Jesse Klug

About me

My journey into UX has been a challenging one. The covid 19 pandemic wreaked havoc on many industries, including theatre and live entertainment. Overnight I went from designing lights for an average of 20 shows a year to having no clue when theaters would reopen. With plenty of time to think, I realized that I want to find a way to use my skills for the greater good and reach a new audience; one much bigger than can fit in an auditorium. I want to tell stories and solve bigger problems that can reach the world.

Through great design and simple story I know (from experience) that you can touch people in ways they didn’t know were possible. I have witnessed first hand how the power of good story can empower anyone, and I want to bring that empowerment to every project I do.
In my work as a designer I relish in the ability to discuss, critique, learn from, and grow with other collaborators. It is through this discourse that we find the truest answers. And while sometimes the first idea can be best, it is only through collaborative teamwork that we can feel confident that the answers we reach are the most universal. I truly believe that nothing is created in a vacuum, it takes a village and I am a proud villager. I value my c to the story and want to make sure that all voices are represented in the stories we tell.

‍I went to school originally to become an actor. I had always had a passion for performance and working together with others to make art. While in school I was introduced to design by some wonderful teachers and students and I never looked back. I spent the next 3 years dedicating myself to becoming a theatrical lighting designer. Designing lights for performance unlocked the ability to be part of the bigger picture of performance. I was no longer just a single piece of the puzzle. I was now able to decide what the puzzle could look like. I dedicated my life to this pursuit and have been very f it.

For the last 18 years I have run my own business as a freelance lighting designer for projects all over the world. My work has taken me to 5 different continents and allowed me to meet many amazing people and learn about their cultures and beliefs. I try to take in as much as I can and translate that into becoming a better story teller, because that is who I am, a story teller.

Skills & Strengths

Communication

  • My job, up to this point, has been about communication,  above all else. No idea is any good if it can’t be communicated to others.  I am able to do this very well.



Presentation

  • I come from a medium that is completely about performance. I have complete confidence in presenting to others and relish a chance to demonstrate my ideas in a forum where I can use my own voice.


Story Telling

  • I love telling stories, it is why I have chosen every career I have ever had. I want all projects to have a sense of story because it brings the user in and puts them in the role of having an imaginative experience.


Empathetic

  • I feel deeply for others and the challenges we all face on a day to day basis. I find very little about web to be simple and without needing more explanation. I know that I can connect with like minded users and help deliver on their needs


Collaboration

  • I have always worked with others to develop great design. I think we are all part of the whole picture and reliant on each others ideas to come to the greatest solution.


Improvisation

  • Things rarely go as planned and you always need to be able to work with the unpredictable. I do that very well. I do not let things bring me down just because they don't fit a specific mold that I have planned.


Quick Thinking

  • I like to try out as many ideas as possible without getting bogged down in the fine details too soon. I know this helps develop some of the best products by quickly thinking and acting while ideas are still in “macro” form.


Historical

  • I have a strong background in art history that comes from years of study for my previous career. I know that all ideas have a historical reference in them and I believe the more we can call upon our past to inform our future decisions the better choices we will make


Leadership

  • My career has lead me to be the head of many teams. I love to teach people. I also learn from everyone that I work with, helping them find the potential in their ideas.


Goal Focused

  • I always keep my eye on the ball, meaning nothing is more important than the goal. For example, a small part of a design might be incredibly interesting, but if it doesn’t achieve the goal of the overall design than it might have to be sacrificed.  I can embody that focus better than most.


Please check out my resumé and reach out.