The Website of Kai Conragan

The Just Say No To Gradiens and Drop-Shadows Version.

Thank you for taking the time to review my resume. I am not currently seeking full-time employment.

Summary

I am a user-experience designer with over 10 years of working experience. My core skillset includes interface design and front-end development using modern web standards. However, I frequently contribute to projects in areas of product strategy, branding, information design, user-testing, and software engineering. Employing user-centered design methodologies as well as my formal training in graphic design, I aim to make applications that are both intuitive and enjoyable to use.

Experience

  1. Senior Web Designer at Metaweb, Inc

    2008 - Present

    Lead contributor to the design strategy for Freebase.com and Metaweb.com, with particular focus on the user-experience for Metaweb's consumer audience. Worked closely with product managers to create and refine UI flows, and with engineers to implement those mockups. Responsible for the HTML, CSS, and and much of the JavaScript at the user interface layer, including migrating all templates into HTML5 compliance and architecting a component-based CSS system to facilitate sharing of client-side assets.

  2. Web Consultant

    2007-2008

    Created UI flows, visual design assets, and functional prototypes for several large web applications for clients such as Bell Sports, Inc. and Dani Bath, Inc.

  3. Sabatical

    2006-2007

    One year traveling through Asia. Highlights include tea trekking in China, working as a Divemaster in Borneo, organizing reef clean-up projects in the Philippines, surfing in Indonesia, and street-food in Thailand. Trip was documented at http://somedaynevercomes.com.

  4. Co-Founder & Creative Director at Crux Studio

    2002-2006

    Founding Partner in a design and marketing firm specializing in developing integrated advertising & marketing campaigns for high-profile outdoor sports clients including Specialized Bicycle Components, Maxxis International, Fox Racing, and many more. Designed and developed all variations of dynamic websites including e-commerce storefronts, custom content management systems, and intranet education tools. Designed engaging user interfaces to support national branding campaigns. Performed art direction and design of printed advertisements, brochures, and catalogs in support of advertising objectives.

  5. Web Designer at McAfee (formerly Network Associates)

    1999-2002

    Key member of web team that was responsible for consolidating numerous separate domains containing over 10,000 pages of unique content into a singular and highly functional online identity for Network Associates. Designed front-page real-time virus alert graphics under highly compressed deadlines for extremely high-traffic website. Also led Search Engine Optimization efforts to provide consistent top 10 results for targeted key words in major engines including Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo!.

  6. Contractor at Oracle

    1998-1999

    Produced digital video segments for use in multimedia demos and sales tools for entire Oracle product line. Developed training manual and in-house program to educate Oracle employees on proper usage of digital media lab.

Education

  1. Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Arts w/ emphasis in Graphic Design

    San Francisco State University | 2000-2002

    Graduated Magna Cum Laude. Awarded valedictorian of Industrial Arts college. Maintained 4.0 G.P.A in field of study and 3.9 G.P.A overall.

Skills

Languages & Frameworks

Software & Tools

Get In Touch

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Send me an email:
kai [at] conragan.com

About This Site

Hi there. I'm Kai: a graphic designer focused on building usable websites following current web-standards. I currently live in Half Moon Bay, CA, though I recently spent eighteen months working, living, and traveling through Asia. On this blog you'll find my portfolio , a journal section in which I write about and link to things that interest me, as well as photos that are cross-posted to Flickr.

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