Of course you want to know about the work I’ve actually done. For before and after examples and for internal materials, I’m password protecting some entries. Please contact me for the passwords.
Design leadership
Scaling good UX decisions
I recently led a department-wide co-design process to create new UX principles.
UX and content design
COVID Alert, Canada’s exposure notification app
When it launched, COVID Alert was widely lauded by experts in privacy and technology for the clarity and transparency of its content, and Apple told us it was the highest-ranked app in the world that used the Google-Apple Exposure Notifications framework. The app also won a 2021 ClearMark Award for its clear language and design. It’s been downloaded by 6.5 million people.
Helping people find financial help during COVID-19
An urgent project to help people navigate program eligibility criteria to find financial help for their specific situation.
Content strategy and brand governance
I’ve been working on teams and independently to create content strategy, style guides and brand governance since 2005. Here are some recent samples of work I did independently:
Content strategy for agricorp.com (2009-10)
This was a year-long project I worked on from start to finish, involving a new content management system, all new content, and shifting from internal categories and mental models to a user-centred information architecture.
Sample style guide for client letters (2016)
In 2016, I was asked to update our corporate style guide for client letters. Immediately, I saw an opportunity to modernize our approach to letters to bring them into the 21st century.
Sample governance documents for Twitter (2014-5)
In 2014, I researched and wrote governance documents to guide our corporate launch of Twitter.
Translating complex concepts into plain language
Before and after – form design (2016)
I’ve revised a lot of customer forms over the years to make them easier to understand and use. This is a recent example that’s fairly typical of my process.
AgriStability in plain language (2010-11)
This series of information sheets was months in the making and required intense collaboration to push beyond the usual policy-driven, bureaucratic explanations and use simpler language and clear design to explain the technical concepts of this notoriously complex financial assistance program for farmers.
Why Alberta insurance rates keep going up (2017)
I researched and wrote the copy for this information sheet and worked with a graphic designer to ensure the design helps convey the information, which explains the latest increases to insurance premiums in Alberta. Since this, client retention is Alberta has been better than projected.
Design
Two-Powered: book and microsite design
In 2009, I designed my first book (self-published), Two-Powered: A Diary of Motherhood and Apple Pie, and a microsite to make all its content available online.
Speechwriting and thoughts on diversity
Speaking notes for senior executive (2018)
I wrote these speaking notes for a senior executive to use in introducing a panel at the Canadian Mental Health Association’s annual conference. I’m told the speaker stuck to my writing word for word.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Mother (2015)
I gave a 30-minute artist talk to support the launch of my book, Yes these bones shall live, which accompanied my 2015 solo exhibition at the Art Gallery of Guelph.
CommuniKate 