So who is… Jaksen
On the professional side —
Throughout my career, I've come to using a series of principles that help guide me on the right path for any and all problems I've faced. These include intentionality, intuition, relation, and innovation.
Intentionality
The logical and thoughtful process of having an informed reason for why every decision is made along the design process
Intuition
The north star that acts as a guide where one's solutions should aim towards. Do the users just 'get it'? Embodied by the phrase, "Don't make me think" by Steve Krug
Relation
Patterns are everywhere you look, being used over and over again in slightly different ways. Utilize these, however you can with intention, to help users use what they already know.
Innovation
Only used after ensuring all other principles are in lock-step, try to be innovative when/where you can, if it truly proves to be better than what exists. Innovation is the goal, but only true innovation of a better experience is worth implementing.
These embody all the work I do, and although are guides, do evolve themselves as I grow as a designer. I'm sure they'll be different a year from now, but culminate what I've learned to this day as a professional.
On the personal side —
I have a deep love for learning new things.
This has taken form in having many passions/hobbies throughout my life and has lead to many new experiences. Some great phases I've been through include soldering & electrical engineering, 3D printing costumes, woodworking, skateboarding, mixed martial arts, bitcoin mining, graphic design for pro gamers, joining the army, DJing, and much, much more.
Currently, AI & innovation has taken over my free time. Be it diving into news, testing new products, or getting lost in a new idea on Cursor. I find fun and inspiration in all of it, especially when I can use it to learn other new things (like data science programming & testing to win my fantasy football league).
Along with innovation however, after a recent trip to Italy I've found deeper inspiration with the art & architecture found at almost every corner. Visiting the Palazzo Pitti and getting to see not only sculptures of some of my favorite historical figures, but also the intricacies of the art and housing the nobles built during renaissance were breathtaking.
In summary, at present you can find me both reveling in the future and the past.
