Resume


Summary

Born in 1990, Jyväskylä, Finland. Raised by command-line interfaces, Sound Blaster audio cards, and LucasArts adventures. Naturally gravitating towards user experience, music, and graphic design. Passionate about privacy, accessibility, and equity, interested in bridging the gap between nature and technology. Laidback, but daring, hands-on person in both designing and bringing the designs to life.

Core skills

UX Designer

“What differentiates me from many other designers is my background in software engineering. I am aware of the frustrations from both sides, the people who make the applications, and the people who use them. I insert myself in between marketing and development teams while trying to wear the shoes of an end user. My designs often have a good balance between form and function. I don’t design for the likes on social media; first and foremost, I design to solve (user) problems, and then I add some sparkle with music, sound, animation, and/or visual design. I'm very much of a generalist designer.”

Composer, Producer

“Music has always had an important role in my life. I play several instruments, and I’m no stranger to playing in bands (30+ gigs). Though I don't consider myself an instrumentalist, more like a producer using various tools. I've done music all my life and I’m able to do it in commercial quality, let it be my own tracks, video game music for a gaming company, background music for ads, or even jingles for podcasts.”

Graphic Designer

“Drawing was one of my earliest passions, alongside reading comics and playing video games. I used to doodle, scribble, and animate all the time, but, over the years the act of drawing has somewhat faded out from my daily activities. I still utilize my visual skills on a daily basis though, whether it’s creating raster/vector graphics, animation (cut-out, traditional), pixel art, and even 3D to some extent.”

Software Engineer

“I have a degree and a bunch of experience in it. I specialize in web development and in the visible aspects of applications. I've also been part of creating backend-related applications, such as APIs, message queue systems, build pipelines, automated testing sets, and piles of MVC-based code. However, my expertise lies on the front-end side of things—especially when it comes to prototyping and implementing UX. I'm not so into the tech under the hood—I just want to make sure it serves the user.”

Motto

💭 “Nothing good comes easy—but it can be fun.”

Keywords

  • Empathy
  • Ideation
  • Illustration
  • Concept Design
  • User Stories
  • Definition
  • Documentation
  • Research
  • Survey
  • Workshop
  • User Testing
  • Templates
  • Modules
  • Design Systems
  • Graphic Design
  • Prototyping
  • Demo
  • Markup
  • Vim
  • Scripting
  • Web Design
  • UX
  • UI
  • Usability
  • Accessibility
  • A11y
  • WCAG
  • Development
  • Pipeline
  • Build
  • Programming (OOP)
  • HTML
  • CSS
  • JS/TS
  • PHP
  • Node.js
  • Framework
  • Project Management
  • Version Management
  • GIT
  • SVN
  • Mercurial
  • Scrum
  • Kanban
  • Lean
  • Reviews
  • Typography
  • 3D Modelling
  • 2D Composition
  • Animation
  • Motion Graphics
  • Video Editing
  • Audio Editing
  • Music Production
  • Branding
  • Composition
  • Game Design
  • Game Development
  • Keyboard(s)
  • Drums/Percussion

Experience

“To summarize, I've been a part of software development-related hijinxes professionally for about 10 years now. What gets me out of the bed in the mornings—is to be a part of creating functional, usable, and pleasurable user experiences.”

Full-time

Unemployed

  • A employable person (8/2023->)
      • Patching gaps in skillset, finishing incomplete graphic design courses, evaluating entrepreneurship ideas, improving writing skills, practicing music production, implementing a new site, studying 3D modeling and animation, trying out UX/UI tools, coding game prototypes, improving physical and mental health, writing a journal, reading books—gathering thoughts after 10 years of working.

Aiwo

  • UX Designer (9/2021-7/2023)
      • Product design and concept work (being one of the key designers for the Aiwo CCI), UX generalist work (research, interaction-, information-, usability-, and visual design), building UX culture, structuring the design process, and working on the branding, illustrations, and promotional material up close with the marketing team.
  • UI Developer (8/2020-9/2021)
      • UI development (React). Designing and implementing new features into the UI, fixing existing problems, and converting user requirements into production code. Work also included occasional odd jobs with the marketing team, including graphic-, and audio design. Then shifted into the world of UX design, full-time.

Solteq

  • Frontend Developer (6/2019-6/2020)
      • Bringing the re-design spec of Sokos, Prisma, and Kodin Terra web shops to fruition with HTML-, CSS- and JavaScript-based technologies. Occasionally working together with the SOK design team, re-iterating changes to the designs, based on the limitations of the system.

Paytrail

  • Frontend Lead (6/2018-5/2019)
      • Leading a couple of important projects including the complete UI overhaul of Merchant Panel. Overseeing UX (especially accessibility) side of things in 'The State Treasury' related projects. Creating UI designs and implementations for various purposes.
  • Frontend Developer (11/2017-6/2018)
      • Taking lead responsibility for converting Paytrail's services to be mobile-responsive. Also, led a backend-focused project, where we implemented gross settlements to the system. The first ever touches on being a true-ass project leader.
  • Software Developer (3/2014-11/2017)
      Jack of all trades and master of none. Implemented all kinds of things from message queue systems to refund functionalities, from refactoring legacy code to building e-mail and PDF layouts. Fixed a whole lot of bugs, wrote a bunch of automated tests, spent a lot of time in the command-line interface, worked as a full-stack developer, and painting a picture of my career- goals, and ambitions.

Fixed-term

Metso (Valmet)

  • Automation Technician (6/2010-8/2010)
  • Automation Technician (5/2011-8/2011)

Jyväskylän Sähkö ja Tele

  • Electrician (6/2008-7/2008)

Freelance

"I've done freelance work for companies such as Aiwo, Paytrail, Mega Cat Studios, metsapihahokkanen.fi, Nuan, Rot, and Blue Ice Jewellery. Work has included video-game music, sounds, logo design, wall paintings, and podcast jingles to name a few."

Internship

Star Arcade

  • Software Developer Trainee (5/2013-10/2013)
      • Thesis work, it had nothing to do with making video games. As a soon-graduating greenhorn, I was trying to build a project management tool.

JAMK University of Applied Sciences

  • Software Developer (5/2012-8/2012)
      • Being a part of the 'SkyNest' project, creating a (open-source) project management system called FreeNEST. Lots of open-source systems, Debian packaging, and my first touch with (glorious) Vim.

Metso (Valmet)

  • Automation Technician Trainee (5/2009-6/2009)

Insta Automation

  • Automation Technician Trainee (1/2009-4/2009)

Jyväskylän Sähkö ja Tele

  • Electrician Trainee (2/2008-4/2008)

Groups

"During my formative years, as a member of a musician association called REMU, I played with about half a dozen odd jobs and party bands, ranging from blues to jazz, and country to pop. I also played drums in an atmospheric folk band called Eetla in 2014, which had one gig at Lounaispuisto. Then I've done some fill-in gigs, such as playing bass for a band called Nordic Summer. Nowadays I haven't been playing live for ages."

"In 2013, I was a member of Pandatom, we did a 3D shooter video game in Unity with my friend. Then in 2016, I re-made the game in 2D with another friend as a unit called Basic Horse, that game ended up being a new game called Ghost Defense. In both projects, I worked on game design, music, sound, and assets."

Education

JAMK University of Applied Sciences

  • Software Engineer (B.E.) (2010-2013)

Jyväskylän Ammattiopisto

  • Automation Technician (2006-2009)

Muuratsalon-, Lehtisaaren Koulu

  • Elementary School (1996-2005)

Certifications

Google

California Institute of the Arts

Recommendations

“Olli's development as a UX-designer and visual problem solver has been immense. He has an innate knack for creating beautiful and functional visualizations – building them from wireframes to full-fletched visual designs. Olli actively hones these skills through eager experimentation, iteration, and studies – continuously growing as a holistic designer. Olli is an endearing part of the workforce with his Finnish quality of humor resonating with all the people around him.” –Aate Autio (Aiwo)

“Steering technical product development I was working with Olli in converting customer and business requirements to product UX, user interfaces and implementation. Olli takes responsibility in digging deep into requirements and communicating them and related aspects within the team. Where Olli shines is creating incredible end-user experiences that look graphically amazing. Also, there is never dull moment working with Olli especially if you have Finnish sense of dark humour.” –Hannu Klemetti (Aiwo)

“I was the one hiring Olli. Never had doubts on him. Always was proud of him. Often was jealous about his height. We had many seasons together on product development adventures. Olli is an active, honest and open colleague. He is willing to give and receive help. He didn’t always agree and there were times when assignments did not tickle all his ambitions and desires - yet he played for the logo in his shirt. Olli is a multi-talent person and together with his personal characteristics and attitude towards work, he is really something. Man, I miss him.” –Vesa Kortteinen (Paytrail)

“Working with Olli is a real privilege. He is a creative thinker who always works hard and smart to get job done. You can always count on his help, vision and on his honest opinion. One might call him a UX designer, but really he is an artist. He is the kind of player you definitely want to have in your team. I would work with him again at any time and with great pleasure.” –Saana Borgström (Paytrail, Aiwo)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Related links