A “Short” Introduction
My name is Steve Wright. I am the artist formerly known as TallSteve. Okay, seriously, I am still tall. I've been 6'8" tall since High School. I even own the domain name tallsteve.com.
My area of focus lies in designing web and mobile products, user research as well as leading of design & front-end teams. I enjoy designing and coding the UI as much as talking with users to iterate and improve the experiences that reach business goals.
I am a designer of things, mostly internet things. I have a beautiful wife and family who get the majority of my time outside of work. I’ve worked for a few advertising and marketing firms and have become a far better communicator and presenter in the process.
How I Tell My Story
Split Personality
Okay, not exactly. I am a creative systems thinker who thrives in tech AND design. I design for a complete journey through ideation to execution. There are days when I channel my inner Spock and stay objectively above the fray. I gotta admit, I can also be Dr. McCoy trying to clarify my role with futile exasperation. Creative types, right? Oh wait, did you think I was an engineer? Yeah, I taught myself frontend and backend programming.
Either is fine. I like to defy labels (except for a few sticky nicknames). I like clean craftsmanship, whether it is visual, programmatic, or verbal communication.
I was great at Flash. :/
I value making sense of things. Early in my career, I dedicated an extraordinary amount of time creating animations and multimedia content in Flash. Then almost a decade before the first iPhone, I learned that Jakob Nielsen (renowned usability advocate) deemed Flash 99% bad. It was 22 years ago, that I began studying the 1% approach to creating user friendly interactive content.
I am seasoned with great momentum
Yes, I’m experienced enough to have seen the rise and fall of Netscape, AOL, and Internet Explorer. While different technology and tools may come and go, I’ve been able to pivot and repurpose my talents to stay ahead of the evolving landscape. I started my career as a production artist after graduating with a BFA from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. While working for an advertising firm, I taught myself to author CD-ROMs using Macromedia Director, and later Flash.
Always testing, lifelong learning
I am adept at seeing user patterns, and developing story maps. Usability is at the forefront of the industry. I recently completed UX Certification with the Nielsen Norman Group, where I finally met Jakob (virtually). With UX as a formal discipline I am able to align our clients and stakeholders with a user first mindset.
I am a quick study who grasps complex topics and strives for proficiency. I led my first web development team in the summer of 2005. I used a “learn what they do" mindset, and over the next decade began coding both frontend and backend projects. Now more than 15 years, at Love Communications where I created an Interactive Services team to build websites, kiosk display, intranet UI and more.
What comes next?
I have reached a crossroads where I need to find my next growth opportunity. I am passionate about developing people and elevating their potential. I still have unlocked potential, and have outlasted my mentors in my current situation. To say it more clearly, I am ready for a change.
“I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led.” ― Thomas Jefferson