In an increasingly online society, digital sources are emerging as the primary information
resource of choice. I am an aspiring UX Librarian, passionate about designing solutions
that work for you and your visitors, through thoughtfully designed user research, usability
testing, and information architecture design. I am a human-centred UI/UX
Designer and ethnographic
researcher, leveraging information and communication technologies to design universal
and engaging user experiences. Particularly, I am an advocate in fostering a design-thinking approach and user-centric
growth mindset in academic libraries.
For this reason, I attained my Master of Information (Library & Information Science)
degree in
April 2020, with a secondary focus in User Experience Design at the University of
Toronto, where
I pursued my interest in digital information behaviours and ethnographic research with seven
practical information architecture and user experience projects at four libraries in
Canada's
largest academic library system — the University of Toronto Libraries.
Alongside my studies, I previously served as a UX Librarian Intern at the
University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) Library, the Program Coordinator for the
Peer
Mentoring @ iSchool program at the Faculty of Information, and am a Website
Support & Content Developer at the Tyndale Intercultural Ministries (TIM)
Centre, and a Student
Library Assistant at University of Toronto Libraries.
At Tyndale Intercultural Ministries (TIM) Centre, as the Content Developer & Website Support, I manage and administrate two websites and information databases for refugees and immigrants to Canada. In 2018, I participated in the redesign of UReachCanada and UReachToronto.
In a community-based research project in consultation with The Innovation Hub, University of Toronto, my team and I designed and conducted a student-centred ethnographic research study to identify pain points during the information-seeking journey of mental health and wellness resources of students. We then conducted a series of design-thinking workshops to propose low and medium fidelity wireframe prototypes for Telempathy a personal mental health navigator app.
As a UX Librarian Intern at UTSC Library, I conducted two website usability studies to improve library servicies, hosted on Optimal Workshop, an online suiite of usability testing tools.
My roots in community engagement and ethnographic research began with East Toronto Chinese Baptist Church (ETCBC) as the Community Engagement Coordinator, where I partnered with local organizations to conduct user research for the purposes of developing community initiatives, such as the Victoria Village Extreme Weather Resilience Plan.
In my role as a Program Coordinator of Peer Mentoring @ iSchool, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, I worked with Co-Coordinators, Faculty staff, and fellow peers to pilot an initiative that integrated the inaugural cohort of Bachelor of Information (BI) students into the program. Furthermore, I successfully co-authored the application to validate the program with the university's Co-Curricular Record (CCR), an official UofT document that recognizes student experiences and involvements.
As a Student Library Assistant at University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) @ Downsview — the high-density storage and preservation facility, I size, process, label, and shelve library materials using UTL @ Downsview's unique cataloguing and storage schemes. Our collection houses over three million volumes from five major universities based in Ontario.
As part of an ongoing user experience usability study, I designed a digital tree-testing study for the website for The BRIDGE, a multi-purpose academic space for business, finance, and entrepreneurship.
The BRIDGE, UTSC — January—June 2020
During the winter 2020 term, my team and I partnered with one of UTL's central libraries to evaluate a user experience research study evaluating its existing space and services. At its conclusion, we identified 11 recommendations for the library.
Noranda Earth Sciences Library — January—April 2020
As Phase 3 of an ongoing user experience strategic program at University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) Library, I designed and conducted a digital hybrid card-sorting study in collaboration with the Web & UX Librarian with 73 participants.
Vincent W. Bladen (UTSC) Library — January—April 2020
In collaboration with the Web & UX Librarian, I co-developed and co-led a one hour workshop and design challenge with 6 participants at the UTSC Library Makerspace.
University of Toronto Entrepreneurship Week — 12 March 2020
Using floor plans, sharpie pens, and sticky notes, I organized a weekly UX Pop-Up Table to gather feedback and suggestions about UTSC Library.
Vincent W. Bladen (UTSC) Library — 5 March 2020
Redesigning the Centre of Learning & Development (CL&D) website's information architecture through an ethnographic user research study.
INF2170 (Information Architecture) Project — September—December 2019Current to 16 January 2021
