Hey, I’m Micha! ✨
(Pronounce it like: Mika - the singer!)
I'm a product designer based in Toronto, Canada. I create designs and problem solve in a way that focuses deeply on the user while balancing business goals.
I received my training from CareerFoundry's UX Design program and I've been working this past year as a freelance UX/UI designer for small businesses and startups.
Before my career in design, I worked as a contemporary dancer, choreographer and teacher. This is where my love of creating experiences and working with empathy began.
What design means to me
Through dance, I've had the opportunity to live and work in different countries. Seeing how services and systems operated in different places opened my eyes to strong and innovative design solutions I had not seen yet in Canada.
It also revealed a multitude of usability problems that exist in different parts of the world and showed me how we need more intentional UX design. Have you ever traveled to a new city and were confused over how to pay for parking? Or the bus? Or even how to access healthcare as a new resident?
I became a UX and Product Designer because I always wanted to make some difference in the world. I believe solving usability problems and creating wonderful experiences can have wide reaching impacts and improve people's lives. I would love to join a team with those same goals.
When I’m not designing
Outside of work, I love travelling, attending arts & culture events, and finding great new hiking spots (hit me up if you need Southern Ontario hiking recommendations).
I love baking Swedish cinnamon buns during the winter and getting out to kayak on the lake in the summer.
On a normal weekend you might find me practicing yoga, searching for new cuisines or trying to keep my plants alive.
My Skills 🎨
Methods
User Research
User Personas and Journeys
Information Architecture
Wireframing & Prototyping
Usability Testing
Mobile and Web Design
Branding, Visual and UI Design
Workshop Facilitation
Tools
Figma
Miro
OptimalSort
UsabilityHub
My Values 🌿
Listen as much as possible
From research participants to stakeholders to colleague, I believe that deeply listening to those around me and what they need is critical to fostering a good process and a great solution.
Failure and mistakes are a gift
I remind myself that things going wrong are a valuable element of any process. Looking at missteps as a gift helps me to learn from them and to reframe everything I do with a growth mindset.
Collaboration is key
Collaborating with others, especially from other disciplines is integral to my process. Having diverse viewpoints helps to strengthen a product. Plus, it's fun to work with other passionate people.
Design for inclusion
The more I delved into design the more I realized that many people get left out. The more we design with inclusion in mind, and bring in all types of people to the research phase, the better our solution can be for everyone. Good design is inclusive design.
