Hi! I’m Emily Ades, a UX designer based in Baltimore.

UX design is all about empathy, and that starts with getting to know the user. Understanding their needs, desires, and roadblocks is essential to creating a pleasing product experience. Bonus: when users feel that we’re inviting them into the process and taking them seriously, we build trust and make them a part of what we deliver.

Taking a design from idea to completion is a team effort, and I love interacting with people whose expertise is different from mine. Brainstorming with others and working closely with development teams to construct an experience that we can all get behind are some of the joys of UX design.

UX designers often joke that we’re not just here to “make things pretty.” But visual appeal is just another way to set tone and communicate with the user! I got my start as a print designer, and continue to use those principles every day.

With the help of friends in product and QA, I love thinking through the “edge cases.” Creating UIs with accessibility in mind — whether we’re accommodating user anxiety, differences in cultural perception, or various disabilities — pushes us toward a more solid experience for all.