Get to know me.
Pragmatic problem solving is my core. Building off years as a hands-on designer, I know team and client relationships grow from solid delivery. Armed with knowledge in a variety of industries and channels, I use my understanding of brand, experience and design to be a relentless advocate for output that adds value for users.
An entrepreneur at heart, I actively build capabilities for both my clients and company. I advocate for inclusive, accessible interactions between brands and their targets, crafting results that resonate with customers in the long-term.
My claims
to fame
Presidential Innovation
Worked along side a Presidential Innovation Fellow to revolutionize the Veteran Affairs Office. We brought equitable product and service solutions to U.S. Military Serviceman through accessible, human-centered problem solving.
Design Gone Nuclear
Led a team of interdisciplinary consultants to create innovative safety measures for a nuclear reactor using human-centered design methodologies.
Dedicated to Research
Led on-site ethnographic design research studies inside infectious disease clinics with patients and physicians during the dawn of the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic.
Beating the Virus
Collaborated with the Associate Surgeon General, MIT and celebrity influencers to spread early awareness and combat the COVID-19 Virus.
Investing in the Future
Member of the 2023 Texas A&M Women in Executive Leadership Program’s advisory board.
Guest lecturer at the University of Texas in 2019. Curriculum focused on the intersection of the business value of design and practical implementation strategies.
Girl Power
Built and led an all-female interdisciplinary product team at what was once the nation’s largest independent woman-owned ad agency.
Home Sweet Home
Led a consultant team to build at 1200 square foot mock-home inside a client’s headquarters to test their newest products with real users.
“Every pixel Nicole places is well informed with exhaustive research and meticulous care; transforming each creative review into a lesson on how to be extraordinary.”
— Molly Guyton, Senior UX Designer at Indeed
How I run projects
-
Outcomes Over Output
Everything we craft is intended to move the needle. We harness the power of design thinking to create measurable change.
-
Integrated Teams
Design, product management, and technology work together to deliver the experience throughout the entire product development lifecycle.
-
Process Transparency
Gone are the days of the big reveal. Cross-collaboration at every step and phase of the project is critical to our success. There should be no surprises.
-
Demos Over Decks
Prototypes enable us to get feedback on features and ideas, increasing our likelihood of success and connection to the end user.
-
Feature Focus
Features are tangible. They can be prioritized, prototyped, built, & launched. We breakdown the problem and execute efficiently.
-
Power of the People
Focus on human motivations and behaviors allows us to design and build powerful experiences that are engaging, inclusive and, accessible to all.
Leadership Principles
Over the course of my career, four core principles have held true and guided my success.
OBLIGATION TO DISSENT
It is the duty of every team member, no matter their role or tenure, to challenge the accepted wisdom, push thinking, and question both the process and resulting solutions. When teams feel encouraged to voice their questions, provocations, and ideas, solutions are stronger.
RUTHLESS PRIORITIZATION
If 80% of our impact is made by 20% of our effort, the first focus of a team should be prioritizing their workload. Make a concerted effort to define what activities drive the most value prior to kicking off any tasks.
EMPATHETIC EVOLUTION
As teams and their output transforms, it is critical that they use empathy for one another and the user, as the foundation for their thinking. Connecting on emotional and intellectual levels is key to driving success and sustaining momentum in a team.
DRIVE DIVERSIFICATION
Whether it’s the structure of a team, the sample of a recruit, or the variety of explorations, the more diverse the make-up, the more stable the solution. By exploring an array of perspectives, approaches, and methodologies, teams often arrive at more own-able and transformational ideas.
Accessibility & Inclusion
It is our duty to design and develop equitable experiences.
The U.S. Census Bureau projected that by 2044, more than half of the U.S. population will be comprised of racial and ethnic minorities. Today, African American households control over $1.4 trillion in buying power. With similar growth due to aging baby boomers, The world Health Organization estimates that approximately 15% of the population lives with some form of disability. The purchasing power of working-age adults with disabilities and discretionary income is over $21 billion – more than Black and Hispanic markets combined. Despite this, design thinking and human factors engineering has not kept up with the demand of these markets in the past.
As a leader and design thinker, I conduct my work and my teams in a manner that doesn’t simply account for these markets, but places them at the center of my problem solving. By creating solutions with, by, and for under represented populations, we craft innovations that are more accessible to all users; improving experiences for the entire spectrum of humanity.
Life outside of work is pretty cool too.
On a Human Level
What People Are Saying
“
BLESSED WITH A NEARLY SUPERNATURAL INSTINCT FOR DESIGN, NICOLE'S ONE OF THE VERY BEST VISUAL PROBLEM SOLVERS I'VE WORKED WITH IN A LONG TIME. SHE THINKS A LOT BEFORE SHE BEGINS TO LAY PIXELS DOWN, AND EVEN UNDER TIGHT TIMELINES DOES THE HOMEWORK THAT THE BEST DESIGNERS DO IN ADVANCE OF THE SOLUTION SHE LANDS ON.
”
— Chris Wooster
Executive Creative Director at T3
“
THE THING ABOUT NICOLE IS THAT SHE'S ACTUALLY DOING WHAT SHE LOVES WHICH IS UNCOMMON AND EXTREMELY REFRESHING. THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT SHE JUST WANTS TO SIT BACK AND RELISH IN HER ROLE. IT MEANS THAT THIS PASSION DRIVES HER TO ATTACK EVERY SINGLE PROJECT HEAD ON AND WITH FEROCITY.
”
— Nathan Trafford
Creative Director at Masonry
“
AS A LEADER IN DIGITAL INNOVATION, HER SKILLS AT PRESENTING ARE UNMATCHED. SHE’S CRAFTED EFFECTIVE MESSAGING FOR NATIONAL BRANDS WHILE MANAGING HER TEAM AND DELIVERING AWARD-WINNING WORK. EVERY YEAR I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING STUDENTS TO MEET HER, SHOWCASING HER TALENT AS A CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND MENTOR.
”
— Jan Ballard
AAF Distric 10 Teacher of the Year at TCU
