Living in Ottawa

A bit about me

Welcome! My name’s Kat - I'm a designer from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

In 2022, I graduated from the University of Ottawa with a B.Sc Major in Computer Science, and Minor in Digital Humanities. I then spent some time traveling and freelancing. Eventually I came back to Ottawa to work at a local startup as a Product Designer.

As a developer turned designer, I specialize in using my extensive knowledge of front-end development to create designs that work for both clients and developers, because I know firsthand how accessible and realistic design is just as important as beautiful and creative design.

You can reliably find me anywhere that sells coffee and has a decent wifi connection. Or if you like my work and want a more direct line of communication, feel free to shoot me an email !

Building my Career

UX/Product Designer

VectorSolv - Nov '22 - Feb '24

  • Directing engaging presentations to teams of over 15 developers, effectively communicating new product ideas through a combination of low-fidelity wireframes, high-fidelity prototypes, and collaborative feedback sessions.
  • Designing a robust, modular dashboard, featuring intuitive management tools for warranties, claims, policies, and sales, tailored for users with varying technical backgrounds across North America.
  • Navigating a fast-paced startup environment through balancing thoughtful product design with an iterative approach - knowing what can be scoped with the current timelines and planning ahead for future versions.
  • Empathising with users and collecting feedback to redesign product information architecture, ultimately conveying content more effectively.
  • Aiding in acquisition of new clients through designing detailed, high-fidelity prototypes, based on competitive market analysis and organisational goals.

Freelance UX/UI Designer

76engage - Jun '22 - Present

  • Working with client specifications and branding to create responsive, accessible, clean, and scalable corporate websites used by thousands across Canada.
  • Designing and creating mockups of new project features based on organizational goals and competitive analysis of current market.
  • Using extensive knowledge of Figma and frontend development processes to create wireframes and component libraries for a developer-friendly handoff, leading to faster design execution within budget
  • Testing and editing media in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to meet  accessibility requirements
  • Applying strong communication and analytical skills to redesign site information architecture and ultimately convey content more effectively to relevant audiences
  • Creating high resolution logos and graphics with Adobe products

UX/UI/Web Designer

Vectorsolv - May '21 - Oct '21

  • Creating high fidelity wireframes, user flows, story boards, and site maps for corporate website and branding using Photoshop, Illustrator  
  • Executing website production in timely manner using Figma, Webflow, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript
  • Promoting best design practices and accessibility standards to achieve a cohesive design through the website

Frontend Developer

ISED Canada - Jan '20 - Aug '21

  • Designing and implementing wireframes that meet WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standards with Figma, HTML5/CSS, and JavaScript  
  • Working in an Agile environment to create user stories with clients, plan sprints, and present app demos to product-owner
  • Developing and maintaining a web application for department-wide use of 1000s of government employees; using JavaScript, React, Ant Design, Postman, PostgreSQL, and Docker

kate.thornley.portfolio@gmail.com



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