Company: Helm (formerly Privacy Labs)
Role: Head of Design
Dates: April 2017 – June 2019
Situation
The core mission of Helm is to help people be free, private and secure online by making it easy to take back control of their data by taking it out of the cloud. Free services like Yahoo Mail, Google Docs and other cloud-based online services profit by scanning, reading, and analyzing user data stored in their “cloud” (i.e. computers they own). Helm puts a stop to that by letting consumers take physical ownership of their data and making it ubiquitously accessible through secured services running on a micro-server they own and operate from their own home.
I joined Privacy Labs as the Head of Design in 2017. The co-founders had just raised $4M in seed money to take their idea of ownable data, their Raspberry Pi proof-of-concept prototype, and turn them into business and a product.
Task
Lead product design strategy, refine feature roadmap, define, design and deliver all elements of iOS and Android mobile applications (e.g. wireframes, user flows, prototypes, visual design, copy, etc.) including supporting materials:
- Develop new brand identity (e.g. name, visual identity, tone
and voice) - Develop industrial design of the Helm product
- Develop branded packaging
- Develop all print collateral
- Develop a marketing website and storefront
- Develop all needed video material
Action
- Managed and provided the creative oversight of various 3rd party vendors to develop our brand identity, industrial design, product packaging and the development of our web presence
- Created new and edited existing video footage to support product launch
- Managed and provided the creative oversight for our marketing website
- Designed and drafted email campaigns
- Defined and designed all print collateral (e.g. quick start guide, reviewer booklet, marketing material, etc.)
- Defined and launched Beta Tester program
- T-Shirts!
Result
In 18 months, I managed, designed and delivered everything that was needed for our product launch.
- Managed the development of our brand identity (e.g. name, visual identity, tone and voice), industrial design, branded packaging
- Designed iOS and Android mobile applicationsCreated new and edited existing video footage to support product launch
- Managed and provided the creative oversight for our marketing website
- Defined and designed all print collateral (e.g. quick start guide, reviewer booklet, marketing material, etc.)
- Defined and launched Beta Tester program
- Designed and drafted email campaigns
- T-Shirts
Skills
Research, wireframe, prototype, interaction,