Hello, I'm Grace Lam
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The result: I designed and built my first ever website for a client with IDX integration and some custom code, addressing key issues in their old website and revamping with major improvements.
I started out as a design associate and marketing associate before transitioning to be the VP of Design. My last role was inaugurating the new web team as the VP of Web Development. Our profits were donated to social good causes.
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I've always liked to draw and make things for people, so this was a cool experience. But more than that, managing a team and overseeing the production process from design to print, prototype to website was a huge learning opportunity. Ultimately that became a launchpad for cool freelance work I got to do, like custom-designed apparel, conference packets, flyers, and etc. for different organizations and institutions.
Grace Lam, me
From this point forward, I scripted, storyboarded, designed, and animated videos for various places: businesses, schools, a medical center. These experiences strengthened my storytelling and empathy skills as a designer. I learned to encapsulate big ideas and mission statements into a visual story arc.
I redesigned two of their major websites, created digestible graphics that summarized difficult and dense neuroscience research, designed reports, redesigned their talk slideshows, and helped in creating visual overlays for their videos.
I designed a syllabi tool for the department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. I also made various graphics and a 100+ page report for the University. In doing so, I communicated with various clients, delivered design solutions with a fast turnaround, and shipped efficient and impactful design work.
In a small but mighty team, we designed and shipped the product within a month, with a gamified rewards system.
We recognized the critical need for a re-design upon mapping the complex information architecture of the server and discovering broken user flows and inconsistent visual design. From there, we kicked off the design revamp initiative using Google Material Design guidelines and other defined product design principles.
From this starting point, I'm still on the same track. My goal then, as it is now, is to continue to make meaningful design—design that impacts lives, increases happiness, and that positively shapes and augments.
I've seen firsthand how even small designs can make a difference, and it's my hope that as designers continue to design meaningfully, more people would come to realize and appreciate good design as a necessity and not a luxury, with its high potential to effect change.
Grace Lam
Take a further look at my work
Why such a long home page?
I know that it's almost standard to display work on the front page immediately so that it's not hard for visitors to see your portfolio pieces—but because I felt like my experience learning and becoming a designer couldn't be summarized into a few project squares alone, I chose to make this home page flow more like a story. I included the projects that I did because my experience as a designer is not standard, but are all defining works that shaped my design skills and design thinking.
What programs do you know how to use? Languages?
Programs: I would be lying if I didn't say that Figma is one of my favorite design tools. But aside from Figma, I also love the power the Adobe suite has to offer (mainly Illustrator, Photoshop, PremierePro, and InDesign. I've used other design tools before, but I'd say those are my main ones. (Oh, and Webflow for websites 😌).
Languages: If we're talking human, I speak English, Cantonese, Mandarin (though my Mandarin is not as good as my Canto), Korean, and very limited French.
If we're talking computer, I've mainly used Java, Python, SQL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript.
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