Edward Jones

Design Lead

- Successfully designed and released a firm-wide OCR application upgrade to 15,000 branches across the US and Canada.
- Deployed an app that creates thousands reference portfolios in one-click for our branches.

What I do day to day:
- Design custom component libraries to scale our investment software suite
- Create UX design deliverables based on research, qualitative feedback, and quantitative feedback from our Financial Advisors and Branch Office Administrators.
- Design incremental improvements to our systems across 3-6 product teams using Agile methodologies. 
- Collaborate with researchers, product managers, business analysts, and developers to deliver high value to our financial advisors.

Product Designer

Contract Designer

Dance Vision

Think of me as the design architect for their entire app.

Created and scaled their design system from the ground up for their new e-learning platform.

Design Systems Lead

Product Designer - UX / UI Designer 

- Facilitating collaborative meetings with business owners and stakeholders to understand which success metrics matter most, learn their overall vision for the company, know what their current solutions are, discover what their struggles are, explore their value proposition, and understand their customers.
- Creating an overall design strategy for their business based on the information I've gained from stakeholders and users.
- Conducting user research and competitive analysis
- Creating user personas for a businesses target audience
- Developing information architecture through user flows, sitemaps, user stories, and content strategy. 
- Designing web/mobile prototypes for stakeholders, users & customers for product testing.
- Developing design systems, brand identity systems, pattern libraries, and style guides for businesses
- Creating graphic, web, and mobile designs for clients
- Implementing Google Analytics and SEO for web-based projects
- Measuring user's overall happiness, adoption, and retention rate in relation to a digital product
- Applying innovative and iterative design principles for the client's current solutions
- Troubleshooting business's current problems in their present digital products
- Collaborating with business owners guiding product management and overall workflow

Past work:
- Built responsive websites and apps for various industries such as travel & hospitality, health & fitness, personal development, performing arts, non-profit organizations, online retail, and now financial services.

Senior Product Designer

National Park Express

- Collaborating in meetings with stakeholders to prioritize which problems to solve and deliver the most value
- Facilitating design workshops with key team members
- Conducting user research and competitive analysis
- Developing design systems, brand identity systems, pattern libraries, and style guides for our travel partner's distribution channels
- Structuring information architecture through user flows, sitemaps, user stories, and content strategy.
- UX/UI Design in collaboration with the development team remotely through Figma and our development environments
- Designing web/mobile prototypes for stakeholders, users & customers for product testing
- Building and launching white-labeled, custom web apps and websites for our partners
- Measuring the user's overall happiness, adoption, and retention rate in relation to a digital product
- Applying innovative and iterative design principles for our various travel e-commerce sites and apps
- Implementing validated design solutions via front-end development using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP to interact with our back-end database using Microsoft SQL Server.
- Work through Kanban and Agile sprint cadences in one-week increments

Senior Product Designer & Front-end Developer

Yowza Shop LLC

- Built and designed their fully responsive e-commerce website, continuously maintained all technical aspects of the site, along with its security and SEO. 
- Facilitated marketing, design, and business strategy workshops bi-weekly.
- Designed all graphics for the e-commerce site on a weekly basis. 
- Created illustrations for shirts, hats, and accessories.

UX Designer

American Preparatory Academy

Teaching youth Ballroom and Latin dance styles as part of the character development program at APA.

Dance Instructor

Bloc

- Creating User Experiences and User Interfaces for digital applications for desktop and mobile devices.
- Utilizing Front-end development web technologies HTML, CSS, Javascript & JQuery for web and mobile applications.

UX/UI Design Intern

VZ Dance Studios

- Create a brand new responsive website for VZ Dance Studios while improving their organic SEO to jump from page 7 to page one within one month of deployment. 

- Produced weekly advertising graphics (web/print) and maintained a daily social media presence for special events, holiday promotions, dance competitions, flash mobs, and monthly class calendars.

- Maintained and serviced all tech at the studio including computers, printers, sound systems, and general software usage.

Graphic Web Designer

BALLROOM ADDICTION

Redesigned Ballroom Addiction's website to fit modern responsive web standards with in 3 months, along with building their organic SEO rankings from page three to page one of local rankings.

Teaching Founders & Designers about UX & AI | Design Lead & Engineer (15y exp.)

15 years ago, I couldn't code a single line or design anything in Adobe. 

Today, I transform complex user and business problems into tangible results.

In fact, since I started my design journey:

* I've collaborated with nimble startups and Fortune 500 enterprises
* I've help companies gain 40% more profit in less than 6 weeks 
* I've built scalable front-end architectures for millions of users
* I've designed intuitive interfaces that boost conversion rates by 30%+


Here's what I bring to your team:

→ 15 years of battle-tested UX design & front-end development expertise
→ The rare ability to speak both designer and developer languages fluently
→ A proven track record of turning business requirements into user-centered solutions

The best part? 

I don't just build what you ask for.

I build what your users actually need.

Whether working remotely (without the zoom fatigue) or bringing my custom-built AI-enhanced workflow to your projects. 

I'm the technical-creative hybrid your team is missing.

PS: What if your next hire could eliminate the design-development handoff entirely?

Working in UX is hard.

You're expected to:

↳ Navigate ambiguity like a pro.
↳ Design solutions with a ton of constraints.
↳ Advocate for users while balancing business goals.
↳ Create value that impacts thousands if not millions of people.


Yet... this career is a gift 🎁 :

→ You get to solve tough problems for real people.
→ Collaborate with teams that value creativity and empathy.
→ Learn from and mentor the brightest minds. 
→ Make an impact—big or small—on someone’s life every single day.


UX gives us so much:

✅ The skills design cool products that matter.
✅ The opportunity to use curiosity as a superpower.
✅ The privilege of being the voice for those who can't speak in the room.
✅ It enables us to use our creativity and our logic to solve problems that few people can. 


Stop and think about it... 

Isn’t it amazing that we get to do this work?

---

PS: What can you be grateful for in your UX career?

Follow me John Balboa. I swear I’m friendly, and I won’t detach your components.

John Balboa

Talks about #ux, #aiux, #uxai, #nocodelowcode, and #userexperiencedesign

Teaching Founders & Designers about UX | Design Lead & AI Developer (15y exp.)

Is your design really UX, if you never talk to users?

I've watched countless "UX designers" spend weeks perfecting pixels while never once speaking to the humans who'll actually use their products.

After 15 years in UX design and front-end development, I've learned one harsh truth: 

💡 Design without user feedback are just expensive art projects.

The uncomfortable reality most designers don't want to admit:

You can have:
- The sleekest UI
- The most innovative interactions
- Perfect adherence to design systems
- Award-winning visuals

But if actual humans struggle to use your product, you've failed at your ONE job.

Here's what many designers miss in our AI-obsessed industry:

1. User feedback isn't just "nice to have" - it's the difference between success and failure
2. Even the most sophisticated AI tools can't replace human experience and emotion
3. We design for humans with unique needs, not algorithms or machines

🛑 Stop doing these immediately:

- Designing in isolation based on assumptions
- Using only internal feedback from team members
- Assuming AI knows user's behavior
- Skipping usability testing to "save time"
- Ignoring qualitative feedback because it's "subjective"

✅ Start doing these instead:

- Run quick guerrilla testing sessions (even 5 users reveal most issues)
- Build lightweight prototypes early to validate concepts
- Schedule regular user interviews
- Watch real users interact with your designs (their behavior and struggles reveal everything)


The best UX designers aren't the ones with the prettiest Figma files - they're the ones who deeply understand their users' needs.

---

PS: When was the last time you watched someone use your design?

Follow me, John Balboa. I swear I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.

Hot Take: Figma skills mean nothing if you can't solve your user's problems.

I see so many designers obsessing over tools while their users are struggling with basic tasks.

The TRUTH? 

Figma is only a quarter of the job.
 
You need to:

• Master user psychology
• Conduct meaningful research
• Synthesize complex data
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops
• Create intuitive information architecture
• Design valuable and accessible products

STOP:
• Chasing shiny objects
• Perfecting prototypes
• Assuming without validating
• Following design trends blindly
• Getting lost in Figma Make, Site, Draw and Buzz tutorials 

START:
• Spending 70% of your time understanding user behavior
• Identifying the right problems to solve
• Running quick usability tests
• Iterating solutions based on feedback
• Mastering design thinking fundamentals

The best part?

Your tools don't define you as a designer, your skills, personality and thinking do. 

---

PS: What are skills are you investing in?

Follow me, John Balboa. I swear I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.

When introducing UX to stakeholders...

Without a UX background ↓

Keep it simple! 

Non-UX people need 7 times the exposure to make it stick.

And you thought you were just getting pretty screens.

---

PS: Follow me, John Balboa. I promise I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.

"I'm just a UX designer" - Stop saying that right now.

If you're nodding your head right now, you're sitting on a goldmine of product leadership skills and don't even realize it.

Harsh truth: While others are scrambling to break into product roles, you've been unconsciously preparing for years.

How most UXers think they should transition to Product:

• Frantically studying SQL and analytics
• Memorizing business frameworks
• Abandoning their design roots completely
• Racing to get a PM certification

How successful UXers ACTUALLY become great Product leaders:

• Leveraging user research skills to drive product strategy
• Using design thinking to solve complex business problems
• Applying systems thinking from UX to product architecture
• Converting user insights into revenue opportunities

The bridge is shorter than you think:

1. Start leading feature prioritization discussions in your current role
2. Own the metrics for your design decisions
3. Build relationships with engineering and business stakeholders
4. Practice telling product stories through data AND emotion

Your swag? You already speak three languages:

- User needs (Design)
- Technical constraints (Development)
- Business objectives (Strategy)

Remember, the best Product leaders don't just build features - they craft experiences. Sound familiar? 😉

---

PS: Are you interested in product leadership? 

Follow me, John Balboa. I swear I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.

You're applying to 300+ jobs
Still getting ghosted

I see it every week → UXers treating job boards like slot machines... 

The result?
Hundreds of applications. 
Zero interviews. 
Complete demoralization.

💡 Remember, relationships WIN jobs.

Pick 3-5 job boards below. ⤵️ 
Connect with hiring managers first.
Prioritize portfolio ruthlessly.
Apply strategically.

---

JOB BOARDS

Remote Specialists:

Remote Rocketship (remoterocketship.com)
→ 180+ UX positions, AI-powered search

UX Remote Talent (uxremotetalent.com)
→ First UX-exclusive remote board, 100% vetted
→ Companies: Gensyn, Reddit, Bitfinex

We Work Remotely (weworkremotely.com)
→ 2.5M+ monthly visitors
→ Companies: Google, Amazon, Tesla

Remote OK (remoteok.com)
→ Daily updates with newsletters

Working Nomads (workingnomads.com)
→ Daily curated remote roles

JustRemote (justremote.co)
→ Fully remote design positions

Remotive (remotive.com)
→ Vetted remote tech opportunities

---

Startup Equity:

Wellfound (wellfound.com)
→ Equity + salary transparency upfront
→ Apply directly to founders

Y Combinator Work at a Startup (workatastartup.com)
→ 800+ YC founders, vetted startups
→ Companies: Goldbelly, Squire, Gusto

---

Hybrid/In-Office:

Built In (builtin.com)
→ Regional editions: LA, Austin, Boston, SF, NYC
→ Real salary ranges
→ Companies: Zapier, Laravel, GitLab

UI UX Jobs Board (uiuxjobsboard.com)
→ Remote, hybrid, freelance filtering

---

Design Communities:

Authentic Jobs (authenticjobs.com)
→ Designers, developers, creatives
→ North America focused

Coroflot (coroflot.com)
→ 3-5 new roles daily with salary breakdown
→ Companies: HP, Puma, Volvo, Ford

IxDA Jobs (ixda.org/jobs)
→ 160+ interaction design roles

Krop (krop.com)
→ 44,000+ monthly visitors
→ Companies: HBO, Tesla, Netflix

---

Specialized Roles:

Uxcel (uxcel.com)
→ Profiles + skill testing + job matching

---

CONTRACTING AGENCIES

Top-Tier:

Toptal (toptal.com)
→ Top 3% only, Fortune 500 clients

Arc.dev (arc.dev)
→ 72-hour matching, 25,000+ talent pool

Turing (turing.com)
→ AI-powered, 2-week trial

---

Flexible Contract:

Contra (contra.com)
→ Commission-free freelance platform

Gigster (gigster.com)
→ Project-based hiring

---

Agency Representation:

Robert Half (roberthalf.com)
→ Contract + permanent
→ Companies: JPMorgan Chase, Mayo Clinic

PowerToFly (powertofly.com)
→ Women in tech with mentorship
→ Companies: Dell, GitLab, Buffer

---

The Truth?

Companies on these platforms WANT to hire you.

But you're competing with 300+ applications.

Stand out by:
→ Applying to 5-10 targeted roles per week (not 50)
→ Connecting with hiring managers first
→ Demonstrating business impact, not just skills

---

PS: Which job board will you try?

Follow me, John Balboa. I swear I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.

Your UX is failing, but your Figma file is "perfect".

Ironic, isn't it?

I've seen founders and designers spending 80% of their time perfecting gradients and animations... 

While their users are struggling to complete basic tasks... 

Listen, if you're a UX professional or founder building products:

Avoid:
• Endless component library iterations
• Pixel-perfect mockups before user testing
• "Dribbble-worthy" designs that ignore user needs
• Spending weeks in Figma without talking to users

Instead:
• Run quick user interviews before touching Figma
• Create rough wireframes to test core flows
• Build, test, and iterate with real users
• Focus on solving problems, not winning design awards

The hard truth?
 
You're expected to:
• Master every Figma plugin
• Create the perfect design system
• Build stunning animations
• Match the latest design trends

But it's ACTUALLY really simple:
• Talk to users
• Solve their problems
• Test early
• Iterate based on feedback

Remember: Users don't care about your gorgeous Figma components. They care about getting their job done.

---

PS: When designing, what are you focused on? 

Follow me, John Balboa. I swear I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.

Are you a career changer coming to UX Design / Research for the first time? 

A seasoned pro wanting to stay on top of AI and tech? 

Stuck in a UX job rut, and want to get promoted?

Have UX colleagues and want to know how to work with them better? 
- Devs, business, marketing and leaders, I'm talking to you. 

---

Comment and/or DM me. 

Let me know who you are and what I can help you with.

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