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Hello, I am Aynne Valencia

I am Aynne Valencia. My career has spanned work on strategic product design, conceptual design, product strategy, and new consumer products, including hardware UI, service design, and design direction for creative teams.

I have worked hands-on and at the director level on creative projects steeped in digital technology. I work in the gray areas where storytelling, technology, art, visual design, practical product and service design, research, and human-centered design meet. This flexibility and willingness to try new things and sometimes reject the technological solution for an analog one

I love leading fast-moving, highly productive, and dynamic teams that push the boundaries of technology.  I believe in creating a design culture where the experience is seamless and straightforward, and the brand infuses every touchpoint.

 I am a digital product design leader. My background includes creative management, design research, business strategy, visual design, branding, advertising, marketing, and technology. I lead creative teams to make next-generation products & services with a refreshing blend of innovative management, business intelligence, visual design, branding, advertising, marketing, technology & a deep understanding of how design can influence human behavior.

I consult on strategic design projects. I co-authored Designing Interfaces 3, published by O’Reilly, and I am working on my second book.

I am on the Interaction Design Program faculty at California College of the Arts, where I am an Associate Professor and led the program as chair for five years. I also teach visual design and theory at San Francisco State University.

Note: An occupational hazard of specializing in strategic design and future concept design means most of my work is under strict nondisclosure as the products are either still in development or involve patented technology that I cannot discuss or show. The work shown is either my project work, no longer in effect, no longer subject to non-disclosure, expressly permitted to disclose, and/or is publicly available.

Products & Projects I have led:

Pearson
Led the team that designed a tablet-based learning management tool.

JCP eCommerce Strategy, Social media activation
R/GA, Associate Creative Director

JCP eCommerce Platform Strategy
eCommerce Roadmap
R/GA, Creative Director

PayPal Personas
Creation and research of personas used for PayPal checkout design. 
Fjord, Service Design Lead

SunTrust Bank
Led the team that delivered a service and product design for a personal finance management system.

Microsoft
Lead creative design for two augmented reality products.

The Lost Ring
McDonald’s/Beijing Olympics Committee, AKQA
Senior Interaction Design for an alternate reality game social activation for the Beijing Olympics.

Mc Donalds.URL, AKQA
Redesign of McDonald's global web presence.  Information architecture, creative direction, content workflow, component library, and templates