Client: 

Ellevest

At Ellevest, my responsibility was to translate complex financial information into educational and impactful digital experiences. I worked closely with the product, research, and engineering teams at every stage of the design process—from defining problems and requirements to final development. 
Transactions page

I collaborated closely with product, research, and engineering teams throughout the entire design process, from defining problems to final development. My focus was on designing Ellevest’s investment transaction page, showcasing various transactions—sells and deposits—across various stages. The aim was to enable users to easily scan upcoming, ongoing, and past transactions, delve into detailed transaction info, and tweak their financial goals as needed.

Early on, I worked hand in hand with cross-functional teams to identify critical design hypotheses, structure design briefs, and prioritize projects. This involved initiating user research, leading competitive design analysis and visual references, and keeping up with the latest market trends. 

I worked through sitemaps, user flows, and information architecture, as well as wireframes and prototypes, to illustrate processes to all stakeholders. I managed visual design assets and systems, prioritizing the entire customer journey using data-driven insights. This included refining processes like new-user acquisition, onboarding experiences, and optimizing various pages such as FAQ and membership descriptions. 

During the final production phase, I documented designs for hand-off to our engineering and product management teams, ensuring a consistent, top-quality visual experience. I updated UI/UX features within our shared design system and presented our designs to both technical and senior leadership.

Client: 

Novo


I worked closely with the Head of Marketing and Product Design to reimagine the identity of a small business banking startup. My goal was to build a brand that felt human, energetic, and trustworthy—something that small business owners could actually see themselves in.

I led the art direction and visual design, refining typography, color, and photography into a flexible system that could grow with the company. From landing pages to card designs and marketing materials, I focused on creating a consistent and engaging experience that made the product feel both credible and personal.

The new brand connected emotionally, strengthened recognition, and helped the team communicate their mission with more confidence and clarity.

  • Bounce rate improved 25%​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍​‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍​‍​​​‍‌‍‌​​‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌​​​​​‌‍‌‍​‌​‍‌‌‍​‌​​‍‌‍​​‌‍​‍‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‌‍​​​​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍​‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍​‌​​‌​​‍​‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌​​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‌​‍​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‍​‌​‌​​‍‌​​​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‌​​​‌‍‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‍​‌​​‌‌‍‌‍​​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​​​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍​‍​​​‍‌‍‌​​‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌​​​​​‌‍‌‍​‌​‍‌‌‍​‌​​‍‌‍​​‌‍​‍‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‌‍​​​​‍‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍​‌​​‌​​‍​‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌​​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‌​‍​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‍​‌​‌​​‍‌​​​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‌​​​‌‍‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‍​‌​​‌‌‍‌‍​​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​​​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍‌‌
  • Engagement rate increased 14%​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍​‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍​‍​​​‍‌‍‌​​‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌​​​​​‌‍‌‍​‌​‍‌‌‍​‌​​‍‌‍​​‌‍​‍‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‌‍​​​​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍​‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍​‌​​‌​​‍​‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌​​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍​​‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​​​‌‍​‌​​‍‌​​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‍​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌‌​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍​‍​​​‍‌‍‌​​‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌​​​​​‌‍‌‍​‌​‍‌‌‍​‌​​‍‌‍​​‌‍​‍‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‌‍​​​​‍‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍​‌​​‌​​‍​‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌​​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍​​‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​​​‌‍​‌​​‍‌​​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‍​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌‌​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍‌‌
  • Engagement time rose 3%​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍​‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍​‍​​​‍‌‍‌​​‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌​​​​​‌‍‌‍​‌​‍‌‌‍​‌​​‍‌‍​​‌‍​‍‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‌‍​​​​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍​‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍​‌​​‌​​‍​‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌​​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​​​​‍​‌‍‌‍​​‌‍​‌‍‌‍​​‌​​‍​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌​‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌‍​​‌​‍​‌‍​‌​‌​‌‍​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍​‍​​​‍‌‍‌​​‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌​​​​​‌‍‌‍​‌​‍‌‌‍​‌​​‍‌‍​​‌‍​‍‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‌‍​​​​‍‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍​‌​​‌​​‍​‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌​​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​​​​‍​‌‍‌‍​​‌‍​‌‍‌‍​​‌​​‍​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌​‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌‍​​‌​‍​‌‍​‌​‌​‌‍​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍‌‌

Project:Web and marketing












Over the last ten years, I have designed digital experiences for Fortune 500 companies, cultural institutions, and startups alike: NBC/Peacock, the New Museum, Apple, Daily Harvest, Ernesta, Paramount, and Ellevest to name a few. I partner closely with clients to bring their research, expertise, and enthusiasm to life. Leveraging cross-department collaboration and design theory, I prioritize brand authenticity and ensure user-friendly accessibility. My goal is to create a design experience that sparks user engagement and ignites curiosity. 

My portfolio predominantly features my work on websites and apps but I started my design career working for branding agencies and my education is in art history and dance. This diverse foundation has equipped me with extensive skills in visual research and analysis, proficient copywriting and editing, creating marketing and social media collateral, directing movement and talent, prop styling for photoshoots, conceptualizing pitch campaigns, designing packaging and email marketing initiatives, and overseeing digital and video production. While my focus is in e-commerce and direct-to-consumer digital experiences, I am always open to hear about a project that requires creative thinking.

If you have any design opportunites in mind, feel free to email me at ayano.elson@gmail.com.

Away from my computer, I like to birdwatch and bake with my dog Patrick. Currently, I am based in Brooklyn, NY. ✨


Work history:Independent Digital Designer & Creative Director
2017–ongoing

Paramount, Product Designer
* Webby Winner - MTV Websites
2015–2017

New Museum, Online Manager
* Webby Nominee - Websites and Mobile Sites Art, Kettle and the New Museum
2013–2015


Recommendations:
Becca Kendall
“I hired Ayano when I was managing the product design team at Ellevest, and she was such a joy to work with. She is a strong, full-stack designer who excels in working on complex products in fast-paced environments. Ayano is a great communicator, cares deeply about consistency and scalability, and knows exactly when and how to simplify the product experience to create clarity for users.

She's a great collaborator with the design team and her partners on the ground, and an advocate for the user in every presentation and stakeholder review.

I would 10/10 work with her again in the future!”

Jason Powers
“Ayano is a pleasure to work with! Her solid understanding of design fundamentals and broad experience allows her to contribute to a wide array of projects. From UX wireframes, to visual UI design, to brand creative collateral, she’d consistently deliver the design goods—even under challenging circumstances—with positive vibes. 

She would continue to impress me with thoughtful solutions for new features and attention to detail in documenting design systems. Her empathetic approach creates healthy and dynamic collaborations, balancing feedback input with voicing strong user/brand centric opinions. 

Ayano would be a great team addition and I’d welcome the chance to work together again!“


Tools:
Figma
WebFlow
Adobe Suite
Sketch
Paper and pen
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) lol
Matcha lattes
Every project management software under the sun


Contact me:ayano.elson@gmail.com




Contact me


With every creative opportunity, I focus on clean and playful work that prioritizes customer and user accessibility, pushing for a design experience that drives user engagement and brand curiosity. If you like that, too, please get in touch.

Email me

LinkedIn
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