THE NEED:
In 2022, Aktivate needed product support to build a new mobile app that would extend beyond the capabilities of their existing web platform - to enable mobile access to the most crucial product features: calendaring, scheduling, and messaging.
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THE SOLUTION:‍
The overarching business growth goal for these new features was to keep users engaged with the Aktivate platform during the entire sporting season, not just during team registration in the pre-season. This could be achieved by building a cohesive set of new app features, to replace the hodgepodge of apps that users currently use during the rest of the season to:
- Schedule, view, and share all team events (e.g. training, social).
- Schedule game events between schools, plus 3rd party officials.
- Communicate between the coach, students, and parents/guardians.
- Share achievements and recorded media from events.

Research (qualitative customer interviews) was required to assess user needs and wants surrounding calendaring, scheduling, and messaging; to determine an ideal state of full functionality of these app features. User research also revealed the current likes and dislikes of competitors’ apps, and provided a more nuanced understanding of each of the four target personas (user type).

THE NEED:
Needed to understand target users’ pain points, and feature wish lists. Aktivate also needed to understand which features of their competitors’ apps were most loved by target users, and why.

Needed to create personas and user journeys for four primary user types (who each had different needs for information visibility and admin permissions). 
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THE SOLUTION:
Conducted a strategic industry bench-marking of the competitive landscape. Identified product opportunities signified by feature gaps in competitors’ apps.

Claire designed and scripted two user research interview studies: 
- To build personas and detailed user journeys
(16 participants, for a single interview).
- To understand the nuanced needs and wants of those personas, for calendar and messaging features
(32 participants, for a series of two interviews).

Recruited and interviewed existing users of the Aktivate web platform. Synthesized research using the Dovetail platform, and collated key analysis insights and recommendations.

Created detailed persona documents and user journey maps. Scoped Aktivate app MVP features, and provided additional research insights for future product roadmapping.

THE NEED:
Design must provide a safe and secure environment for K-12 student users, as well as to ensure transparency of the activity of sports coaches and school staff.

Design must consider how different user types will be focused on different scale levels of information:
- Individual teams (coaches, students, parents/guardians).
- All sports in a school’s K-12 athletic program
(athletic directors, school admin, coaches).
- Inter-school coordination, or multi-school calendar event summaries (referees/officials, medics, district athletic directors).
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THE SOLUTION:
Constructed personas and detailed user journeys for four distinct user types (athletic directors, coaches, school admins, and parents/guardians).

Mapped user flows to discover interaction touchpoints between all internal and external user groups (student athletes, parents/guardians, school staff, external coaches, and inter-school oversight/compliance).

Designed app features to be safe for minors to use, and to comply with schools’ privacy policies (based on prior research responses).

THE NEED:
The prototype design was to be used in “solution interviews” to validate the perceived value of feature ideas for the Aktivate app MVP. 

Design must test solutions for how multiple calendars full of team events would be layered (e.g. for coaches of multiple teams/sports). Design must also allow users to follow state compliance requirements (e.g. reporting concussions).
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THE SOLUTION:
Designed UX/UI as a Figma interactive prototype, in mid-fidelity (complex wireframes). Tested the interactive prototype in interviews with existing users (interviewees returning from the initial research rounds). 

The research uncovered a major pain point for all personas: sending and receiving timely updates about events (such as weather delays) right before the start of a game. To allow coaches to easily create these updates from anywhere, we designed and validated a “quick actions” menu that streamlined the process of updating a calendar event and notifying the relevant event guests. 

Tested different layouts and filter menus, for users to view and search through layers of multiple team events (i.e. combined calendars). Also tested calendar layouts for different time scales: one day, two days, weekly, monthly, and the entire season.

THE NEED:
In 2021, Blue Studios needed product support to build a new video streaming “watch party” feature, to be integrated into their existing web platform of K-12 STEM education videos and hands-on STEM activity kits.
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THE SOLUTION:‍
The overarching business growth goal for this feature was to allow an easy entry point to the client’s STEM video content, by allowing subscribed users to invite their friends into a “watch party” even if they were not subscribers.

Within rapid development cycles: Claire determined the “watch party MVP” functionality and fidelity, and designed UX/UI that matched the existing web platform (and expanded Blue Studios’ design system with new icons, images, and typography hierarchy).

After launch, the initial user reception was positive, as confirmed by qualitative user feedback that was collected via the website’s chatbot.

THE NEED:
After meeting with the client and stakeholders to understand the company goals for the product, Claire tested the client’s existing product offerings - in order to plan a seamless integration of the new “watch party” feature with their existing technologies, branding, and UX design. 
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THE SOLUTION:
Conducted a strategic industry bench-marking of the “watch party” feature landscape, including testing the “watch party” features of Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Facebook. Documented data from SimilarWeb, and competitors’ technical blog posts.

Together with project engineers, scoped the technical lift for matching certain competitors’ features - to identify risks and opportunities. Claire then scoped specific MVP features for Blue Studios’ watch party feature, and provided future product ideas in the form of a product roadmap.

THE NEED:
The design had to be easy for children to use (while unsupervised), and provide a safe and secure learning environment. An exploration of user touchpoints was needed, for a host user and a guest user - to understand their needs as they interacted with the service through various invitation methods (to start/join the watch party), and then engage with other users and the STEM content.
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THE SOLUTION:
First, Claire mapped user flows for all user types (host + guest users). This included user flows for the watch party share/invite links - through email, social media shares, and direct links.

For ease of use, the UX design employed a dual approach of show and tell: using icons paired with text labels. Claire designed the full UI to fit within a desktop or tablet screen, so that kids could see all the content without scrolling.

To provide a safe and secure learning environment: the chat window did not allow text typing, just a simple emoji selection menu to communicate between participants. The team implemented secure Okta authentication services for host and guest log in.

THE NEED:
To demonstrate the “watch party” functionality before it was built, a high fidelity interactive prototype was needed (including hover states, audio/video permission requests, error messages, and the three different methods of link sharing).
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THE SOLUTION:
Designed UX/UI as a Figma interactive prototype design, based on the previously completed user flow maps for both host and guest user flows. Claire designed two prototypes: one for a host user, and one for a guest user.

Design included the assets (new icons, images, typography, and button styles), and the menus and dialog windows that would allow users to start/join the watch party, and then to engage with other users and the STEM video content.

Claire tested the interactive prototype with stakeholders in place of the end users (at client’s request), because the end users were minors. Prototype testing was completed through remote video interviews with stakeholders, as well as internal team testing. Combining research insights with client input, Claire made final design adjustments. Also supported engineers throughout the build and test phases, and the MVP launch: with pre-launch QA and post-launch bug testing.

THE NEED:
SOM's marketing and business development staff continuously respond to RFQ (request for qualifications) and RFP (request for proposal) documents that are issued by potential clients. Following this process, shortlisted firms are invited to interview with the client for a particular project.
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THE SOLUTION:
Claire worked with the San Francisco office to develop targeted proposals and interview materials that won new business for SOM's architectural, structural engineering, and urban/environmental planning services.

The proposal development process included: writing/editing, InDesign layout, compiling internal expert and external consultant information, coordinating translations (bilingual with Mandarin or Spanish), and print production.

Interview materials included: pitch decks, printed reference materials, brochures, and large format displays.

Claire also developed market segment portfolios to attract ideal clients and early-stage leads before they issue an RFQ or RFP.

THE NEED:
SOM required marketing materials that went beyond the scope of one-to-one new business development. These needs included speaking engagements, recruiting and internship promotion, hosted/sponsored events, and requests from museums and book publishers who wanted to showcase SOM's projects.
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THE SOLUTION:
Claire developed digital and print collateral for speaking engagements and tertiary education guest lectures; including slide decks, email promotion, conference guide materials, and posters.

Claire also responded to material requests from industry publications, book authors, museums, and event organizers - ensuring the accuracy of information and visual assets, as well as the consistency of brand representation.

Working within a CMS (content management system), Claire standardized project descriptions, staff biographies, and strategic brand messaging.

THE NEED:
As one of the world's leading structural engineering firms, SOM required marketing initiatives to showcase their engineering innovations, patents, and project case studies.
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THE SOLUTION:
Claire worked closely with the structural engineering teams in San Francisco and Los Angeles to develop a comprehensive approach to documenting and promoting SOM's structural engineering projects across the United States' western region and projects in China.

This approach included industry award submissions (e.g. AIA, CTBUH, NCSEA, ASCE, DBIA, BD+C, ENR, and Architect R+D), as well as writing narrative project texts and improving diagrams for peer-reviewed white papers and large format display boards.

THE NEED:
As a global leader in architecture, structural engineering, urban design, and environmental planning, it is important for SOM to share the stories of their innovative projects through industry award programs.
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THE SOLUTION:
Claire won architectural, structural engineering, and planning awards for SOM by carefully preparing award submission packages, and implementing a system to track deadlines and results.

Working closely with experts in SOM's San Francisco and Los Angeles offices, Claire uncovered the hidden stories of each project's challenges and innovative solutions.

Claire collaborated with in-house stakeholders and external project consultants to determine the best award programs to participate in, and to gather the best data and imagery from all parties in the project team.

THE NEED:
Turner International is a global leader in construction management services, having worked on renowned buildings including Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. With most new business leads initiating from reputation and referrals, Turner International was looking to refresh all public-facing brand messaging.

THE SOLUTION:
Joining Turner's global headquarters in NYC, Claire began the process of repositioning Turner International's brand by conducting an audit of the existing internal brand elements (e.g. style guidelines, templates, and culture documentation) as well as public-facing brand elements (e.g. website, social channels, and brochures).

Following the brand audit and a competitive positioning analysis, Claire adapted Turner's existing brand guidelines to develop a modernized visual style for the Turner International brand.

Additionally, Claire updated website content and social channel branding, and developed a global template for email signatures in order to standardize country-specific contact information.

THE NEED:
Following a comprehensive brand audit, Claire identified an opportunity to standardize templates and assets used by business development staff in each region: Europe, India, South America, and Southeast Asia.

THE SOLUTION:
Claire first evaluated internal communication channels used by Turner International's marketing and business development staff, and then implemented Microsoft Teams as a new tool to enable transparent collaboration.

With Microsoft Teams established as the new hub for global resources used by both marketing and business development staff, Claire worked with regional marketing staff to evaluate and update proposal and interview templates for improved brand standardization.

Additionally, brand identity assets and common proposal assets (such as project images and texts) were now able to be centrally maintained in Microsoft Teams. This added clear version control and created a 'single source of truth' which streamlined the proposal development cycle: saving time by eliminating asset requests from staff across disparate time zones.

THE NEED:
Turner was lacking marketing data analytics and needed an overarching marketing plan to tie together their omni-channel brand presence.

THE SOLUTION:
Claire implemented and tracked analytics for Turner International's website and social channels in order to understand the engagement behaviors of potential clients.

Additionally, Claire defined and implemented an integrated social channel strategy that focused on company updates such as project wins and milestones, as well as promotion of speaking engagements and sponsored events.

Major project milestones - such as an building opening ceremony that was attended by the country's governmental leader - were simultaneously promoted with a press release and social posts that directed viewers back to Turner International's website.

THE NEED:
As a global leader in construction management services, it is important for Turner to share international best practices through industry award programs and events.

THE SOLUTION:
Turner are experts in supertall building construction (i.e. over 300 meters tall), as well as very large and complex projects that become iconic in their country.
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Therefore, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is the most well-aligned AEC industry organization to demonstrate Turner's thought leadership through research studies, award programs, participating as panel speakers or judges, and serving as event hosts.
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Claire supported Turner staff in Istanbul with the creation of the new 'CTBUH Turkey Chapter', including a new chapter logo and marketing materials for the first hosted event.

Claire also created an infographic brochure for the 2018 CTBUH summit in Dubai. Through data analysis, Claire decided how to best represent Turner's tall building and sustainability expertise, then created a supertall building infographic by gathering plans pages (like blueprints) to draw accurate silhouettes.

THE NEED:
In 2015, Hack Reactor was an independent software engineering school (i.e. coding bootcamp) headquartered in San Francisco, with eight campuses around the United States. Four of those campuses were grouped as 'Hack Reactor Core', and were preparing to launch a free preparatory program called 'Fulcrum' to help potential new students learn the essential basic concepts of software engineering needed to pass Hack Reactor's bootcamp entrance exams. The Fulcrum training program required a new logo.

THE SOLUTION:
Claire observed that the Hack Reactor Core logo already contained a triangular component that would be perfect for illustrating the eponymous concept of the Fulcrum program.

Rotating this triangle 90 degrees to better represent a symmetrical fulcrum, Claire then mirrored the existing company logos by using the same color palette and wordmark typeface that were used for the Hack Reactor and Hack Reactor Core logos. Finally, Claire precisely placed the wordmark above the fulcrum symbol: slightly off-center where it actually appeared to be evenly balanced.

Updated brand guidelines included the technical specifications and spacing requirements for the new Fulcrum logo.

THE NEED:
Hack Reactor required a branded design for Google's Startup Weekend event in San Francisco, to be printed on t-shirts and circular stickers.

THE SOLUTION:
Mandatory design elements were the Hack Reactor logo and Google's logo (the flask illustration and the words 'Startup Weekend').

Claire added the location name 'San Francisco' in a complementary new typeface, and reinforced this with a stylized silhouette of the San Francisco skyline. To balance the design, Claire chose to make this a night scene by adding stars and reusing Hack Reactor's logo symbol as a full moon.

Sticker colors were selected from the existing color palette in Hack Reactor's style guidelines. Print vendors were Sticker Mule and Custom Ink.

THE NEED:
Hack Reactor's San Francisco headquarters required design updates to overarching branded materials and marketing collateral.

THE SOLUTION:
The primary project was an updated website landing page about Hack Reactor's Hiring Program (i.e. information that informs companies about how they can hire graduating students). The design would also be adapted for use as a printed flier.

Claire received updated sales copy and accordingly made updates to the design element hierarchy and created new iconography.

Additional projects included branded social media banners (using existing photography assets), and updating branded slide deck templates using Google Slides.

THE NEED:
Sales copy updates to Hack Reactor's marketing collateral necessitated the development of several new icons to visually represent concepts.

THE SOLUTION:
Claire developed new icons that matched the existing iconography style, so that they could be reused in future marketing designs to represent these concepts with consistent visual language.

New vector icons used the existing brand color palette, and represent the following concepts:
- 8 campuses
- UX / UI
- Full-stack web development
- Mobile development
- Native iOS development