UX Skills & Tools
A proven set of skills and tools that support the full product design process — from user research and discovery workshops to design systems, high-fidelity prototyping, and developer handoff. I bring a balanced approach to solving complex problems, collaborating across teams, and delivering user-centered solutions that drive business results.
Skills
Discovery Workshops
Stakeholder Workshops
User Interviews & Research
Competitive Analysis
UX Audits & Heuristic Evaluations
Product Mapping & User Flows
Wireframing
Design Concepts
High-Fidelity Prototyping
Design Systems & Component Libraries
Usability Testing
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Developer Handoff & Design Specifications
Tools
Figma, Fig Jam, Figma Prototypes, and Figma Slides
Adobe XD, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
Material Design (MUI)
Zeplin
Microsoft Word, PP, Xcel, Teams, and Sharepoint
Google Drive, Slides, Docs and Sheets
Jira
Miro
Baymard Institute
Nielsen Norman Group Heuristics
Wix.com
Framer
Philosophy
Six simple principles that form the backbone of my design approach—focusing on clarity, user focus, trust, consistently, real-world relevance, and continuous improvement—to create intuitive, engaging e-commerce experiences.
Keep It Simple
Prioritize minimalism and clarity by removing unnecessary elements, ensuring that every component serves a clear, functional purpose.
Focus on the User
Design with empathy by deeply understanding user needs, behaviors, and contexts to create intuitive and engaging experiences.
Build Trust
Establish consistency across all touchpoints by building robust, dependable systems that foster confidence and long-term user loyalty.
Consistent Design Systems
Implementing a design system ensures uniformity across all design elements. By creating reusable components and assets, designers can maintain consistency.
Design for Real Life
Align design decisions with the real-world environment and cultural context of the end user, ensuring the product feels both familiar and innovative.
Keep Improving
Embrace continuous improvement by prototyping, testing, and refining ideas—transforming feedback into actionable insights that drive design evolution.
Jennifer Sigfrinius
Sr. Director, Account Management
I had the pleasure of working with Michelle during my time at Nerdery and I saw firsthand how she brought her expertise and positive energy to our clients. She quickly became an expert in designing lovable experiences and was phenomenal in client facing roles. Her dedication, expertise and incredible attitude are also a huge asset and were highlighted numerous times by the clients she worked with.
Russell Ahrens
Manager, Principle UX Designer
Michelle is a bright, talented, and pragmatic designer that would make an excellent addition to any team.
I had the honor of facilitating Michelle's UX internship and then serving as her manager. Throughout that time, she was highly engaged and this was reflected in her steep growth trajectory. She has a sharp eye for visual detail and an intuitive understanding of design systems. Her clients spoke highly of her right from the beginning. She earned their appreciation and respect by consistently delivering well-considered design work.
Laura Shields
Manager, Senior Software Engineer
As a software engineer who worked closely with Michelle, I can confirm that she was an excellent communicator and collaborator. She consistently demonstrated enthusiasm and curiosity when solving design problems and was quick to respond to my design inquiries. She had good intuition and recommendations on design solutions but would also reach out to other designers to ensure alignment across the team as needed. I would gladly work with her again.
About Me
Over the past four years, I’ve developed deep expertise in design systems, high-fidelity design, and user-centered problem-solving. My experience includes designing and optimizing core e-commerce flows, from product detail pages and cart experiences to checkout and post-purchase journeys, giving me a comprehensive understanding of complex digital ecosystems.
I thrive on balancing business goals with user needs, creating cohesive solutions that simplify complexity and elevate the overall user experience. I’m excited to continue blending creativity, research, and collaboration to build thoughtful, outcome-driven products. Let’s connect!
