Kirsten Disse  [BETA]

About me

- 10 years+ experience UX practitioner
- MA Design for Interaction (Distinction)
- PGC-HE - Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education
- Lean & Agile, Desktop, web, mobile, tablet
- Strategic & tactical

As a designer working in the innovation space, I've found that much of my work involves storytelling and bringing concepts to visual life, using a range of methods to bring everyone onboard and coalesce team vision. Great communication, empathy and the ability to adapt and thrive in constantly changing digital landscape mean that I have enjoyed a range of projects in a range of places.  I also bring a thirst for knowledge and restless curiosity which I'm relieved to have a productive outlet for. I have an international perspective and genuine drive to create experiences which enrich and enhance peoples' lives. 

[Above] With the lively and creative representatives from four schools who are helping envisage the new Aranui Community College in Christchurch, NZ. 

Thanks to Michael Busby for photography

Process

My work tends to follow a consistent pattern, determined by project scale and scope. Projects I have led or joined range the spectrum from 'we have this idea' to 'help we need to deliver this, now' and the worst case: 'we launched this and its failed, what can we do now'.  As well as leading or guiding projects and mentoring, I get great satisfaction from the practice of design.

Strategy 

Applying organisational objectives to experience strategy, ensuring aligned outcomes including defining success metrics and measurement, organisational advocacy and education. Using customer experience insight to inform organisational objectives, project management, trends, insight and analysis and strategic interpretation. I often help organisations integrate design-led approaches into their business.

User Experience

UX activities vary according to project need including but not limited to personas, scenarios, user journeys, storyboards, affinity maps, overall strategic mapping, task flow analysis, architectures, process maps, interaction design, diagrams and sketches. These are translated into wireframes, mockups and prototypes as required. I sometimes produce user interface design elements, surface treatments and UI styleguides but more often I oversee this work.

Research & workshops

Primary and Secondary research at outset dependent upon complexity and extent of project. Guerrilla user research takes place alongside any formal requirements I tend to live and breathe the content domain and get as immersed as possible using any and all formal or informal means. 
I also collect data, interview, survey or run participant centred, co-creation workshops and facilitate brainstorming or ideation sessions to uncover authentic needs and motivations.

Usability, Accessibility and User Testing

I follow best practice principles of usability, universal design and accessibility and believe that elimination of complexity and ease of use are a human right. I advocate early and often guerilla user testing, with lightweight artefacts or just enough design. I don't tend to run user tests myself but am experienced with planning, informing and responding to them.

Concepts & Ideation

My special skill is taking research driven insights and expressing these as tangible concepts. Usually I start out with a moodboard or other visual artefacts to quickly capture and convey essence, these are priceless in defining and articulating innovation work, eliminating complexity and coalescing vision. 

Delivery and beyond

Broad delivery experience from integrating with small agile teams and boutique agencies through to large software production houses, remote management of off-shore delivery or managing 3rd parties and partners.

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