James Blake

Senior Ux Designer

Hi, I’m James. A hybrid industrial and senior UX designer with 10+ years of experience across SaaS, B2C, and B2B products in tech, education, and healthcare. I’ve led end-to-end UX redesigns that boosted user retention 5×, developed patented physical products, and taught the next generation of designers at KCAI. I create scalable design systems in Figma, collaborate seamlessly with engineers and PMs, and validate decisions through usability testing. I specialize in translating user insight into intuitive, accessible, and impactful design.

My-Tribe

My-Tribe

Created a mobile-first platform to revitalize a dying Native American language through community-driven design.

Exam Prep.ai

Exam Prep.ai

Revamped the learning interface, boosting user retention from 12% to 70%.

DemocracyLab

democracyLab cover photo
Directed the rebrand and mentored a 14-person design team to deliver a refreshed, accessible About page aligned with civic tech equity goals.

Design Briefs

My-Tribe
ExamPrep.ai
Democracy Lab

My Process

01
User Research & Discovery

The discovery phase focuses on deeply understanding the target users—their needs, behaviors, and pain points. Through user interviews, data collection, and feedback analysis, we generate actionable insights that form the foundation for user-centered design decisions and set the direction for iterative development.

ideation
02
Ideation & Conceptualization

In this phase, we engage in rapid ideation through techniques like brainstorming, sketching, card sorting, and UI layout exploration. Rooted in Agile principles, this stage emphasizes continuous collaboration and fast iteration, ensuring that emerging design solutions are closely aligned with user needs and product goals.

conceptualization
03
Prototyping & Design

Once initial concepts are validated, we begin translating ideas into structured UX deliverables—ranging from wireframes and mockups to interactive prototypes. This stage focuses on refining the interface to ensure clarity, usability, and visual consistency across the user journey.

design
04
User Testing & Iteration

User feedback is a critical component of our design process. We conduct user testing with real users and key stakeholders, closely observing their interactions and capturing actionable insights. These findings inform our iterative approach, allowing us to refine and optimize the design to deliver a seamless and impactful user experience.

user testing

Let's Work Together

Available for freelance, consulting, or collaboration — reach out to start a conversation