“Design is intelligence made visible.”
Resume
As a seasoned designer with over 17 years of expertise in graphic design and more recently user experience design, I bring a well-rounded skill set that blends creativity, strategy, and user-centered design. With a keen eye for aesthetics and a deep understanding of UX/UI principles, I craft solutions that not only meet business objectives but also prioritize accessibility and user needs.
Driven by innovation and a problem-solving mindset, I thrive in dynamic, fast-paced environments—whether working independently or collaboratively. My adaptability allows me to navigate complexity with ease, while my strong communication and presentation skills enable me to advocate for design decisions with clarity and confidence. Always eager to learn and evolve, I am committed to creating impactful, intuitive experiences that resonate with users.
Work Experience
-
Plan and conduct all aspects of user testing including script writing, scheduling, leading video interviews and analyzing user feedback.
Provide various artifacts such as user personas, journey maps, task-flow diagrams, sketches, wireframes and design documents.
Comfortable presenting to clients and stakeholders while gracefully defending design choices and concepts.
Collaborate across multiple-functional teams to define project goals, meet client needs and offer creative solutions for feasibility and accessibility challenges.
-
Designed intuitive user experiences for a variety of learning management systems and online learning experiences.
Worked seamlessly with project managers and developers to improve functionality and design issues by adding accurate progress bar to assure ease of use.
Redesigned user experience and developed solutions for pain points increasing teacher usage by 6%.
Presented designs for review, accepted constructive feedback and offered solutions which fit the needs of users, stakeholders, and McGraw Hill.
Facilitated and guided a series of 8 user testing sessions with teachers and high school age students.
Conceptualized an internal tool for the content team to help streamline the process of building lesson collections for the Actively Learn Website.
-
Involved in all phases of product development from ideation to final design by collaborating with instructional designer in gamifying financial lessons.
Served as the Lead Creative during client-facing video meetings to present best design and functionality strategies.
Created engaging digital designs and learning experiences for kindergarten through higher education environments.
Worked in concert with overseas production department to explore functionality capabilities while pushing the boundaries of designs.
Collaborated with Subject Matter Experts and Instructional Designers to meet the requested requirements and goals of each project.
-
Collaborated with Creative Director and Rendering Artists to utilize asset library to create effective exterior designs within client parameters and budget restrictions.
Developed a vision and style guide for each project to help clients narrow options, efficiently select materials, and implement a consistent and functional design.
Executed revisions and updates efficiently while meeting strict deadlines.
-
Created impactful digital marketing campaigns, including 30-60 page Offering Memorandums, from ideation to final launch for new properties.
Created time-sensitive proposals with the utmost accuracy in a short turnaround time with minimal direction.
Implemented a full rebranding of marketing using a new style guide.
Developed a streamlined process for 3 brokers to utilize when submitting marketing requests allowing projects to be prioritized and executed more efficiently.
Integrated marketing tools, including email campaigns and postcards, to deliver optimum lead generating results for agents.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Creative problem solving
Communication and interpersonal skills
Quality assurance at every phase of the design process
Product ideation and wireframing from low fidelity to high fidelity
User Testing process from Interviews, script writing, execution and report
Visual and Layout Design
Core Competencies
Adobe Creative
Cloud:
InDesign
Photoshop
Illustrator
Lightroom
Bridge
Technical Skills
User Experience
Design:
Figma
Adobe XD
Sketch
InVision
Microsoft 365:
Excel
Word
Outlook,
Teams,
PowerPoint
OneDrive
Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art,
University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts,
Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, MA
Education
Let’s Connect
LauraMaeRiley@gmail.com
(323) 573-4608
Merrimac, MA