Hi, I'm Kyle Van Trier.
Nice to meet you.
A User Experience Designer with a Diploma in Graphic Design and near completion of a Bachelor of Communication Design. My unique background includes over a decade of experience in frontline customer service, which has given me the deepest understanding of customer pain points and the transformative impact that effective design can have on improving experiences.
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I hold certifications from the Interaction Design Foundation, including "User Experience: The Beginner's Guide" and "User Research – Methods and Best Practices." Additionally, I have completed "The Complete Figma Design System Course 2023 (Advanced)", further enhancing my technical expertise in creating intuitive and effective design systems.
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MY JOURNEY
​Customer Service Foundation
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Over a decade in frontline customer service roles gave me invaluable insights into customer pain points, fostering empathy and a human-centred approach to solving challenges.
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Pandemic Pivot
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During COVID-19 lockdowns, I pursued a Diploma of Graphic Design to channel my passion for creativity. This introduced me to user research as a tool to create designs that are not only beautiful but also solve problems and improve experiences.
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Early Career in Design
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After completing my diploma, I worked as a graphic designer and social media content producer, embedding my creative and technical skills. While I enjoyed these roles, I aspired to create more strategic, impactful design solutions.
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Harness Projects Experience
Through Harness Projects’ Career Launcher programme, I worked on live client briefs for organisations such as:
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Up by GOGO
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NRL
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Green Connect​
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The Big Issue
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These hands-on projects provided practical experience across the full UX process, from user research to prototyping and interaction design.
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Pursuing Higher Education
To formalise my skills and deepen my understanding of design's potential to transform businesses, I am completing a Bachelor of Communication Design. This programme has allowed me to explore service design and strategic innovation, further strengthening my ability to create meaningful solutions.
Reference from Kayla Heffernan - Head of UX at WISE Employment
Mentor through Harness Projects
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"In the UX Advanced Prototyping project, Kyle’s developer handover was exceptional. It was really well thought out and clear to follow. His presentation to the client was clear and he had used research to inform his design (a competitor analysis and usability testing of his initial prototype) and had good rationale for why he had designed things in a certain way. He showed a good mastery of design with customisation and use of consistent patterns for an Android device. His presentation was tailored for the client and very well received.
For the research project, Kyle created a deep piece of research, in a short period of time, triangulating 4 different studies. The research methodology was clear, as was why he used those methods and how they built on each other as the project progressed. I would be impressed to receive a report of this quality, even from my team of established UX researchers, particularly given the tight timeframe and recruitment difficulties."
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Some of the work I'm most proud of.
TICKETEK
As a service designer, I worked on a project to enhance skills and create solutions for a company I use. I identified customer pain points and developed a premium subscription service to address them. This initiative aimed to improve satisfaction and streamline experiences.
My Role
Researcher and Servive Designer
Main Goal
To leverage human-centered design principles to enhance the customer experience of a frequently used company by identifying key points and proposing a premium subscription service.
NRL: MYLEAGUE
This project optimised the NRL's MyLeague app supporting grassroots rugby. Conducting research and analysis, it delivered a smoother, more customised user experience and strengthened connections with the local rugby community by aligning branding.
My Role
Research analysis and product designer
Main Goal
To optimise the MyLeague app user experience to strengthen engagement with local rugby communities.
UP BY GOGO
This project revamped the UP by GOGO website through research and testing to showcase the uplifting brand and social mission. The redesign enabled highlighting the commitment to provide opportunities for marginalised communities and align with the goal to hire at-risk individuals.
My Role
Product Designer and Researcher
Main Goal
To revamp the website to better showcase the brand's services and social mission