Hello! I'm
THEA MYERS Experience Strategist
I'm an insightful, experienced UX strategist, researcher, and product designer. I studied UX at Uni way back in 1995, though it was called 'Human Computer Interface (HCI)' then. My professor was the smartest person I've met, before or since.
I Attended
Bennington College in Vermont, USA, including terms of study at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington DC.
I graduated from Bennington in 1999, with a BA in Digital Art and Design. I moved to LA and got a job in web design. It was robust for a first role.
Professional Experience
Guidance|Web Designer|Los Angeles, CAI was lead designer for several retail & entertainment clients. A highlight: R&D for a Flash game by Merv Griffin - who liked my drawings so much, I did his Christmas card!
Unfortunately, LA is terrible, and dot-com-bust was coming. When it hit, I took the opportunity to escape and migrated to New Zealand.
Vodafone|Designer|Auckland NZOne of three designers on a high-performing web team, I produced graphics, collaborated with stakeholders, and acted as guardian of the Vodafone NZ online brand.
Through my role at Vodafone, I worked with Trent, Sam, and Sal from Optimal Usability. I was extremely proud to become Optimal's third employee in Auckland.
Optimal Usability|UX Consultant|Auckland NZDuring my 7 years at Optimal, I learned and applied a huge range of UX methods and tools. Most of our 135 clients returned for project after project.
Highlights included:
- UX R & D for Air NZ's in-flight entertainment, booking engine, and Skycouch
- 50+ projects with ASB, including 'Save the Change,' online credit and lending applications, and spend tracking in the native app
- Testing Fisher & Paykel Healthcare's CPAP devices for sleep apnea
- Designing early versions of Optimal Sort with our product arm, Optimal Workshop
I also got married, had a child, and got NZ citizenship. When Optimal was sold to PWC, I still enjoyed the projects but the culture was stifling. I embarked on solo contracting.
PwC|UX Consultant|Auckland NZAs a senior UX consultant, in addition to hands-on UX my role included:
- Sales activities, proposal writing, and managing client relationships
- Coaching clients and staff in UX and design methodologies
- Clients included OfficeMax, Paymark, Mitre10, Ezibuy, and Fisher & Paykel Appliances
Air New Zealand|UX Strategist|Auckland NZAir New Zealand was an obvious choice for first client. This time, contributions included:
- Increased seat upgrade purchases, through a re-designed seat map and selection flow
- Established fortnightly user testing: coordinating facilities, IT, and admin staff
- Developed the Airpoints store and Airpoints Flexipay
- Implemented key web functions such as flight changes within the native app
TradeMe|UX Researcher|Auckland NZTradeMe has a great company culture, and feeds UX equally into product strategy and product design. Most of their UX team is in Wellington though, which did get lonely:
- Conducted a nationwide study of Facebook and Facebook Marketplace usage
- Designed and ran a day long design thinking crash-course for new starters
- Tested new pages for Property and Motors as part of a comprehensive redesign
(In 2018, I briefly returned to Air New Zealand before consulting again.)
Purple Shirt|UX Consultant|Auckland NZWorking with Purple Shirt was a great chance to reconnect with colleagues and clients.
- Created online channel for ASB customers to manage home loan applications
- Redesigned nib's website with a focus on advisers
- Embedded at Serko for 18 months, establishing UX practice with the head of design
- Validated NFC Hop card top-ups for AT
- Conducted research with farmers for Ballance to build Nitrogen management tools
Post-Covid, I landed at CONQA with a fully remote, 4-day work week model. I also returned to study, part-time.
CONQA|UX Designer|Auckland NZAs the only UX designer at construction-industry CONQA, I pitched in at many levels.
- Provided UX feedback and guidance to all four squads during their two-week sprints
- Conducted customer research to validate the company's market and product strategies
- Established a feature prioritisation system, which incorporated customer feedback and more closely collaborated with sales and support
In 2024 I completed several project-based contracts in Auckland:
User tested new website for the Ministry of Health
Hi-fi designs, prototype, & user testing for logistics/transport booking system
Designed and validated tool for enterprise/high volume senders to track parcels
Earned a Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology from The University of Auckland
Discovery research, wireframes and validation for redesign of Delphic, an industry-standard Lab Information System (LIS) by Sysmex.