Wonolo
Let’s meet Kiersta!
Hi, I’m Kiersta and I’m a Senior Product Designer on Wonolo’s mobile apps. My work spans designing the Wonolo App to help in-demand workers find work as well as our new WonoloPro app to help floor managers on the go.
What events in your life have brought you to your current role today?
From a young age, I was always interested in art, problem-solving, and understanding other people. However, I had never heard of UX Design or Product Design until after I left school. As a young adult, I moved to Shanghai, China, and started working at a four-person startup in China Accelerator. It was one of those essential wear multiple hats experiences and although I didn’t have a clear term for everything I was doing, that’s where I really started getting involved in UI design, user research, and design thinking.
I was really able to hone in on those skills when I took on a role in the fashion industry designing new store concepts in China that focused on both designing physical and digital experiences. Although I’ve always loved fashion, I realized that professionally I wanted to explore other industries that would positively impact people’s everyday lives which lead to me working in health tech, fintech, and philanthropic marketplaces. That’s how I eventually came to work at Wonolo where I was drawn to the mission of tearing down barriers for people to find flexible work and earn their livelihoods.
When you have to make a difficult decision, what do you lean on?
I can be a real nerd about the design process and design frameworks and I love working through empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing – then usually doing it all over again!
It’s important to me to do my best to research and understand the problem and the people who are involved. From there, I like to work through possible options with stakeholders, and then weigh out the pros and cons of each in order to make the best decision for the people involved and the amount of time at hand. The best we can do is make an informed and thoughtful decision and be ready to iterate on it as new problems and information come up as we test it out.
What is one piece of life advice you can give to anyone?
See the world and stay open. Be curious enough to see it through a multitude of perspectives. I’ve been very lucky to live in five countries and travel to many more, and that’s been a really important part of my personal and professional development.
If you really knew me, you would know that…
I’m a certified aerial yoga teacher and my favorite professional book that I recommend to all of my friends and colleagues is Designing Your Life. Give it a read and let me know what you think.
