Chelsea Town

Frontend Engineer & Product Designer

Product Designer

With over 15 years working in product design and user experience, I bring extensive knowledge of various user interfaces, each tailored to meet the unique needs of the target audience. My expertise spans from designing large, high-volume dashboards and applications, to developing innovative, smaller tools that evolve with customer input. As a Design Lead, I endeavor to offer valuable insights and perspectives, guiding projects from conception to realization with an experienced understanding of both user and business requirements.

My design approach is driven by three core questions: How can I make this easier to use?, How can I make this more visually appealing?, and How can these improvements drive revenue for the company? I map out the user's journey by utilizing tools such as "How might we...?", frameworks, prototypes, and flowcharts. Years of direct customer interaction have fostered an empathy for their needs, which I believe is crucial for delivering viable products.

Throughout the process of achieving a high-fidelity design, I build on iterations to refine the finer details of design systems, ensuring that key metrics and goals are seamlessly incorporated. Once the feature is developed, I assist with Quality Assurance to ensure that the best possible version goes out the door. Reviewing live data metrics, measuring customer feedback and pivoting as needed finish off the product's cycle.

Frontend Engineer

People are often surprised to learn that I'm both an Engineer and a Product Designer. I see myself as living at the intersection of these roles. As a Frontend Engineer, I directly engage with the end products that profoundly impact users. In my design work, I frequently write the code myself and take a mindset of what it takes to code the design I've created. This mixture of roles was honed during my tenure at a thriving startup, where team members collaborated across disciplines in a close-knit environment.

My approach to code development varies depending on the type of project I'm working on. When in legacy code, I rely on a blend of Chrome Developer Tools, find and searches in the code, and stepping through to pinpoint the root update location. For developing new single-page applications (SPAs), web pages, extensions, and other applications, I adopt a structured approach by breaking down tasks into manageable pieces. This may involve organizing work into sprints and managing tasks via Jira tickets, or using documentation to devise a strategic plan of attack for the development process.

My strengths are in tools like React, TypeScript, Vue.js, Sass, JavaScript, and jQuery. Additionally, I bring experience with diverse frameworks including Laravel, Ruby on Rails, and .NET. For version control, I've used Bitbucket and GitHub as repositories.

Please don't hesitate to contact me for more information about my coding expertise.

Work Culture & Education

I have been involved in hiring and interviewing processes and firmly believe that the strongest teams are built upon individuals who are educated, ethical, self-motivated, dependable, and proficient in communication. A genuine concern for colleagues fosters motivated progress and trust within the team.

My academic background lies in Computer Design, complemented by extensive self-directed learning in software development and work experience. I've enriched my skills through a diverse array of online resources, including books, tutorials, online certifications, YouTube videos, and practical exercises. I am grateful to the online community for sharing their wealth of knowledge.


Chelsea's Skills & Software




Recommendations

Chelsea is an excellent designer and coder. She has worked on many projects for me over the years and is a joy to work with. Not only was she able to produce high quality work with a great attitude, but she is able to contribute in multiple areas to produce a great product including UI, UX, and software engineering. I highly recommend her.

Jeremy Bodenhamer
CEO, ShipHawk
Chelsea Town has worked for three of my companies over the past 7 years. She is extremely reliable, a fast learner and always loved by her coworkers. Today Chelsea develops mission critical quality control scripts for our robotic systems. Her experience allows us to release upgrades weekly while trusting they'll work perfectly.

Mark Silliman
Computer Vision, Meta
I had the pleasure of working with Chelsea, and from the very first interview, it was evident why she came highly recommended. Chelsea is a natural relationship builder who understands the value of teamwork and collaboration. Chelsea's blend of engineering expertise and product/UX skills sets her apart. Her holistic approach to problem-solving has been invaluable to our team.

Alex McFadyen
EVP of Technology & Evangelism
Chelsea is a strong performer with a broad set of skills. Chelsea and I worked closely together in a start up environment on a variety of projects. She has the ability to be detailed and specific, but is also able to design and implement strategy. This combination is very powerful, especially when combined with great communication skills. Chelsea is an asset to any business.

Jim Edwards
Director of Sales, Smartwaiver
Chelsea's dual expertise in development and UX has been a game-changer for our team. Her contributions have been crucial in refining product features that are not only technically robust but also exceptionally user-friendly. Her forward-thinking approach and dedication to blending aesthetic with functionality make her a valuable asset to any growth-focused team looking to bridge the gap between developers and users.

Sara Song
Lead Product Analyst
I've worked with Chelsea for close to six years. During this time, she has proven her proficiency in multiple areas including web development, UX, software testing and anything thrown her way, really. She is an incredibly quick learner and adept at explaining technical concepts to non technical audiences. Chelsea was a joy to work with and would be a valuable asset to any organization.

Daryl McCarl
Director of Business Development, Smartwaiver

Hi there! I'm Chelsea Town

Raised on the island of O'ahu, I grew up an island girl until I moved to California where I received my Bachelor's degree at UCSB. After that, my family and I settled in the stunning, outdoorsy Bend, Oregon, for 16 amazing years. I loved hiking to the lakes and waterfalls, skiing, running, and soaking up the beauty of the state.

In 2022, we decided to return to the islands and moved to Honolulu to be closer to family. Now, I work remotely on Pacific Standard Time while enjoying the waves, paddling, CrossFit, and the incredible variety of food that Hawaii has to offer!

I'm looking to join a company that embraces forward-thinking progress and empowers employees to thrive and grow the product. Ideally, a team with strong values that are reflected in their daily work environment. I have solid technical skills in both Product Design and Engineering. As a quick learner with diverse interests, I'm always ready to dive into something new. If you want to dive into the details, I'd love to chat more!