Hi, I'm J.J.

J.J. stands for John Jr. My last name is Verhine, pronounced like wolverine.

Skill Set
I'm a Digital Art Director positioned at the intersection of UX Design, UI Design, and Front-end Development.

I've built many different kinds of websites from scratch. Most are built on the WordPress platform. I'm able to code HTML, PHP, CSS and Javascript by hand for a polished experience that looks right and feels right. I'm comfortable prototyping in After Effects and a few other tools. I've been using Sketch as my primary design tool since 2014, and most recently, Figma. Tools change all the time and I'm unafraid to change with them. I began my career working primarily with Flash, after all.

I've gained experience directly managing client expectations through the years. I've learned how to tell the client things that they might need to know, but are afraid to hear. I will generally carry small to medium projects all the way from conception to completion. I have experience working independently and consider myself to be a self-starter. I'm comfortable within a narrower UX, Design or Development role as part of a larger team, as well. I consider myself a Designer above all, so if I'm in a situation where all I'm doing is programming, I value having a voice with regard to interaction, implementation, style, taste.

Design Process
I always get my ideas on paper during a short sketch process with the intention of building any digital proof-of-concepts as soon as possible. I use internal or team feedback to validate my initial assumptions about possible solutions, then branch off into new directions. A generous amount of hours in discovery almost always results in a more fruitful, considered end-product.

I believe in sharing work early in the design process. I value precision while also maintaining a mindful awareness that "Done is better than perfect." Central to a productive, iterative design process is knowing when to sacrifice quality for speed, but also how to be resourceful at balancing the two.