancing knowledge transfer.
Designed engaging visual content and marketing assets such as custom graphics (flyers, posters, reports) in alignment with the university design system to create a consistent user experience, using Figma, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
Director - Husky Winter Sports
June 2022 - December 2024
Optimized Onboarding: Created a scalable, user-friendly onboarding toolkit that reduced the process from a week to 2 days, streamlining efficiency and enhancing knowledge transfer.
Designed engaging visual content and marketing assets such as custom graphics (flyers, posters, reports) in alignment with the university design system to create a consistent user experience, using Figma, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
KUDOS
Role: Director
“Thank you for your excellent communication skills, people skills, and kiddo skills. I'm not sure how many years we've been doing HWS lessons, but you provided information to all us families very concisely, and thoroughly. It is so much appreciated.”
-HWS Customer
“This winter was a seamless experience. Thank you for your attention to detail and helping coordinate a full class amongst all of our family friends. You've helped us create memories that will last a lifetime for the kids, we are grateful for your team's dedication to helping them grow!”
-HWS Customer
