ABOUT ME

Hi there, I'm Stefanie Kraus, a freelance UX designer in the San Francisco Bay Area. I believe that good product design starts with empathy and curiosity. Putting myself in the shoes of an end-user while understanding the business purpose and history of a product paves the way to meaningful design.

Great design is achieved by improving key business metrics while focusing on the customer's goals.

I have worked as a Senior Product Designer at Apple and headed up design at small and medium-sized startups, I founded skrausdesign in 2016. Since then, I have been working with clients across various industries, such as education, venture capital, travel, and media.

Connecting with my clients is essential to me and I only focus on a few major projects at a time. I offer free consultations to discuss any project, so let’s chat!

Where do I find my inspiration?

I follow some fantastic designers on Medium and love to read their case studies. So much inspiration comes from being out in the world, however, and looking at things through the UX Design lens. Any time I see people being confused at an ATM, a ticket vending machine, or even a door that won’t open, I take note. “Don’t Make Me Think,” by Steve Krug is my mantra.

What design principles do I follow?

The 10 Usability Heuristics by Jacob Nielsen are still my primary guide when designing digital interfaces. I make sure to always use human language in my UI, remove unnecessary clutter, and to prevent errors whenever possible. For visual design, a clear hierarchy and consistent use of design patterns are key.

Which tools do I use?

My absolute favorite tool of choice is Figma! It's by far the best tool to create quick mockups and prototypes, collaborate with the team, and flesh out design systems. I am also proficient in other common design tools such as Adobe CS, Sketch, Zeplin, InVision, Balsamiq, and others.

How do I charge for a project?

My rates depend on the type of project, the client’s preference, and the length of the contract. I have hourly rates, reduced day rates, and reduced weekly rates. I also offer discounts for non-profit organizations.

What other interests do I have?

Next to UX design, animals have been my “other passion” for a long time. As a volunteer, marketing chair, and board member, I have been working with animal rescues and sanctuaries, both on-site and remote. I also love wildlife photography and am a volunteer photographer for several sanctuaries.

The images below show a few things I enjoy: Celebrating a client's birthday, climbing a tree to clean an animal enclosure, wildlife photography, and outreach at a conference.