About Me

Designer. Developer. User advocate.

I’ve been designing and developing for the web for over ten years. After emerging from my first web site having written a fully functional shopping cart in PHP, I never looked back.

My passion and specialty is around everything that makes a web site do its job – building brand integrity and connecting with users. I like nothing more than taking on that challenge – from start to finish. Each project is a unique puzzle to solve.

I’ve worked with start-ups, in corporate environments, non-profits and at an agency. I’ve been a both a leader and a team player – whatever it takes to get the job done.

Designer + Geek

I have been often been called a “hybrid” , which fits. I am a visual designer who loves code, a big picture thinker who sweats the details and a leader who is happy to follow. I like to make things that work.

Having begun this journey as an aspiring artist and illustrator, the visual part comes naturally. I’ve found that designing for the web is mostly about solving problems, honing the message, and getting out of the way of the story. Far from being just about “prettying things up”, design has a serious job to do. Color, typography, and imagery all contribute to your users’ impression of your brand, and help them make sense of your message and your product. It’s not smoke and mirrors, but mostly common sense. That said, it is really hard to get into the mind of users.

I function best in collaborative situations (dont’ we all?), be it a start-up or well established company, where something amazing is being built.

Beyond Work

When not staring at a screen, I am a fitness, nature, and dog fanatic, with a deep love for SF, my city of choice, where I live with my husband, hike with my dogs, and zoom around on my scooter.

About Me was last modified: October 22nd, 2014 by Mary A. Hayne