Lena Yankina
UX Designer, Researcher
Los Angeles, CA ｜ elenavyankina@gmail.com ｜ (310) 717-3274 ｜ LinkedIn
SUMMARY
A UX Designer and Researcher with a background in accounting. Passionate about creating beautiful, minimalistic, and functional digital spaces that help businesses and users achieve their goals.
SKILLS
Software: Figma, Balsamiq, Optimal Workshop, Marvel POP, MIRO, FigJam, Notion, Asana
Techniques: User Research, Surveys, User Interviews, Word Clouds, Secondary Research, Competitive Analysis, Comparative Analysis, Task Analysis, Heuristic Evaluation, Usability Testing, Affinity Mapping, Empathy Maps, User Personas, User Journey Maps, Card Sorting, Information Architecture, Design Charrettes, User Flows, Wireframing, Prototyping, Desirability Testing, Mockups
EXPERIENCE
Kegg (connected device app design)｜Feb 2022 – May 2022
UX Designer (Contract)
Optimized the user experience of a native app designed to track fertility
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify design opportunities
Developed and created new features to enhance user experience and satisfaction
Kshetra PBC (fintech website redesign)｜Oct 2021 – Nov 2021
UX Designer, Research Lead (Pro-bono work)
Redesigned information architecture, content, and visual appearance of an existing website that connects social enterprises with impact investors to facilitate funding
Conducted research using various qualitative methods, such as user interviews, heuristic evaluation, competitive analysis
Created proto-personas to guide the team’s decisions through the design thinking process
Collected and synthesized usability test results in the affinity map
Generated insights that fueled ideation and evaluated design
CareerCarrot (website design)｜Sept 2021 – Oct 2021
UX/UI Designer, Research Lead (General Assembly)
Designed a website that helps users transition to new careers by discovering relevant classes, receiving career coach advice, and utilizing strengths assessment results
Created a research plan to tackle the presented task in a most effective way
Conducted primary and secondary research through user interviews and comparative analysis
Synthesized research findings and shared insights with the design team
Completed usability tests of a mid-fidelity prototype and incorporated received feedback
Eco-Stylist (e-commerce website redesign)｜Aug 2021 – Sept 2021
UX/UI Designer (General Assembly)
Redesigned an existing e-commerce website to increase sales by optimizing navigation and information architecture
Completed heuristic evaluation and usability tests to determine the current state of the website
Produced competitive analysis to discover potential features
Created personas and user’s journey map
Redesigned sitemap incorporating information gathered from open and closed card sorting
SELECTED WORK HISTORY
The Century Wilshire Inc, Los Angeles, CA｜Aug 2015 - Nov 2020
Assistant Accountant
Successfully performed accounting duties for The Culver Hotel and a sister property Hotel Beverly Terrace as a part of the Century Wilshire Inc. company umbrella.
The Culver Hotel, Culver City, CA｜Jul 2014 - Jul 2015
Dining Room Server
Insured guest satisfaction during table-side interactions in a historic boutique hotel and dining room. Led catering service team for large events, including weddings, corporate buyouts, and private parties.
Avanta Translation Agency, Chelyabinsk, Russia｜Dec 2010 - Jul 2012
Director of Marketing
Oversaw the development of new PR strategies, advertisements for direct mail campaigns, and client assessment surveys. Worked closely with Finance Department to ensure competitive prices without compromised profitability.
EDUCATION
General Assembly, Los Angeles CA, 2021
Certified graduate, UX Design Immersive
Designlab, 2021
Certified graduate, UX Academy Foundations
UCLA Extension, Los Angeles CA, 2018
Certification, Accounting Technology and Bookkeeping
Strayer University, Arlington VA, 2009
MBA, Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing
South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk Russia, 2005
BS, Food Technology and Processing
AWARDS
Winner of GA Hackathon – People’s choice award, 2022