OVERVIEW
As an Assistant Professor of Digital Arts, I design and deliver a learning experience that mimicked real-world creative workflows. Students not only built technically sound web and game prototypes, they also learned how to think like designers: human first, system-aware, and visually strategic. This case study highlights my ability to lead creative direction, translate abstract concepts into teachable design systems, and mentor emerging talent.
Courses: Web Design & Development, Game Design Fundamentals, Creative Coding, Design Studio, Animation and Motion Graphics, Typography
Role: Creative Lead & Instructor
Tools: Figma, HTML/CSS, JS, C#, Unity 3D, p5.js, Adobe CC, Canvas LMS
CHALLENGE
Art and design students often enter digital spaces feeling overwhelmed by code or rigid UX rules. My challenge was to create an environment where exploration and rigor could coexist allowing visual storytelling and usability to engage in dialogue rather than conflict.
SELECT SAMPLE BRIEFS
Taking a brisk walk down the street, you noticed a sign taped on a lamp post. “Garage Sale this Saturday!” Perfect, you think, I’ve been meaning to get new dishes. But wait a minute! That garage sale was last Saturday; you missed it! Well not anymore, with the new garage helper app, called _____________! With this app, you can shop in virtual garage sales throughout the city, state, and even country! Not only can you browse through items for sale in local garage sales, but you can complete the buying experience online as well. You get the items you need, at cheap garage sale prices, without ever leaving the confront of your home!
Your favorite, not so known, band is looking for a design team, and you’re on their short list! They need a new, contemporary identity and have decided to hire you to present them a re-branding pitch campaign. BUT- the competition is high, and you’re going up against other world class designers. Show the band that you understand their music, their story, and how to gain new audiences. Using a deck, create a narrative arc that introduces the world to this (not-so) new band. At the end of your deck, the band would like you to include a gig poster design for their next upcoming (or their previous) show.
Working in groups of 2-3, prototype a useless gadget based on the Japanese concept of Chindogu. You will prototype the useless gadget together, using Adobe Photoshop. Please create at least 2 different views of the product (e.g. top-down and side view) and one “product shot” using a person. After creating the useless gadget, you will now work individually and create an advertisement for it. Ad must contain: product image(s), background image or illustrative/graphic elements, “business” logo and name, contact information, a tagline, body copy, and a call to action. Make sure the FUNCTION of the gadget is clear, through both imagery and text.
APPROACH
CREATIVE DIRECTION
I set a high standard for visual systems and typographic clarity, integrated live demos and feedback sessions modeled after agency-style creative reviews, and mentored students through ideation, iteration, and launch-ready presentations.
KEY OUTCOMES
I guided students in producing branded, multi-page websites and conceptual games grounded in research. Their work ranged from poetic personal narratives to socially engaged design solutions. Many students used these projects in internship applications, graduate portfolios, and public showcases.
CURRICULUM AS PRODUCT
I developed a modular course structure inspired by agile design sprints and iterative critique cycles. In web design, I scaffold projects from hand-coded HTML/CSS projects to responsive systems and eventually to CMS-based platforms. In game design, I led students through interaction logic, narrative development, and spatial design using Unity 3D.
PROCESS & HIGHLIGHTS
CREATIVE RESEARCH
Exploring ideas through formal inquiry, visual experimentation, and conceptual development.
PROTOTYPE & ITERATION
Testing, refining, and evolving ideas into thoughtful, human-centered design solutions.
BRANDING & DECKS
Crafting cohesive visual identities and compelling narratives that communicate with clarity and impact.
TYPOGRAPHIC STUDIES
Investigating the expressive and structural potential of type
IMPACT
Beyond teaching tools, I cultivated a creative space where students learned how to make informed, expressive design decisions. These classes demonstrated my strength in art direction, storytelling, and shaping cross-disciplinary design experiences that resonate with real users.