240-643-8828                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Surafel Debele                                                                                                                                                                                                            sdebele@terpmail.umd.edu


Certifications:

  • bp Digital Design & UX Virtual Experience

  • Google UX Design Certification in Progress

  • Accenture Product Design  Virtual Experience


Programming Languages & Software:

  • Programming Languages: SQL, R, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Python

  • Design: User Experience (UX) ,Design leadership, User Interface Design ,User Flows ,Prototyping ,User Research Wireframing ,Usability Testing, Interaction Design, Story Telling

  • Software: Excel, PowerPoint, MySQL, Workbench, Tableau, Cisco Packet Tracer, Figma, Gephi, Power BI


Academic Experience:

UX Research & Data Analyst

Jan 2023 - May 2023

  • Conducted user research and analysis to inform the redesign of the Rosenker Center's Voices of Democracy (VOD) and Recovering Democracy Archives (RDA) projects.

  • Created user personas, user journey maps, and wireframes using Figma to enhance the website's usability and user experience.

  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to implement UX improvements and presented findings to senior leadership.

Data Digitization Associate

Aug 2022 - Dec 2022

  • Digitized and analyzed user feedback, event data, and user interactions for the 4-H Non-Profit Organization to improve their digital platforms.

  • Conducted usability testing and synthesized findings to provide actionable recommendations for enhancing the user interface and overall user experience.


Experience:

Marketing and Research Analyst

March 2020 - July 2022

New Havana (E-Commerce Platform), Remote

  • Designed and iterated on the user interface of the E-commerce website using HTML, CSS, and Figma to optimize the user experience.

  • Conducted A/B testing and gathered user feedback to refine the website's design and navigation.

  • Collaborated closely with the development team to ensure the implementation of user-centered design principles.


Projects:

Capital One Student Application platform Project

For this project, I conceptualized a user-centric job application platform tailored to students seeking opportunities at Capital One. My role encompassed research, design, and prototyping, ensuring a seamless journey for aspiring candidates.

Bridging the Healthcare Language Barrier with "Prescribed"

Project Overview:

Designed and developed the "Prescribed" mobile app, a user-centric solution aimed at addressing language barriers in healthcare by providing multilingual medication instructions through QR codes on medication bottles.

Project Objectives:

  • Create a user-friendly mobile app for patients facing language barriers in healthcare.

  • Provide clear and accurate medication instructions in multiple languages.

  • Ensure robust security measures for user data and accounts.

Digital Health & Wellness Platform

Objective: Designed and developed a user-centric digital platform to promote health and wellness.

UMD Campus Restaurant Finder Website

Project Overview:

Designed and developed a user-centered website to facilitate efficient restaurant discovery for University of Maryland (UMD) students and faculty. The project aimed to resolve the existing problem of limited restaurant information around campus, offering users a solution that provided comprehensive restaurant details, including operating hours and nutritional information.

Paper Dash - 2D Platformer Game

Designed and developed the user experience for "Paper Dash," a 2D platformer game, with a focus on intuitive controls, engaging visuals, and user-friendly gameplay mechanics.

The "Paper Dash" project showcases my ability to design an engaging user experience in the gaming industry, emphasizing usability, accessibility, and player engagement.

Smaller Projects

E-commerce Checkout Flow Optimization Project

  • Redesigned the E-commerce checkout process for user-friendliness and efficiency.

  • Developed interactive prototypes using Figma to visualize the new flow.

Music Discovery Platform Design Project

  • Led a team in creating a user-centered music discovery platform.

  • Conducted user research to inform design decisions and developed user personas.

  • Designed wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes using Figma.

Social Media Trends Analysis Project

  • Enhanced the user experience of exploring trends on social media platforms.

  • Analyzed user behaviors and expectations for trend exploration.

  • Created engaging data visualizations using Tableau to present trends.

  • Conducted user testing and integrated feedback to improve visualizations.






Summary: A highly motivated UX designer with a strong foundation in Information Science and expertise in Data Analysis and Visualization. Proficient in programming languages and software tools such as SQL, R, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Python, Excel, PowerPoint, MySQL, Tableau, Figma, Gephi, and Power BI. Experienced in academic and professional roles with a focus on data-driven UX design, research, and optimization.


Education:

B.S. in Information Science

  • University of Maryland, College Park, MD

  • Specialization in Data Analysis, Data Visualization and UX Design 

  • Relevant Coursework: Statistics for Information Science, Database Design and Modeling, Object-Oriented Programming, Dynamic Web Applications, Data Visualization, Data Manipulation, Marketing