© MARTINA DALTON, Designer, Allovus Design

UX Designers are in big demand these days. Luckily for Allovus, we have Steve Godfrey on our team. What makes Steve so special? He is the ultimate problem solver.

“The ability to problem-solve is really at the core of good UI and UX design,” Steve says. “I like the challenge of it. In the end, the user doesn’t see the monster issues that preceded the final solution; but they see the end product, and think, ‘that’s easy to use.’”

ALLOVUS: How do you go about creating a great user experience? What’s your process? 

STEVE: First, I ask a lot of questions—I mean, A LOT of questions! The ability to get a clear picture of the user and their needs comes first—then, I try to identify any constraints or limitations from the customer side that may impact the types of solutions I provide (timeline, developer resources, budget constraints, etc…) It probably seems obvious, but going beyond the written spec can help everyone in the process.

Then, I look at potential solutions in conceptual stages and think, “That’s too hard; shouldn’t that be simpler? What is standing in the way of this being easier to use?” I do a lot of explorations—managers tend to like that. They can look at all the options and see the pros and cons of visual directions right away.

ALLOVUS: What are some of the more enjoyable projects you’ve worked on?

STEVE: I loved working on explorations for the Surface Table, the precursor to Microsoft’s Surface Tablet. We were creating lots of applications and prototypes for demos.

Another fun assignment was art directing a project for AMD. They were launching a new computer chip that better enabled cloud computing. The project involved storyboards and animation direction.

ALLOVUS: What do you enjoy most about your job?

STEVE: I like that my work is challenging. I love looking at something that is complex and boggling, and turn it into something that is easier and more intuitive for the user. I also like the people I work with; working in a team where team members can agree and disagree always provides a better product in the end. Collaboration is key.

 ALLOVUS: What do you like to do when you’re not working?

 STEVE:  I love to take photographs, especially black and white photos; it’s a big deal to me. It has been since college. I like going to museums and galleries; I love being influenced by different types of work in all fields. I also enjoy riding bikes – it is relaxing and is a great way to unwind. I have two teenage boys, so sci-fi movies, ping-pong, and hearing complaints about my cooking are also a part of my day-to-day existence.