Personal Snapshot
I hold an M.A. in Digital Media from Toronto Metropolitan University where I specialized in Virtual Reality and Interaction Design, developing my skills in UX Design, Research, and Interaction Design.
2023: Winner of GradShowcase Poster Awards in Digital Media and Creative Industries Theme at Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada.
Off the Clock: When I'm Not Designing
Technical and Software Skills
Prototyping & Wireframing
Figma, Figma Make, Bolt, Base44, Cursor, Lovable, Relume, AI Elementor
Visual Design
Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), Canva, basic knowledge of typography and color theory
Information Architecture (IA)
Card Sorting, Tree Testing, Site Mapping
Content Management System (CMS)
WIX, Framer, WordPress, Shopify, Contentful
AI Prototyping Tools
Experience with prompt engineering in generative AI tools: Bolt, Base44, Cursor, Figma Make, Figma Site, Elementor AI, Relume and Lovable
Design Systems
Creation, Maintenance, and Application of Component Libraries
Front-End Awareness
HTML, CSS, and component hand-off principles (for developer collaboration)
Accessibility
WCAG Guidelines, inclusive design principles, auditing tools
Qualitative Methods
User Interviews (User Testing, User Interviews), Contextual Inquiry, Moderated/Unmoderated Usability Testing
Quantitative Methods
Survey Design (Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey), A/B Testing Fundamentals, Data Analysis (basic Excel/Sheets)
Analysis & Synthesis
Affinity Mapping, Journey Mapping, Persona Creation, Heuristic Evaluation
Reporting
Research Planning, Presentation of Findings, Stakeholder Communication
Soft Skills
System-Level Thinking
The ability to see beyond a single screen or feature to understand the entire product ecosystem and business impact.
Curiosity & Learning
A continuous drive to learn new technologies (like AI/XR) and methodologies.
Bias Towards Action
Prototyping quickly and iteratively to test assumptions and reduce risk.
Active Listening
Understanding user needs and synthesizing complex feedback from teammates.
Adaptability & Flexibility
Thriving in ambiguous environments and adjusting to shifting project requirements.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Working effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and Marketing teams.
Design Critique
Providing and receiving constructive feedback effectively.
User Advocacy
Championing the needs of the user throughout the product development lifecycle.
Stakeholder Management
Presenting design rationale, gathering feedback, and managing expectations.
Publications
Soltani, S. & Harley, D. Paintings in the Age of VR Reproductions: Examining the Design of Virtual Reality Galleries. In: CHI PLAY 2024. https://doi.org/10.1145/3665463.3678815.
Soltani, S. (2023). A Design-Oriented Framework for Interactive Digital Narrative in Virtual Reality - Focus on Branching Narrative and Agency. In: Holloway-Attaway, L., Murray, J.T. (eds) Interactive Storytelling. ICIDS 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14384. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47658-7_25
Barbara, J. et al. (2023). IDNs in Education: Skills for Future Generations. In: Holloway-Attaway, L., Murray, J.T. (eds) Interactive Storytelling. ICIDS 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14383. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47655-6_4
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