Hi, I'm Jocelyn.

I’m currently a product designer at John Deere Financial. I primarily work in one of our products called My Financial. In My Financial, users can view their John Deere equipment accounts, see financing information, and more. I use Figma to design well-rounded, inclusive, accessible experiences for all those who love John Deere and their products. I also work on other products such as Sales Center. Sales Center is a tool for Deere dealers to manage financial applications, sales, and more. Additionally, I collaborate on other projects, such as an organization-facing newsletter that updates John Deere on the work that the John Deere Financial UX Team is accomplishing.

When I commenced my first full-time professional role at Hightower Advisors, I expressed a strong interest in web design and digital experiences. Although my position was initially defined as a traditional graphic design role focused on print media and providing general support to the marketing team, I was presented with a significant challenge by my supervisor, Meghan McCartan. She tasked me with redesigning the corporate website, HightowerAdvisors.com. Notably, Hightower Advisors serves as the parent company to over 120 financial advisory firms, meaning that any design work I produced for the corporate site would have a direct impact on the marketing and branding efforts of these affiliated businesses. This made the project an especially critical and high-profile undertaking for someone in their first professional role. I successfully completed the redesign, generating enthusiasm for the future direction of the Hightower Advisors brand and its potential in the digital space. Following the launch, I collaborated closely with software engineers to redesign the websites for multiple advisory firms within the network. This experience sparked my interest in furthering my expertise in user experience (UX) design, leading me to pursue courses with the Nielsen Norman Group and ultimately earn a certificate in User Experience, with a specialized focus in Interaction Design.

After I obtained my NNg certificate in User Experience, I felt like I had gained valuable knowledge and re-ignited my passion for learning. In addition to my core tasks at Hightower Advisors, I began to lead a variety of instructional sessions and provided professional development support for our interns. One initiative I am particularly proud of is the professional headshot sessions I organized during our summer internship program. In this role, I coordinated meetings, assembled groups for the photo sessions, and managed the photography and editing of images. My goal was to ensure that each intern left with a high-quality headshot to enhance their professional profiles on social media and networking platforms as they embark on their careers. Additionally, to further support their growth in marketing and design, I had conducted "Introduction to..." workshops covering topics such as Adobe XD and UX design, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, graphic design and its intersection with marketing. I had also provided an overview of the graphic design profession, offering insights into the processes and methodologies we use in our work for those who were unfamiliar or interested in these topics.

My commitment to continuous learning led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction through the College of Engineering at Iowa State University. During the program, I engaged in advanced coursework in cognitive psychology, neurocognitive engineering, computer science, human factors in design, as well as UX/UI and engineering design. I completed the degree requirements at the conclusion of the Summer 2024 term.

I consider myself a highly empathetic individual, deeply attuned to the emotions and needs of others. This sensitivity drives my commitment to consistently delivering my best efforts across all pursuits. Central to my work is the aspiration to foster positive, meaningful experiences for those who interact with it. I remain dedicated to staying informed about evolving trends in design, including dark UX patterns, accessibility considerations, and various aspects of UX, product, and marketing design.

The reason I love UX and product design is because of the profound impact it has on the user. Designing with the user in mind allows me to create intuitive, engaging, and meaningful experiences that directly improve how people interact with products and services. I find great satisfaction in understanding user needs, solving complex problems, and translating those insights into seamless, functional designs. The ability to enhance usability, streamline workflows, and evoke positive emotional responses through thoughtful design is incredibly rewarding. Ultimately, product design is about more than just aesthetics or functionality—it's about shaping experiences that make a real difference in people’s lives, which is what drives my passion for this field.