Mari is available for hire
Hire MariMari Ettlinger
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Location
San Francisco, CA, United States
Toptal Member Since
December 9, 2015
Mari is an award-winning, end-to-end, fully stacked senior product designer who has successfully led small and mid-size projects, including product and design teams worldwide, for over 15 years. She has designed consumer and B2B native apps. She has also worked on web apps for the fintech, healthcare, eCommerce, SaaS, biotech, manufacturing, and transportation industries. Mari has worked with several clients, including Pixar and Adobe, and has excellent references.
Portfolio
Work Experience
Senior Product Designer
2022 - PRESENT
Genba Inc.
- Audited and redesigned a business-to-business manufacturing app for an industrial maintenance workforce that monitors the technicians' everyday tasks, including the time, labor, and parts they need to manage.
- Executed directives and iterated visually designed user flows that drive the app's ease of use and consistency of navigation. Created interactions and navigation easy and instinctive and made speech-to-text seamless. Considered large fingers.
- Built a design brand library and system to support the UX paradigms, which will eventually become a scalable design ecosystem. This included a color palette, iconography, components, cards, and typography that served as visual cues for the user.
Technologies: Product Design, Figma, App UI, Digital Design, User Flows, UX Audits, Visual Design, Speech to Text, Leadership, Design Thinking, Web App UI, Mobile Design, Google Docs, Workflow, Native Mobile Apps, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), User Journeys, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, iOS, Prototyping, UX Flows, Branding, High-fidelity Mockups, UX Strategy, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Rapid Prototyping, Research, App Design, Style Guides, UI Components, Best Practices in Design, Gamification, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, UX Research, System Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, Design Systems, Brand Strategy
Product Design Director, Designer, Consultant
2004 - PRESENT
Mari Ettlinger Digital Design
- Designed websites and apps for my digital design consultancy for startups and tech companies in California and beyond.
- Worked in the following industries: animation, fintech, fitness, gamification, gaming, healthcare, hospitality, IT, pharma, photography, real estate, telecom, technology, online security, social networking, and video.
- Contributed to the design for Altitude Networks, an online-security MVP web app, including user journeys, annotated mini wIreframes, dashboards, product, and visual design.
- Created the user flows, sitemaps, wireframes, and visual-design strategy for Haus, a real-estate cross-platform web app.
- Redesigned Pixar/Renderman's animation-product website, incorporating design strategy, UX, and visual design.
- Designed and co-wrote Microsoft's award-winning interactive marketing and product demos.
- Created the UX, cross-platform user flows, and wireframes for Toyota's automotive sales iOS app.
- Developed the visual design for BioRad's biotech website and sales collateral.
- Created Wavefront's data-visualization dashboards, including the sitemap, user onboarding flow, UX, and visual design.
- Designed Snapwire's stock-photography website, including discovery, audit with annotations, UX, visual design, and responsiveness.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Slack, Figma, Digital Design, Dashboard Design, Web UI, iOS, User Interface (UI), UIKit, App UI, App UX, Web UX, Web App UX, Software as a Service (SaaS), Web, User Flows, User Journey Maps, UX Audits, UX Analysis, UX Strategy, Branding, Product Design, Mobile App Design, SaaS Design, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Digital Product Design, Dual Portal Platforms, Two-sided Marketplaces, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Interviews, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, Mobile Design, B2B, Google Docs, Workflow, Healthcare, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Marketplace Design, User Journeys, Logo Design, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, Prototyping, Cross-platform UX, UX Flows, Data Visualization, High-fidelity Mockups, eCommerce Design, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Rapid Prototyping, Research, App Design, Web App Design, Style Guides, UI Components, Best Practices in Design, Food Ordering, Gamification, User Testing, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, UX Research, System Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, Writing & Editing, Design Systems, UX Writing, Copywriting, Brand Strategy, Brand Design
Senior Product Designer
2022 - 2023
RealWear - Main
- Took a thorough approach to auditing and redesigning the speech-to-text productivity app, assisting reality solutions for frontline industrial workers. Started by creating a sitemap, capturing screenshots of each stage in the user flow.
- Conducted a detailed audit, breaking down the user flow into three main silos: UX, UI, and visual design/content. Compared each element against the Product Requirements Document (PRD) provided by the PM.
- Identified what was working well and what needed improvement, which allowed me to make specific recommendations on leveraging the strengths of the existing app.
- Prioritized design considerations for the speech-to-text functionality. Ensured the microphone button had enough space around it, preventing unintended commands when pressed.
- Emphasized the importance of incorporating robust Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities to understand different dialects in loud environments.
- Recognized the diverse user base and provided options for users to choose their native language; facilitated translation if necessary. This approach aimed to enhance accessibility and inclusivity for all users.
- Crafted the design of the above-mentioned app so that it reflected a comprehensive understanding of the original requirements, user needs, and the significance of thoughtful design choices.
- Aimed to create a more efficient and user-friendly speech-to-text productivity app for frontline maintenance workers by combining these elements.
Technologies: UX Design, UI Design, User Research, Mobile Design, Product Design, Strategic Design, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Rapid Prototyping, Research, App Design, Style Guides, UI Components, Best Practices in Design, Gamification, User Testing, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, UX Research, System Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, Design Systems, Brand Strategy
UX/UI Design Lead
2022 - 2023
AutoDirt, LLC
- Audited, analyzed, and proposed redesigning their Redfin/Zillow map-like platform so brokers could easily search for land that would meet their clients' investment needs.
- Built flows to find, create, and manage maps, properties, and listings. Enabled users to add widgets and assets like ponds, flood plains, schools, etc.
- Worked with the co-founder to organize and create PRDs, assets, and libraries for dev, logos, and emails, and fully flushed out UX wires and UI high-fidelity screens.
- Testimonial: "Really appreciate everything Mari contributed and enjoyed working with her! Learned a lot and thankful on how patient she was with my insane schedule. Was a lot of fun!" - Stormey Barton, Co-founder, Peregrine Land Investments.
Technologies: UX Design, UI Design, Product Design, Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), User Journeys, Logo Design, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, Cross-platform UX, UX Flows, Data Visualization, User Interface (UI), High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, UX Strategy, UX Branding, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Research, App Design, Web App Design, Style Guides, UI Components, Best Practices in Design, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, UX Research, System Design, Design Systems, Brand Strategy
Product Designer
2022 - 2022
Fennel Markets Inc.
- Consulted and redesigned their onboarding experience. How to entice users to stay on the app through a long process that involves linking their banking information and picking charities they want to align and donate to.
- Worked on the app's main issue, where users were dropping from the app during the process. I audited and analyzed their current process and made recommendations based on competitors' onboarding experiences, their PRDs, and my expertise in this area.
- Identified all their possible pain points and made improvements over features already established and new to come and improved the app's user interface.
Technologies: Product Design, Fintech, Figma, Native Mobile Apps, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), Marketplace Design, User Journeys, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, iOS, Prototyping, UX Flows, Data Visualization, User Interface (UI), High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, UX Strategy, UX Branding, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Rapid Prototyping, Research, App Design, UI Components, Best Practices in Design, User Testing, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, UX Research, System Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, Writing & Editing, Brand Strategy
Design Lead
2022 - 2022
Hoag - Main
- Worked for a large memorial hospital. Led strategically and handled business needs, deep dives, and research. Mentored junior designers and managed their career growth. Conducted critiques and provided guidance for more efficient user journeys.
- Executed the design craft and conducted interviews. Carried out wireframing, prototyping, and testing and redesigned their digital experience.
- Advised on better aligning the experience of seeing a doctor remotely with digital devices. With my expertise in healthcare on the patient, hospital, and provider side, I was able to guide them through this transition.
Technologies: Leadership, Product Design, Design Leadership, User Experience (UX), UI Design, Business, Stakeholder Interviews, UX Design, User Interface (UI), Design Thinking, Workshops, Lean UX, Agile, Stakeholder Management, Healthcare, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), User Journeys, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, iOS, Cross-platform UX, UX Flows, Branding, High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, UX Strategy, UX Branding, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, App Design, Web App Design, UI Components, User Testing, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, UX Research, System Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, Writing & Editing, Design Systems, UX Writing, Brand Strategy
UX/UI Designer
2021 - 2021
The Whym Group, Inc.
- Designed user flows for a chat shop platform led by real people, namely a dual platform for mobile buyers and sellers.
- Created the buying flow as well as the checkout experience.
- Redesigned their current UI and UX to make it easier to navigate and onboard.
Technologies: UI Design, Wireframing, User Journeys, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), App UI, App UX, Business to Business to Consumer (B2B2C), B2B2C, Figma, IU, Slack, Web UI, UIKit, Native Mobile Apps, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), Sitemaps, MVP Design, iOS, Cross-platform UX, UX Flows, Branding, High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, eCommerce Design, UX Strategy, UX Branding, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Research, App Design, Style Guides, UI Components, Best Practices in Design, White Label Design, User Testing, Social Networks, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, UX Research, Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, Writing & Editing
Head of Design
2021 - 2021
Tinyhood
- Hired as a consultant for a three-month contract to "right the ship." This e-learning platform has classes for pregnant women, new mothers, and their family members.
- Audited TinyHood's process from product management, design system, best practices, and process point of view.
- Redesigned a new website and app starting with a PRD, wireframes, flows, branding, and visual design mockups and templates.
- Introduced governance around design paradigms and systems.
- Worked cooperatively with cross-functional teams to define an experience roadmap and key feature needs.
- Managed, supported, and mentored a team of product, marketing, social media, After Effect video designers.
- Led design reviews and ideation sessions for concepts that test hypotheses with user feedback.
Technologies: Figma, Product Design, Mobile App Design, SaaS Design, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Digital Design, Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Digital Product Design, Dual Portal Platforms, Two-sided Marketplaces, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, Mobile Design, Google Docs, Workflow, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), Marketplace Design, User Journeys, Logo Design, Responsive, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, iOS, Prototyping, UX Flows, Branding, User Interface (UI), High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, eCommerce Design, UX Strategy, UX Branding, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Rapid Prototyping, Research, App Design, Web App Design, Style Guides, UI Components, User Testing, Social Networks, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, UX Research, Mobile UI Design, Writing & Editing, Design Systems, UX Writing, Art Direction
Head of Design
2020 - 2021
Carecar
- Tasked with taking several platforms (Lyft, Uber, and Tucan) and aggregating them into one seamless platform that will be viewed and used in real-time by dispatchers (agents), vendors, and CareCar team members.
- Created the UX/UI and interaction for the dashboard of current and recurring rides that also encompasses new encounter calls and messaging for this technology and healthcare company serving the non-emergency transportation industry nationally.
- Worked as a part of a larger product team that includes a product manager, front- and back-end dev team, and a PM.
- Owned the design ecosystem that will scale and evolve as more designers are added to the team.
- Managed a junior designer to help create components in our design library system.
Technologies: Figma, Product Design, Mobile App Design, SaaS Design, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Digital Design, Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Dashboard Design, Digital Product Design, Dual Portal Platforms, Two-sided Marketplaces, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, B2B, Google Docs, Health Insurance, Workflow, Healthcare, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), User Journeys, Logo Design, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, Prototyping, Cross-platform UX, UX Flows, Data Visualization, Branding, User Interface (UI), High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, UX Strategy, UX Branding, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Rapid Prototyping, Research, App Design, Web App Design, Style Guides, UI Components, User Testing, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, Mobile UX Design, Design Systems, UX Writing
Product Design Director and Designer
2016 - 2020
Titeg
- Led the product design for a cross-platform SaaS enterprise marketplace digital commodity application and website.
- Collaborated closely with cross-functional teammates to set product vision and strategy for the roadmap goals and the digital team process.
- Worked in partnership with the broader development team to capture feedback, develop, maintain, integrate, and iterate design directives.
- Managed illustrators from around the world and writers to capture the tone of the app and website.
- Designed user flows, visual design, and customer experiences and spearheaded the visual integrity of the app.
Technologies: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Figma, Product Design, Mobile App Design, SaaS Design, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Digital Design, Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Dashboard Design, Digital Product Design, Dual Portal Platforms, Two-sided Marketplaces, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, B2B, Google Docs, Workflow, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), User Journeys, Logo Design, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, iOS, UX Flows, Data Visualization, Branding, User Interface (UI), High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, UX Strategy, UX Branding, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Rapid Prototyping, Research, App Design, Web App Design, Style Guides, White Label Design, User Testing, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, Writing & Editing, UX Writing
Senior Experience Design Manager, Product
2014 - 2016
RelayHealth
- Served as the strategic lead design and was then promoted within three months. Within months of my hire, both customers and users posted unsolicited positive customer feedback of my tactical improvements.
- Tasked with taking a nine-year-old product system and turning it into a seamless UX responsive site, I started by auditing the present system, including segregating the UX, content, and visual design into silos.
- Incorporated new business objectives and devised a strategic and a tactical roadmap for the launch. The result was a native app, a web application, a simplified user flow, and improved features for the patient portal.
- Reduced the customer service call volume by 70% by making user registration and password retrieval more straightforward and entirely self-service. The result was a savings of $10,000 a month.
- Devised new design paradigms, hypotheses, and best practices working with a UX analyst. Created A/B and viability tests.
- Participated and led user-testing research that included prototypes, user flows, use cases, personas, and sitemaps that translated business goals into measurable results.
- Managed the front-end developers on my team as well as several user experience designers (contractors).
Technologies: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Product Design, Mobile App Design, SaaS Design, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Digital Design, Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Dashboard Design, Figma, Digital Product Design, Dual Portal Platforms, Two-sided Marketplaces, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, Mobile Design, B2B, Health Insurance, Product Management, Workflow, Healthcare, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), User Journeys, Responsive, Sitemaps, Wireframing, iOS, Cross-platform UX, UX Flows, Data Visualization, User Interface (UI), High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, eCommerce Design, UX Strategy, UX Branding, UX Wireframes, Layout Design, Research, App Design, Web App Design, Style Guides, Interaction Design (IxD), User Testing, Product Strategy, Design Consultation, Mobile UX Design, Writing & Editing, Design Systems, UX Writing, Copywriting, Content Writing
Director, UX/Visual Design
2013 - 2014
Marqeta
- Led a team in the redesign of Marqeta.com, which included segments for SaaS enterprise, small business, and consumers.
- Managed, hired, and led the UX and visual design team in creating a new design ecosystem that encompassed products, responsive web design, native apps, and user experience methodologies to support new business models.
- Mentored junior teammates to take on larger branding projects, including business development decks (investor, new partners, and so on), and hired more designers for the team.
- Designed native app prototypes for our partners in Dubai.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Product Design, Mobile App Design, SaaS Design, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Digital Design, Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Dashboard Design, Digital Product Design, Dual Portal Platforms, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, B2B, Workflow, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Wireframe to Product, Ecosystem Design, Visual Design Language, Software as a Service (SaaS), Marketplace Design, User Journeys, Responsive, Sitemaps, MVP Design, Wireframing, iOS, Prototyping, UX Flows, Data Visualization, Branding, User Interface (UI), High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, eCommerce Design, UX Strategy, UX Branding, Layout Design, Research, App Design, Web App Design, Style Guides, Interaction Design (IxD), User Testing, Social Networks, Product Strategy, Writing & Editing, UX Writing, Content Strategy, Communication, Copywriting, Content Writing
Lead UX Designer and Digital Media
2012 - 2013
Adobe
- Collaborated closely with product marketing, brand, visual design, content management, and engineering teams worldwide.
- Designed and delivered information architecture documentation, sitemaps, navigation models, user flows, prototypes, wireframes, and design paradigms for the UX pattern library.
- Designed and delivered information architecture documentation, sitemaps, navigation models, user flows, prototypes, wireframes, and design paradigms for the UX pattern library.
- Led the UX team in designing an extensive responsive redesign for the Adobe.com/edu segment that spearheaded a global refactoring project for all of Adobe.com.
- Worked on Creative Cloud SaaS integration involving Adobe.edu as a pilot program.
- Contributed to the pilot launch after which all other segments of the digital marketing platform became responsive.
Technologies: Adobe Acrobat Pro, Adobe Creative Suite, SaaS Design, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Digital Design, Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Dual Portal Platforms, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, Mobile Design, Workflow, User Interface (UI), Usability Testing, High-fidelity Mockups, User Flows, eCommerce Design, UX Strategy, UX Branding, Layout Design, Research, Web App Design, Interaction Design (IxD), User Testing, Social Networks, Product Strategy, Writing & Editing, UX Writing, Content Strategy, Communication, Copywriting, Content Writing, Art Direction
Lead UX/Visual Designer
2005 - 2012
Symantec
- Created visual design, design flows, strategy, wireframes, and branding for the UI teams.
- Led the redesign of the Symantec.com global website in 2007 and 2012.
- Created templates and pattern libraries for the design team, international regents, and overseas developers.
- Participated in live usability testing where we would create A/B and viability tests.
- Led and designed microsites such as VISION 2011, Corporate Responsibility, Norton 360, and Symantec TV.
Technologies: Adobe, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Digital Design, Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Dual Portal Platforms, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, B2B, Layout Design, Research, App Design, Web App Design, Style Guides, Interaction Design (IxD), User Testing, Product Strategy, Writing & Editing, UX Writing, Content Strategy, Communication, Copywriting, Content Writing, Art Direction
Design Instructor
2002 - 2007
University of California, Berkeley
- Taught and mentored students in studio theory classes that included Graphic Design Studio 1, History of Design, Color Theory, Typographical Design, and Final Portfolio Review.
- Taught for five years, during which I managed and mentored up to 250 students.
- Wrote recommendations, tutored students, and found internships for qualified students.
Technologies: Web, Android, iOS, Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Web Design, User Requirements, UX Design, UI Design, Leadership, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Web App UI, Layout Design, Research, UX Writing, Copywriting
Education
2001 - 2003
Completed Credits Toward a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Communication Design
Pratt Institute - New York City, NY, USA
1995 - 1999
Bachelor of Science Degree in Art and Design
University of Wisconsin-Madison - Madison, WI, USA