XD Designer

About the Role

Reporting to the Lead Experience Designer, the Experience Designer (XD) collaborates with members of the Product, Engineering, and Creative teams to imagine and build user-centric learning experiences delivered via our online learning platform. Using a solve, learn, teach model, the platform helps individuals and teams find answers to in-the-moment technology challenges, develop deep expertise in hundreds of today's business and technology topics, and become highly-engaged life-long learners. The XD has a strong impact on how our millions of customers interact with learning experiences on our SaaS platform. The individual in this role will work as a team member in an agile squad supporting strategic projects. Candidates will apply design principles to assist various teams in producing clear and compelling visual communications.

About the O'Reilly Experience Design (XD) Creative Team

We are a hybrid (design and code) in-house agency, working on strategic XD projects across our online platform. We create user experiences that support and encourage learning for individuals and teams, across media, in alignment with the O'Reilly brand and our user’s desires.

In addition to XD product roadmap-driven sprints and ongoing day-to-day design support, we also collaborate with O'Reilly's marketing and creative teams. At its core, our creative team is focused on the delicate balance of ideas, aesthetics, messages, form, function—and brand. Because the best design is that which has a positive influence on the lives of our customers, we put understanding their needs and desires at the heart of everything we do.

About You

 As a Designer You Have:

• 5+ years of professional visual XD/UX experience designing large-scale (SaaS and/or ecommerce preferred) responsive products, high-content properties, and mobile applications for brands and/or media.


• An analytical and visual mind, with a hunger for learning and a desire to solve complex human problems with technology.


• Strong ability to refine designs through sketches, diagrams, wireframes, visual designs and interactive pieces.


• A desire to challenge yourself both personally and professionally; as well as staying current with technology and interaction design trends.


• Can-do attitude: accepts difficult challenges with curiosity, creativity, and dedication to craft. 

Role Responsibilities

Leverage core experience design and atomic design principles to weave iconography, typography, color, space, and texture together online to create an unparalleled learning experience on the O'Reilly platform.

• Participate in user research and discovery on complex problems; speak with customers, get to know the problem space through research and iteration.


• Design interfaces (and thus experiences) that inspire, engage, inform, and excite our customers.


• Apply graphic and user-centered design principles to produce high-quality visuals—from concept to component-driven comps.


• Collaborate with designers and creative team(s) across the company to continuously refine and center the O’Reilly design language, and create innovative, branded designs that people love viewing, using, and sharing with others.


• Advocate for the user. Our users inform where we are going. Our teams focus on listening to users, and letting their needs guide us to the best solutions. It’s important for us to know we are solving for real people.


• Take full ownership of your work, and take responsibility for every last detail, every step of the way.


• Ability and willingness to communicate clearly with various stakeholders


• Contribute to the evolution of the company's visual and experience style guide—including recommending data-inspired improvements and codifying usage rules on an ongoing basis.


• Help build an exceptional XD team.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional visual XD/UX design experience—preferably creating online learning related products


• Online portfolio of work, demonstrating experience leading or managing the design of complex systems across multiple platforms, including mobile and touch-based interfaces.


• Strong understanding of responsive design and web technologies.


• Strong conceptualization and visual communication ability.


• Exceptional design skills, production value and attention to detail.


• Ability to create wireframes as well as visual design comps.


• Expert knowledge of Sketch, Adobe CC Suite and associated design tools. Familiarity with HTML, CSS and JavaScript would also be helpful.


• Proficient with user interface design patterns and standard user-centered design methodologies.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.


• Understanding of common software product management practices.


• Understanding of common software development practices.


• Experience with inclusive and accessible design preferred.