Oubly
I joined the e-commerce startup Oubly in its very early stages—before there was even name, much less a logo. I designed for print and web, managed freelancers, collaborated with developers, curated content, wrote for the blog, and provided HTML and CSS support.
Graphic, UI Design and Web Development
Balsamiq - HTML/CSS - InDesign - Illustrator - Photoshop
Print & Photography
I designed and illustrated, QA’d, and integrated hundreds of print designs to our digital platform - from business cards to wedding stationery sets. I also ensured they were optimized for web, print, and the platform's technology.
Customization Module
I designed and collaborated with the development team to implement a module for users to customize and order products. These orders were then routed to a dashboard I created, where they were managed and sent to the printer for fulfillment. The design was iterated on until the solution shown here.
404 Pages
I really wanted the user to have as much of a smile as possible if they happened on a 404 as well as conceptually communicate that we all make mistakes. Just fix it! Perhaps the most important event in relation to these pages was that due to positive feedback from a user test I was awarded a spicy Korean dinner.
Content Uploader
I worked with our development team to design and deploy an uploader module. This module would upload files and prepared correctly would translate them to editable content on our e-commerce website. This was then translated to a format for the printing team
Dashboard
I helped design a dashboard that allowed the team to manage orders and clients, set inventory, adjust product types, and manipulateart. This dashboard facilitated communication between the startup team and the primary manufacturer, who handled the printing and production. This project was a major undertaking for me, providing a significant and refreshing change of pace while challenging my user interface design skills. I am grateful to our senior designer as she helped immensely with her use experience design work and guidance.
Blog Theming
Using our style guide as a foundation, I applied visual styles to the the blog as well as designed for it. Since it was a new application of our styles, I had some creative freedom but aimed to keep a look that was both delicate and playful, reflecting our evolving brand. I also wrote several articles, including the one featured here. By the way, Bracket is fantastic!
Email Design
Keeping in mind testing, I explored the range of Oubly’s visual tones and user types. Although all designs followed a common language, the deliverables varied enough to gather diverse user feedback in a relatively controlled manner. I'm thankful for our senior designer for setting up a beautiful set of primitives reducing design friction.
Automation
To streamline the crucial initial print asset upload for the platform launch, I created a simple automation script. This helped the team upload content with minimal manual effort.
Custom Font
I wrote a tutorial on font creation for the Oubly blog and was later asked to help create a font based on a recently deceased family member's letters of a user. This request touched me deeply, and I worked on it passionately during my evenings. The final result was a font that captures the essence of those letters, preserving cherished memories and allowing for more to be made.
General Takeaway
My tasks were significantly more diverse than I had anticipated; I quickly learned to be nimble, to trust my team and that there is a quiet satisfaction in the grind. Lastly, that no matter the task, design thinking and concept (thank you Susanne) are dear friends.