About Me
Thanks for checking out my portfolio! Below is a little about me and my design philosophy.
A little about me:
Hello! I'm Cathrine Shepard. Before becoming a UX researcher and designer I was a high school science teacher. I designed and executed meaningful and empowering educational experiences for high school physics and chemistry students. I first became interested in UX design when as a teacher I saw how well-designed EdTech tools improved the experience of students and teachers alike, enabling both to better reach their learning and professional goals. Many EdTech tools allowed me to better meet the needs and abilities of each of my students, making my instruction more accessible for all.
Now as a UX researcher and designer, I've had the pleasure to design for user success both in the education field and beyond.
From the classroom to UX:
Since transitioning to UX, I've loved being able to apply my knowledge and experience with learning principles such as cognitive load, mental models, and constructivism learning theory beyond the classroom. My teaching experience helped me realize:
You can't assume what is intuitive. What's clear to you as the designer won't necessarily be intuitive to your users.
Attention spans are short, but that's ok! It just means that your designs need to plan for this reality.
Everyone brings their unique previous experiences, world views, and mental models to every app or lesson. Building off already-established mental models sets your users up for success.
You don't truly know whether a design is effective until you test it with real users. It's important to plan for meaningful feedback elicitation in your design process.
Whether in the classroom or in UX, I love designing research-based experiences that empower users to achieve their goals.
