This is Joel.
Joel is a professional problem solver.
He builds teams, refines strategies, designs products, and codes things.
But he doesn’t neglect the small, delightful details 😉
He’s been at it for over 16 years now.
Since Photoshop 5.5, table-based layouts, Internet Explorer 5 and these buttons.
Yeah ok, but where does he work? 🤔
2021-
These days he’s VP Design at Heap.
Reimagining product insights. (You should join him).
And before that?
2017-2021
He led design on Pull Requests at GitHub.
Crafting better developer workflows for over 65 million engineers.
2014-2017
He led Product Design at DigitalOcean.
He built the team and led them in improving aesthetics and consistency, and maintaining simplicity as the product grew in complexity. Read more...
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Team Accounts
Designing and iterating on the first
feature aimed at high-value customers. -
The Onboarding Flow
Overhauling the onboarding & verification
flows for new DigitalOcean customers. -
Styles & Patterns
Building DigitalOcean's style guide and
defining a shared Product Design vision. -
Design Leadership
Building and empowering a high-
performing team of Product Designers.
2012-2014
He built social outreach tools at Amicus.
At Amicus he helped non-profits such as HRC, DCCC, and Moms Demand Action turn their volunteers into fundraisers and advocates. Read more...
2007-2017
He worked with some 😍 clients & friends.
The following is a sample of consulting work and side projects.
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Context
An engaging heuristic evaluation for a
voice-based design critique app. -
The Rotationship
A website and brand for a year-long
fellowship program in Silicon Valley. -
Do Share
The first Google+ post scheduling app
with over 26,000 users and counting. -
Crypt
A Hollywood hacking simulation game
with a functional, playable prototype.
That’s great, but honestly, this third person thing is getting obnoxious...
He doesn’t always write in third person!
On his design blog, he almost exclusively writes as himself. Promise.
Thank god. And why does he look so sad?
He’s not! Joel’s neither sad nor upside down.
You should work together and see! Reach out at joel@joelcalifa.com or @notdetails.