List of app defaults I am currently using:

• Software Design & Prototyping → [Figma](https://www.figma.com/)

• Mail Client → Apple Mail

• Notes → Apple Notes

• To-Do → Apple Reminders

• Calendar → Apple Calendar

• RSS → [News Explorer](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/news-explorer/id1032670789?mt=12)

• Browser → 70% [Firefox](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/), 19% Safari, 9% [Arc](https://arc.net/)

• Chat → Apple Messages

• Word Processing → Pages

• Spreadsheets → Numbers

• Presentations → [Figma](https://www.figma.com/)

• Shopping Lists → Apple Reminders

• Meal Planning → Apple Reminders

• Integrated development environment (IDE) → Xcode

• News → [News Minimalist](https://www.newsminimalist.com/)

• Music → Apple Music

• Podcasts → Apple Podcasts

• Code → [CotEditor](https://coteditor.com/)

• Knowledge base → [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/)

App defaults • 2024

There are only patterns. Patterns on top of patterns, patterns that affect other patterns, patterns hidden by patterns, patterns within patterns...

Software Designer

Amazon has just [released a new free iPad app](http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101026006189/en), called [Amazon Windowshop](http://www.windowshop.com/) that the company says is a complete “rewrite” of Amazon.com specifically for the iPad. Optimized for touch screen tablets, Amazon Windowshop makes it easy to swipe through the store to browse products on the iPad.

Amazon Launches Brand New iPad Shopping App Called Windowshop

Hulu is no longer just that place you go for next-day TV show replays. Starting right now, [Hulu becomes its own live TV provider.](https://go.redirectingat.com/?xs=1&id=1025X1701640&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Flive-tv&xcust=___vg__p_15276691__t_w__d_D) You pay a monthly $39.99 bill, and for that money you get the “regular” Hulu service with over 3,500 TV and film titles, plus a live TV package of over 50 channels.

How Hulu reinvented itself for live TV

Design Lead: Google Cloud Platform; Google Hangouts; Google Photos; Google+

Product designer: Google Web Fonts; Google Fiber TV; Google Music

* Owned significant UX/UI design responsibilities for the Google+ Photos, working with direction from the senior product leadership and design research.

* Developed User Interfaces, Wireframes, Prototypes, for mobile devices and desktop experiences

* Led and participated in several Design Sprints for Google+ Photos

* Created local design systems to deliver consistency where desired

* Sketch was my primary design tool; we used custom built tools for prototyping

* Managed multiple projects, covering a wide range of design deliverables end to end.

* Provided creative direction to outside design agencies in collaboration with our Google teams for Google Photos

* Explored new real-time communications with Google Hangouts (ie. Live content and online gaming)

Achievements

* Created materials for GoogleIO 2013 that demonstrated cloud computing technologies

* On several launch teams - launching over a dozen products; many still currently in-use (ie. Google web fonts and Google cloud platform).

* 3 patents awarded for Google Web Fonts

* Led and participated in numerous Design Sprints for early-stage products that were later released

Sr. UX Designer

* Established creative vision and technical strategy for all e-commerce websites that supported the direction of the brand

* Directed and led creative presentations to senior management for e-commerce group

* Provided strategic direction for the e-commerce creative, copy, and production teams

* Co-developed multi-channel brand direction with Catalog and Retail Stores Creative Directors

* Provided creative direction for online marketing and advertising

* Identified and selected internal and external resources needed to deliver projects

* Ensured the team was functioning efficiently, methodologies were followed and all deliverables were met

* Developed complete Customer Experience

* Oversaw external vendor relationships associated with websites

* Developed and mentored direct reports through close interaction and regular communication; Provided ongoing development and training plans to support the Design teams

Art Director, Ecommerce at Eddie Bauer

March 2004 - March 2007 (3 years 1 month)

* Assisted the Design Director in defining and communicating an e-commerce creative strategy that supported the quarterly business plan and leveraged the corporate creative strategy

* Communicated requirements for interface functionality and interactivity, and guided the development of interface design specifications using navigational flow diagrams and wireframes

* Documented design processes and standards

* Applied key learnings from usability studies and cognitive walkthroughs to web site design

* Directed the overall “look and feel” of the customer experience across all e-commerce properties

* Led web designers to ensure design solutions met expectations and business objectives

* Provided web designers with art direction (color, font, imagery, and graphical treatment) for all projects

* Provided feedback to ensure consistent application of creative strategies across all online properties

* Assisted in creating comps

UI Designer / IA, Ecommerce at Eddie Bauer

May 1999 - March 2004 (4 years 11 months)

* Responsible for the user interface design and site navigation of all Eddie Bauer e-commerce web sites

* Reduced the amount of time to successfully complete key tasks by as much as 23%

* Applied iterative design techniques to improve designs and balance business objectives with customer needs

* Consulted and collaborated with merchants, copywriters, marketing, and engineers to create both static comps and functional prototypes

* Created new templates for dynamic content and shopping tools. Documented functionality and usage specs

* Applied scenario design methodologies and key learnings gained from participation in hundreds of usability studies

* Designed checkout process, shopping cart, catalog quick order, catalog online, and customer accounts

* Worked with metrics to analyze site audiences, and their informational and functional needs

* Interpreted research findings, competitive analyses, and industry trends

* Ensured consistency of usability, navigation, and hierarchy

Design Director

Product Design Lead/Manager: Hulu TV apps (tvOS, Xbox, PlayStation, Roku), Commercial-free, Live TV\
Product designer: TV design systems;  Samsung Gear VR/Oculus VR app

* Managed internal team that designed the living room and console experiences

* Reviewed and selected local design agency consultations and managed vendor relations to help achieve our goals

* Oversaw design end-to-end deliverables for a future vision of streaming television through lessons learned from today’s linear and live broadcast experiences

* Designed and developed end-to-end user interfaces, wireframes, prototypes for living room user testing and launch deployment

* Introduced team to Framer for prototyping through the development of living room prototype for user testing

* Contributed to the Hulu Design systems and language

  Achievements

* Presented Hulu's living room vision to senior leadership and c-level executives, achieving buy-in and support

* Launch team for Hulu No Ads

* Launch team for Hulu Plus Live TV

* Led design workshops for Hulu VR

* Contributed to Hulu's VR vision, working with internal teams and external agency IDEO

Product Design Lead

Design Lead: Amazon Windowshop; Amazon Price Check; Amazon Bestsellers

Contributing designer: Amazon MP3; Amazon Student

* Design engineered User Flows, Wireframes, Prototypes, User Interfaces for Mobile phone and tablet apps, main amazon.com website

* Managed multiple projects simultaneously, covering a wide range of design deliverables end to end

* Worked with newly launched technologies, and newly launched devices

* Embraced 'working backward' methodology

* Presented visions and prototypes to senior product leadership

Achievements

* RCX Discovery team designer - pursued new compelling UX/UI for e-commerce

* Launch team for Amazon Mobile

* Launch team for Windowshop on iPad - Top Download for several weeks

* Launch team for Price Scanner on iPhone - Top Download; Wall Street Times reviewed

* Updated Footer design for amazon.com; same design still deployed - ask me about the 'fun story'

Product Design Lead: Indeed Hire (Recruitment automation software for high-volume hiring)

* Lead the design and implementation of Indeed Hire Platform (Indeed's internal recruitment automation software for high-volume hiring)

* Worked closely with product leadership and senior recruiting professionals to define user needs, plan design strategies, and launch features

* Drove planning and execution of user research including discovery workshops and user interviews

* Mentored junior, mid-level, and senior designers on UX practices and career trajectory

Product design: Employer Sourcing & Interviewing

* Responsible for the design, creation, and implementation of Indeed Resume Search, which delivered \~20mm Interviews

* Work closely with product leadership to define user needs, plan design strategies, and produce deliverables

Achievements

* Launch team for several job seeker and employer products

* Increased total Profiles created by job seekers by \~2x

* Reduced total Profile creation time to \~5 minutes

* Increased total job applies \~30% without increasing apply time

* Launch team for Indeed Interview, leading to \~20mm interviews

* Facilitated design workshops for Indeed's DEI initiatives

* Led design research (tiger team) for Employer AI Roadmap

* Led North Star designs for our largest clients (FedEx, AmazonDPS, Walmart)

* Helped initiate the content strategy processes and guidelines for UX org

* Drove the company-wide adoption of Figma as the primary design and prototyping tool

* Figma Systems Lead

* Coordinated and handled logistics for multiple team outings

Principle UX Designer

Living room devices and Remote control interfaces\
Stealth product

Lead UI Designer

Principal Product Designer: Hotelier marketplace; Local experiences

Contributing designer: Package deals; Flights

* Owned significant UX/UI design responsibilities for the Hotelier and LX marketplace, working with the direction from the c-level leadership and UX design manager.

* Designed and developed several end-to-end user interfaces, wireframes, prototypes for user testing

* Introduced team to Invision for prototyping. Led introductions between Invision and Expedia, and later managed UX team account

* Introduced Sketch to UX team through a series of brown-bags walkthrough sessions; Sketch became primary UX team tool

Achievements

* Led design for improved Hotel onboarding process that reduced time to first booking to 1 week - down from \~180 days

* Demonstrated reduction from \~40 days to fully onboard a hotel to a few hours using an iPad app

* Created first Sketch design system

John Palacios

2024