Brittany Powers Email & Phone Number

There are three things I like to remember when designing. Make it meaningful, make it memorable, and make it accessible. In the Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) Bachelor of Arts program at the University of Waterloo, I have worked towards these ideas in both an academic and professional environment. The GBDA program brings together a unique combination of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), User Experience, and User Interaction (UX/UI) with a business perspective that prepares students to apply accessible design practices in a variety of digital settings. I learned and understand how important user research and testing practices are in designing effective interfaces. My GBDA experience has highlighted the importance of continual learning and accessibility-centered design, both of which I practice beyond coursework.During my cooperative education placement with the City of Waterloo as a Website Content Designer, I researched, designed, planned, and implemented a new Digital Bylaw Directory for the city. The original web pages provided untagged, undigitized PDFs, that varied in legibility and required users to download each PDF to read the material. The new Digital Bylaw Directory provides access to every bylaw just by clicking a link to display the content which increases accessibility and ensures compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) Act. I enjoyed working on this project as it allowed me to use many of the UX research skills obtained in my program while learning more about municipal government.Above all, design is my passion, however, my design thinking skills are a product of my consistently curious nature, and willingness to quickly adapt to changes in digital culture.