Digital Surgeons
UX/UI Intern
At Digital Surgeons, I worked in the field of interactive media, focusing on multimedia production and UX design. Responsibilities included taking photos & videos, wireframing and building web pages, creating graphics, and designing digital marketing content.
During my time at DS:
I learned how to apply design theory to marketing campaigns and advanced techniques for crafting pixel-perfect solutions
Created graphics & designed layouts for websites, marketing campaigns, print ads, flyers, and email newsletters
Generated ideas and concepts for various marketing and advertising deliverables
Delivered digital marketing assets, resizes, and branded content
Collaborated with various teams and leadership on ideation and strategic decisions
Worked with web developers on various project deliverables
Worked independently in CMS adding alt text to improve SEO
Developed wireframes and UX/UI design in accordance with business and client objectives set forth by Account Managers Directors, Creative Directors, Designers and Programmers
Learned how to work in a professional environment and have ample opportunity to network with department leaders and other creative professionals
My position as the Interactive Media Intern at Digital Surgeons allowed me the opportunity to explore many of my creative interests. I used my skills as a photographer to build a backlog of photos for DS to use in the future, as well as my design skills to make graphics for usage on Social Media.
Along with the photos, I took videos, editing them in Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects. Once I had created some assets, I was able to start learning more about UX. By doing competitive research, I was able to analyze the current culture in digital marketing, and figure out the best way to create a culture page for DS.
With my research in mind, I was allowed the opportunity to wireframe a culture page, using Sketch and InVision. I was also able to do competitive research for a client, assisting the team in deciding how to best tackle a certain webpage. In addition, I worked in several content management systems (CMS) applying alt tags and entering content into clients’ websites.
By getting my hands on real projects, not only was I able to learn about the industry, but it also perfectly complemented my academic learning’s at the time. It seemed as though I would learn something in class, and would immediately find an opportunity to apply my new knowledge of the subject to my career.
Since Digital Surgeons, I graduated with a 4.0 GPA from Quinnipiac University’s Master of Science program in Interactive Media & Communications, with a concentration in User Experience Design. I obtained a job at WTNH News 8 as a Graphic Artist, then moved on to Yale University as a Digital & Social Media Strategist.
Culture Page Microsite Turned 'About Us’ Page
What started as a micro-site for the company's culture, turned out to be Digital Surgeons 'About Us' page. Given the task of creating a culture page, I researched, wireframed, and prototyped a microsite that the developers have since coded and made a reality. The gallery on the ‘About Us’ page also includes my photography.
Iteration 1
The first iteration of the microsite included quotes of why people enjoyed working for DS, position openings, the company’s Instagram feed, and more.
Iteration 2
The second iteration removed the quotes, and focused on a team layout that allowed users to hover over an employee and see information about who they are, what they do, and why they enjoyed working for DS.
I also added more information about the area in which DS was located and the benefits of working in New Haven.
Iteration 3
The third iteration simplified the page by removing the company's social media feed and replacing it with a button. I also changed the branding to match the new branding that DS was implementing as I was working on the project.
Instead of a full-screen header, DS was moving toward using more white space and cleaning up unnecessary clutter. In place of listing all the open positions, I believed it would be better to direct users to a current careers page.
At this point, we realized that instead of creating an entire culture microsite, we could adapt this design into a new About Us page.
Final Iteration
This finalized version was coded and made the official About Us page. This streamlined iteration described the company, values, and provided visuals of both the office setting and employees to show the company culture. Even after my departure from DS, this version remained the About page until a recent rebranding.
Design Process
For my research and development of the culture page, I started by creating a competitive analysis of similar brands. I analyzed our competitor’s products, cultures, and marketing strategies. I spoke with key stakeholders and the founder of the company to understand the goals of the page, as well as who we were looking to hire/attract to Digital Surgeons.
After evaluating the goals, I began drawing paper prototypes of the page. These were discussed in detail with management and I began creating wireframes in Sketch. Working with the programmers, I got a better understanding of what was possible to code, and what my limitations would be. I also worked with designers to make sure the page was in line with the company’s branding.
I collaborated with the programmers, designers, and management on each iteration, making changes and improvements to the prototype each time. During development, the company branding changed, so I adapted my design. The final version I created was handed off to the programmers when I accepted a full-time offer at WTNH News 8. My design was implemented and used as the About Us page after my departure.
Photography
Product Photography & Graphic Design
Insight from my manager
“Briana is a true creative. No matter the medium or message, I’m always impressed with the elegance of her solutions. I managed Briana during her time at Digital Surgeons, where she made many contributions that went well above her role as an intern, including a complete redesign of the company’s “About Us” page. I highly recommend Briana for anyone looking to add a thoughtful, hardworking UX designer to their team.”