Clint Zehner

(UI, UX, Web, Graphic, Game, Print) Designer, Front-end Developer, Photographer...

About

I am a Web, UI, UX, and graphic designer with extensive experience in designing Internet and intranet websites. My broad knowledge base includes science, medicine, technology, entertainment, and education allowing me to work effectively in many industries. Strengths include design, writing, and analysis.

  • name Clint Zehner
  • country USA
  • location Austin, TX
  • email czehner@zwolf.net
  • phone 347.829.9653
Current Resume Contact Me
Thank you for everything. I love you. I can't recommend you enough. - Ivy G.

What I Do

UI/UX/Web Design

If your website or app is not useful, why bother? I can create an experience from first-sketch to release.

Accessibility

If your customer can't use your website, how can they buy your product? I am experienced with Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 standards.

Internationalization

The world is smaller than ever, which makes your market larger than ever. I18n. I get it.

Graphic/Game Design

From business cards to tee-shirts to card games, I have done them all.

Front-end Development

HTML, CSS, Sass, Less, Photoshop, Illustrator, Audio, Video. Been there. Done that. Designed the tee-shirt.

Photography

Product photography for work. Infrared photography for fun. People photography for both.

Clint is a pleasure to work with. He has excellent communication skills and has a solid knowledge of UI/UX design techniques and tools. His CSS and HTML are very clean and reusable. He is dedicated to delivering high quality work. - Tara B.

Resume

  • Skills

  • Languages

    • HTML5 / XHTML
    • CSS / LESS / Sass
    • PHP
    • JavaScript / jQuery

    Web Software

    • Sublime Text
    • WordPress
    • Sketch
    • Adobe XD

    Graphics Software

    • Photoshop
    • Illustrator
    • InDesign

    Other Software

    • Visio
    • Acrobat
    • Audition
  • Experience

  • CoStar Group, Inc. – Austin, TX

    9/2019-Present

    Lead User Experience Developer

    • Developed front-end code for ApartmentHomeLiving.com and Apartment.com's "MyMedia" customer-interaction tool using Ruby-Slim/HTML and Sass/CSS.
    • Engaged in constant improvement and interaction simplification.
    • Improved accessibility and code quality.
    • Standardized icon styling.
  • General Motors – Austin, TX

    04/2015-02/2019

    Senior Front-End Developer

    • Took initiative to begin project to bring Owner Center into WCAG 2.0 Level-AA compliance.
    • Frequently worked with other teams to generate new AEM icons, assist with CSS, and improve code quality.
    • Point-person for explaining UI/UX issues to internal customers.
    • Mentored multiple new hires in web technologies and business realities.
    • Aligned user, practical, and design needs for Owner Center “quick wins” tiger team.
    • Released New Business Model application without a single production bug.
  • TekSystems – Austin, TX

    Contract: 07/2013-11/2014

    Senior Front End UI Developer

    • Assumed responsibility for managing translation files for eleven languages and dialects.
    • Won two out of three "Close the Bug" contests. Closed 50% more defects than any other developer.
  • TekSystems – Austin, TX

    Contract: 01/2012-05/2013

    Senior Integrator

    • Worked with team to reduce new client implementation time by over 80% by refactoring CSS and templates.
    • Created icons for custom font to generate resolution-independent vector images.
    • Created clickable mockup using jQuery-UI for Marketing Team allowing demoing of new product, "Capture."
  • Randstad – New Braunfels, TX

    Contract: 11/2010-12/2011

    eCommerce Web Developer II

    • Used jQuery to create dynamic HTML mockups of new application interfacing with Office Depot site.
    • Updated sites to allow for progressive enhancement.
  • Career Consultants - Austin, TX

    Contract: 03/2007-05/2007

    Web Developer

    • Managed intranet and two external Drupal-based sites as well as over a dozen custom PHP/MySQL-based apps without existing documentation.
  • Handcrafted Metal - Austin, TX

    2005-2007

    Webmaster / Web Designer

    • Integrated 3D-Publisher into new website allowing customers to view 3-D models of products.
    • Modified eBay template to display products in format of current website.
  • Fairbanks Capital Corp - Austin, TX

    2001-2002

    Senior Web Designer

    • Eliminated over 90% of company-wide email, saving estimated five thousand man-hours annually through implementation of new intranet site.
    • Preserved company reputation by conceiving "Olympus Servicing" name.
    • Reduced hold time and call volume over 30% and saved over $1,200,000 annually by designing Borrower Web Interface, allowing borrowers to access and pay their loans on-line.
    • Improved communication and reduced duplication of effort by centralizing control of forms and company information with intranet.
  • Caresoft - Sunnyvale, CA

    1999-2000

    Senior Web Designer/Developer

    • Reduced page download time over 20% by enforcing standards and removing extraneous code.
    • Enhanced document usage by copy-editing pages for consistency and use of American-standard English.
  • Education

  • University of California - Santa Barbara, CA

    Coursework in Digital Media

  • University of California - Riverside, CA

    Bachelor of Science, Economics;
    Emphases in Physics and Performing Arts

  • Other

  • President: Austin Fusion Party

    2014-2015

    President: Blues Association of Austin

    2009-2010

    Vice President: Blues Association of Austin

    2007-2009

    Board of Directors: Blues Association of Austin

    2006-2007

    Technology Officer: Austin Swing Syndicate

    2003-2009

    Vice President: Austin Swing Syndicate

    2005-2006

    Board of Directors: Austin Swing Syndicate

    2003-2005

  • Zwolf Projects

  • OVERVIEW

    A wide range of freelance web and graphic design projects. Designed and redesigned websites for ease of use, improved accessibility, and standards-compliance. Optimized text for search engines (SEO). Converted sites to CMS. Added video. Created marketing collateral. Designed logos and tee-shirts. Wrote and edited copy.

    • Pet Savers Shreveport

      Designed PHP/MySQL-driven site for animal rescue agency that allows employees to perform updates.
    • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

      Redesigned and restructured THECB's Higher Education Data website to refocus on needs of data consumers. Used focus group discussions and surveys to determine usage patterns of website. Improved ADA and Section 508 accessibility and compliance.
    • League of Women Voters of Texas

      Redesigned and restructured the LWV-TX website. Reduced download time of homepage over 75%. Improved ADA accessibility and compliance.
    • Texas Education Agency: "LONESTAR"

      Responsible for Web, UI, and UX Development of new education website created to inform legislators and parents. Created personas, interacted with focus groups, generated mock data, created rules, and designed data structures to facilitate understanding of information by the public.
    • Texas Education Agency: "TPEIR"

      Complete visual redesign and user interface redesign. Reorganized structure to focus on end-user tasks by persona. Design "enthusiastically approved" by Governor's Office.
    • League of Women Voters - Austin Area

      Redesigned website to improve consistency with national site.
    • Angelo State University

      Worked to transition website from Texas State to Texas Tech system. Monitored Section 508 Accessibility compliance.
    • NiceGuys.Org and NiceGirls.Org

      Responsible for all content and design of dating sites for "Nice Guys" and "Nice Girls."
    • 1202CastleHill.com

      Designed site which sold a million-dollar home while maintaining realtor's brand.
    • Various Dance Organizations

      Developed PHP/MySQL registration system for events. Added forums, user-modifiable calendar, custom editable pages, and other tools.
We have received MANY complements of the site you created and have been very pleased. - Randy F.

Portfolio

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

I was requested specifically for this project based on my work for the TEA. Lots of user surveys and testing.

Texas Education Agency - Lonestar

The Texas Education Agency called me for this project based on my previous work on the TPEIR website. The design was "enthusiastically approved" by the Governor's Office. Which is just cool.

League of Women Voters of Texas

I randomly found myself giving the LWV-TX a complete pro bono overhaul to clean up everything from the information architecture to design. Because Democracy! And Freedom! (And the old site was nearly unusable.)

Pet Savers of Shreveport

I love animals and creating this site for Pet Savers has helped them place well over 4,000 dogs and cats.

1210 Castle Hill

When you're trying to sell a million-dollar house, the fact it has its own website can't hurt. (It sold for $1.2 million.)

TPEIR

My first site for the TEA. They hired me for two weeks and I completed their requirements in two days. I asked if I could give it a bit more of an overhaul and focus it on user personas and they said yes.

LinkedIn Local - ATX

LinkedIn Local-ATX needed to be rebranded very quickly. I created a mockup in Sketch on Friday and launched it on Sunday.

Carbs of the Huge Manatee

I created and sold multiple unauthorized expansions for "Cards Against Humanity" on Amazon (with an average rating of 4.2). Until I got the Cease and Desist letter from CAH.

Texans For Bernie

Texans for Bernie from 2015. Straightforward web dev.

Marketvine

An interactive mockup demoing multiple Marketvine products.

La Vie En Rose

A great vocal/guitar duo. I'd organize the pages a bit differently these days, but I got to play with embedding media players and creating download-for-pay links.

Austin Fusion Party

This was a dance event that I put on. This was also an excellent demonstration of the importance of delegating.

Carol Felauer Photography

A photographer's website from the old-school days of table-based layout. Word.

Big Biz Films

I'm including this because it was just a fun site to build.

Show-Me Blues

One of over two-dozen websites that I've designed and built for dance events all around the country.

Angelo State University

A really fun map page to build out. Plus, a bunch of 508 compliance updates.

League of Women Voters of Austin

A quick overhaul of the LWV of Austin website.

San Francisco Fusion Exchange

One of the x-Fusion Exchange websites. I had a national reputation for creating dance-event registration systems, but this one put all of my skills to the test.

AmPro

A generic, corporate mortgage-servicing website.

Notes & Deeds Intranet

My first project after moving to Austin was to create an intranet. I had never seen one. After I finished a director from Dell from Dell saw it and commented, "this is so much better than ours!" (Apologies for the blurred text — proprietary info at the time.)

Infrared Austin 2.0 Mockup

This is a mockup I created for displaying my infrared photos. Then I ended up posting them on Facebook instead.

Happy Hour Hops

A mockup for a site that was going to track happy hour deals. Client realized how much work would be required to maintain it and changed her mind.

Notes & Deeds 2.0 Mockup

A mockup for an updated "Notes & Deeds" intranet.

"SFFX was a f***ing masterpiece. Yes, it has issues, but jeebus, man. So. Many. Moving. Parts. And you made them all move together. It even breaks elegantly." - Susan S.

Outside The Box

In addition to all of the "real" web work, I work on a lot of projects simply for my own amusement. I get an idea and I have to get it out of my head. Some people have normal hobbies. I am not one of those people. Since they're primarily for me, they range from the fully developed and professional to humorous throw-aways. One thing most of them have in common is the ability to get further and further in depth on a subject.

Philosophy

We've all seen the "Approach to UX Design Process" charts with the usual. That's a given.

As someone who's been working on the web since before UI and UX Designers were posted job titles, I have a number of shorthand phrases that I constantly refer to while designing:

The first step...

...in making a good website is to not make a bad one. If you're revamping a site, first fix the things that don't work, otherwise you're wasting a lot of time and effort. Standardize the filenames and classes, determine the focus, check spelling, and clean it up.

WWWFD?

"What Would Wells Fargo Do?" Another way of saying "Don't Reinvent The Wheel." While working on a financial site, I found that Wells Fargo had already done most of what I was trying to do. So, I used them and similar sites to make sure that I didn't miss anything while creating user stories and building out designs.

That's really pretty...

...but where's the "buy" button? It's 2019 and people are still hiding buy buttons and navigation. It's time to stop. Function > Form, however both Function && Form are mandatory.

Less is More

..."Remove the stone" and KISS. Keep it simple and get rid of anything extraneous. You don't go to websites to admire the design (well, maybe you and I do, but...) you go to accomplish something. Get out of the way and let the customer do what they're trying to do. Websites should be almost invisible except for a random thought of, "I wish all sites were that easy to use."

It's not about you...

...it's about what the customer wants. Sure, your website is a great tool for promotions, but people go to a website for their purposes, not yours. If I can't find the address or hours on a coffee shop's website, it's a failure. This xkcd is simultaneously one of the funniest, saddest, and most accurate things on the web.

What can I do to help?

This is truly what my job is. I'm not concerned about job titles — I've had "Senior" in front of my title on-and-off for twenty years. I do what I can to facilitate projects getting done — mine first, but if I can teach, train, help, provide advice, or be a sympathetic ear for someone else it will help people and thereby, the company.

"By the way, I keep a close eye on the [Pet Savers] website... and I tell you it is just awesome!" - Cheri R.

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"Oh my god this is hilarious. It hit on almost every card." - Brandon M.
[regarding one of my Carbs of the Huge Manatee expansions]