What can I say? I like what I do. I know I'm lucky as not everyone can say that.

I have been creating websites professionally for 11 years, and I've had a blast so far. I was having a hard time finding my niche, but when I discovered web design, I finally found a sweet spot where I could exercise both halfs of my brain. I get to use my creative and my analytical side at the same time.

I like to wear many hats such as: visual designer, information architect, creative director, usability specialist, copywriter, editor, front-end developer, futurist, strategist and more. All these hats support the same team though: User Experience.

As much as I like the web, there is life beyond the computer. My family is very important to me and I appreciate the time we spend together. I am a musician, play guitar, bass, drums, sing and write songs and love every minute of it. If there is any time left, I like to spend it outdoors or find a quiet place to read a novel. I've got a lot to be thankful for, and I know it.

Stephen Thomas is a T-shaped user near Dallas, Texas.

what I do

user experience design

what is user experience (ux)?

In looking at holistic design, it's the experience that matters and it hinges on two factors: the user and the user's context. We must take both of these into account in order to achive a superior result.

the ux spectrum

Rather than focusing on one particular dicipline, the experience is delivered by the harmony of many things. If one of the elements fails, then the whole experience fails. Therefore it is necessary for UX practitioners to work together with the overall experience as the goal.

ux roles

There are many tasks and roles involved in an interactive project; these are more specific to a content centric website. Communication must flow throughout to achieve the best results. While I've filled all these roles at different times, I have narrowed my focus over the years, yet I appreciate and understand the importance of each role.

my niche

I've found that my stregnths lend me to add the most value in these areas. I really enjoy overseeing the overall user experience on projects while lending my skills in visual design, information architecture, usabilty and strategy. I still occassionally get the opportunity to fill in other roles as needed.