View My UI Work
I was trained professionally in User Interface & User Research at Kennesaw State University where I received a degree in Interactive Design. I was one of four 4.0 grads (Summa Cum Laude) participating in research and often topping my classes.
Even though UX/UI is not typically part of my day-to-day, I can by all means work at a professional level whether that means conducting user interviews, prototyping in Figma, or creating wireframes.
Why I Majored in Interactive Design (Instead of Game Dev)
This is a question I’ve been asked more than once—especially since Kennesaw State University does offer a Game Design & Development program. So why didn’t I major in it?
The short answer: It didn’t offer what I needed.
The longer answer: Game development degrees don’t get you jobs—your projects do. That’s the hard truth of our industry. What studios care about is whether you can build, iterate, and communicate design, not which major is on your diploma. And you can gain that experience through game jams, internships, and independent projects, with or without a formal Game Dev degree.
So instead of putting all my eggs in one basket, I diversified—choosing Interactive Design to give myself broader, complementary skills that feed directly into my work as a game designer.
Why Interactive Design? Because Systems Thinking Starts With Humans
UI/UX as Game Design:
Interactive Design let me explore the “why” behind player-facing systems. I learned interface theory, visual hierarchy, and usability heuristics, all of which are directly applicable to combat readability, skill trees, loadouts, and onboarding. Every interface choice either empowers or confuses the player—knowing how to evaluate that is essential for systems and combat design.Player Empathy through UX Research:
User experience methods taught me how to conduct structured interviews, usability tests, and root-cause analysis. Instead of assuming why something “felt off” in a playtest, I could isolate it. Understanding human behavior isn’t just helpful—it’s foundational for tuning progression curves, balancing combat, or improving clarity in feedback systems.Communication as a Design Tool:
Interactive Design emphasized collaboration, documentation, and iteration—skills often glossed over in tech-heavy programs. I wanted to be the designer who could bridge gaps across disciplines, communicate intent clearly, and ask the right questions. That mindset has helped me across every project I’ve worked on.
By pairing Interactive Design with a Game Design Minor, I carved a path that was intentionally multidisciplinary but deeply grounded in my goal: becoming a better designer.
In short: I didn’t want to major in Game Dev. I wanted to design better games.
