Kate
Hughes
I’m Kate (not short for Katherine or Katie.) I’m a multifaceted designer focussing on identity systems and user experience design. My creative process is driven by research and is oriented around telling stories and creating experiences. I find inspiration from the outdoors and my peers, so when I’m not sitting in front of my computer I’m probably hurling myself down the ski mountain or sipping wine with friends. Throughout this year of Covid, I’ve learned how to grow friendships virtually and how to get rid of maskne.
While Netflix offers many interesting functions, many more creative features can be offered to enrich the user experience. In this project, a new function is added where users can publicly share their profiles and connect with other users. Users can browse their friend’s favorite shows, post to public forums, look at reviews and casts, and view their watch time analytics.
User & product research
Personas
UI flow
Farmer Brunneis Fairtrade Coffee
For this project, logo, branding, and packaging were created for a fairtrade coffee company. Product and audience research was conducted and competitors were identified. The emotional benefits of the product were also determined to assist in making the product unique and desirable. Farmer Brunneis redefines the lost experience of making authentic coffee. Its story sparks a connection with its audience while building user empathy towards its fair trade roots.
The brand’s story follows a fictional farmer who travels, gathers, and shares fairtrade coffee with the rest of the world. The packaging consists of illustrations of the landscapes, plants, animals, and architecture of each coffee’s country of origin. This representation influences empathetic consumer feelings and makes the user feel as though they’ve visited the country themselves.
Sketches
Parks Canada Mobile Booking System
The goal of this project was to design a usable and coherent mobile app for the Parks Canada reservation system. User needs and design issues were identified using a journey map, personas, and an empathy map. User problems and pain points were assessed and improved while transforming the Parks Canada’s website content into an effective mobile design concept.
Journey map
Empathy map
UI flow
Plato’s Closet Identity Rebrand
This project explores an identity rebrand for a local consignment store. The competitive landscape and brand language were analyzed to determine the company's positioning, and current marketing strategies were evaluated to determine opportunities for the rebrand. The new logo and branding embraces repurposed clothing while reviving the original values the company is rooted on.
The rebrand reinforces the values of Greek philosopher Plato, who believed that one object can have multiple functions. This brand story has been revived to give the brand a character and enhance money saving and environmental values.
Signage
Interior
