I was the first designer hired at Club Labs, joining at the inception of this AAA-financed agency. Collaborating closely with the Design Manager, I played a key role in shaping the team, establishing workflows, selecting applications, and even designing the company logo. By the time I left, Club Labs had grown into a small agency with a team of 4 UI/UX designers, 3 UX researchers, 2 permanent project managers, and 4 dedicated front-end engineers.

My Role:
I was responsible for creating wireframes for both the mobile app and the redesigned website, developing prototypes, high-fidelity mockups, conducting testing, managing handoffs, and contributing to the creation of a design system. Additionally, I was instrumental in the branding of Club Labs.

AAA Website Redesign:
One of our major projects was redesigning the AAA website (ACSC). We began by experimenting with multiple home page designs until we found one that aligned with our vision for AAA. From there, we created design systems, updated features, and addressed UX pain points in the existing product.

Startup Life:
At the start, Club Labs was so new that we didn’t even have whiteboards, resorting to large sketch pads to share ideas and work through solutions. As the budget was approved, we built out our office and team, adding whiteboards, larger monitors, and a couple of UX researchers. The team expanded from 4 people when I started to 11 by the time I left.

AAA Mobile App:
We designed the AAA mobile app alongside the website, ensuring that the app felt like a natural extension of the website. I served as the lead designer for the iOS app, collaborating with engineers from Pivotal Labs in Santa Monica.

Site Maps and Wireframes:
Using Omnigraffle, we created sitemaps and wireframes, iterating on them until they were ready for a clickable prototype. Upon approval, we moved into the design phase.

Design:
AAA tasked us with giving the app a sleek, modern look. We explored various design options and aimed to have bi-weekly design reviews. If time didn’t allow for meetings, we displayed our work on the office walls for feedback, encouraging open discussions and idea sharing.