Hello! I'm Wade.

I'm a UI/UX designer with over 15 years of experience turning complex problems into simple, beautiful, and user-friendly designs that people love. I’m passionate about creating experiences that not only make life easier for users but also help businesses connect with their customers and thrive. With a background in graphic design, I also enjoy working on brand identities and crafting everything from digital assets to print materials that support marketing and help businesses grow.
‍
When I’m not designing, I love spending time outdoors. You’ll usually find me on the bike trail, hiking with my family, or sitting around the campfire with family and friends.

Professional Experience

Source Allies

UX Consultant / Mar 2024 – Aug 2024

Collaborated with cross-functional team to design an internal sales part finder app for a global parts manufacturer, reducing a two-week search process into days.
Conducted user interviews to identify pain points and insights, ensuring the search functionality was tailored to user needs.
Partnered with marketing team to implement a soft redesign of the company website. Pushed updates to production daily or weekly, and presented weekly demos to stakeholders to show progress and receive feedback.

Anthologic

UI/UX Designer / Sept 2019 – Nov 2023

Collaborated with cross-functional teams (stakeholders, project delivery lead, developer) to design and implement user-centered intuitive websites.
Managed multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and quality results.
Mentored junior designers, providing guidance on UX best practices.

Shift Interactive

UI/UX Designer + Front-end Developer / Feb 2015 – Sept 2019

Design low and high-fidelity experiences for web, mobile and native apps.
Work closely with cross-functional team to deliver projects on time.
Developed information architecture, sitemaps, user flows, wireframes, low and high-fidelity designs, and prototypes.
Created human-centered designs to improve the user experiences and achieve business objectives.

Drake University

Adjunct Professor / Sept 2007 – Jun 2009

Developed a web design curriculum for graphic design students, focusing on industry best practices and hands-on learning.
Taught 3-hour class lectures and facilitated in-class work sessions, offering one-on-one support for students.
Graded class projects, providing feedback to foster student growth.

Thompson Design

Owner & Creative Director / Jun 2006 – Mar 2015

Work closely with stakeholders and developers to deliver website and email campaign solutions that met the user needs and business goals.
Design brand identities and print collateral, such as logos, business cards, letterhead, envelopes, brochures, flyers, post cards, and sell sheets.
Provide ongoing design and website maintenance support.

The Stelter Company

Senior Web Designer / Dec 2000 – Jun 2006

Designed and developed the company website.
Created planned giving websites and email campaigns to support client initiatives.
Designed promotional collateral to market company web services.

Meredith Corporation

Graphic + Web Designer / Sept 1997 – Dec 2000

Crafted special holiday logos and illustrations for Crayola Kids magazine.
Created animated ad banners for Better Homes & Gardens website.
Design, layout, photo research, and collaborate with illustrator for Rainforest Café book.
Design and develop websites for several farm and cooking magazine publications.

Skills

UI/UX Design
Web & Mobile Design
Information Architecture
Design Systems
User Research
User Flows
Wireframes
Prototyping
Email Marketing
Brand Identity
Print Collateral
Product Photography
Illustration

Technologies / Tools

Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Indesign
Adobe Lightroom
HTML/CSS
Bootstrap
Webflow
Stripo

“I've collaborated with Wade Thompson on multiple media projects. He brings a highly developed design sense to his work and enthusiasm for getting things done. Wade always makes sure everything from the overall project requirements to the smallest details are coherent and done right. Any creative team would be lucky to have him.”

Justin Gruca

Development Manager / Corteva

“Wade is an excellent communicator and collaborator. He excels at translating ideas and requirements into tangible designs, working seamlessly with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and delivering projects that exceed expectations. His thoughtful approach to problem-solving and his attention to detail have been invaluable in driving the success of our projects.”

Ryan Albers

Co-Founder + Account Director / Performance Marketing

“Wade has consistently demonstrated proficiency and innovation in the field of UI/UX design. His ability to understand and apply user experience principles has greatly contributed to the success of our projects. Wade is known for bringing fresh ideas and creative solutions to every task, showcasing adaptability in the ever-evolving landscape of web design.”

Jeff Regenold

Executive Creative Director / Performance Marketing

“In the world of UX design, Wade is a true expert. His extensive talent and collaborative spirit transform concepts into captivating visual narratives that resonate with users. Working alongside Wade is not just productive; it’s an inspiring journey where creativity meets purpose, resulting in designs that leave a lasting impression.”

Shelly Pearson

Senior Copywriter / Performance Marketing