Stephen Herko

About

A Lead Product Designer inspired by leading teams and collaborating with others to collectively deliver exceptional products with a deep understanding of design thinking, user centered design, data, research and business strategy.

With a passion for creating intuitive and user-centered designs. I have 15+ years of experience in the industry, and have worked on a wide range of projects for clients in industries like esports, ecommerce, and service design.

I believe that good UX design is about more than just making something look pretty - it’s about understanding the needs and goals of the user and creating an experience that is both functional and enjoyable. My goal as a designer is to create products and experiences that are intuitive, easy to use, and add value to people’s lives.

I have a strong foundation in UX principles, including user research, prototyping, usability testing, and design thinking. I am skilled in a variety of design tools.

As a lead UX designer at my company, I have the opportunity to work with a diverse team of designers, including both mid-level and junior designers. I enjoy mentoring and guiding my team members as they develop their skills and grow in their careers. I am always looking for ways to foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment, and I believe that the best design solutions are often the result of teamwork and open communication.

I am responsible for leading the design process for our projects, from initial research and ideation to prototyping and user testing. I work closely with our project managers and development team to ensure that our designs are feasible and aligned with our clients’ goals. I also play a key role in defining our team’s design processes and best practices, and I am always looking for ways to improve our efficiency and effectiveness.

Overall, my role as a lead UX designer allows me to use my experience and expertise to guide and support the development of our team, while also challenging myself to constantly learn and grow in my own career.

I am always looking for new opportunities to challenge myself and grow as a designer. If you have a project that you think I would be a good fit for, I’d love to hear from you!

Writing

I like to explore the intersection between philosophy and design “found here”. I am fascinated by the idea that the principles of design can be applied not only to objects but also to our lives and how we think about the world around us. Through my writing, I aim to blend philosophical concepts with design principles to create thought-provoking pieces that challenge readers to think differently about the world. I believe that by examining the design of our lives, we can create more meaningful and fulfilling experiences.

Books that made an impact on me

Skills

User-Centered Design Principles: Strong understanding and advocate of empathy, user needs and behaviors, and ability to create user-centered solutions that hyper focus on benefitting the user to solve their problems

Leadership and Communication: Ability to lead cross-functional teams, communicate design visions and strategies, and inspire and motivate team members

Mentorship: A desire to mentor and guide a team of designers and non-designers, helping them to develop their skills and advance their careers

Hands-On Design Experience: Successful portfolio of UX designs and ability to conduct user research, create wireframes, prototypes, and user testing

Technical Knowledge: Familiarity with various design and prototyping tools and understanding of technical website and application development

Business Acumen: Alignment of UX design with business goals to drive results and improve the user experience, understanding of business objectives and goals

Thought leadership: Demonstrated thought leadership by collaborating with business partners and stakeholders to solve user problems, create roadmaps, plan annual operations, and define yearly goals and metrics

Continuous Learning: A commitment to staying up-to-date with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in UX design, and continuously refining one’s skills and knowledge

Music