Frequently asked questions!
Why do I design?
I believe in the fundamental principle of empathy in design. My goal is to help people live better lives, foster understanding, and create a more inclusive world through thoughtful design.
What do I love designing?
As a mission-driven designer, I thrive on creating products that contribute to world betterment. I also enjoy designing software that enhances productivity and collaboration. When I design, I sparkle! I get excited about discovering new problems to solve and finding innovative ways to improve our daily lives and work (currently exploring the potential of AI 👀).
What are my career goals?
The farther along I am in my career, I hope to manage a team, teach others, and create a work environment that fosters a healthy and thriving creative community. I hear stories about designers turned CEOs everywhere now, and it has truly inspired me. Eventually, I want to design a product that I love and start a company with some of my talented friends.
My Design Principles
Mission-driven
I make sure every career and design choice supports a bigger purpose, creating solutions that drive social impact.
Collaboration
I prioritize teamwork and always promote a thoughtful exchange of ideas. I value transparency and authenticity.
Constant growth
I look for ways to enhance and refine designs. I aim to continuously test, learn, and adapt to create better solutions.
I come from a fast-paced industry of collaboration, tight-deadlines, and endless storytelling.
I bring a unique perspective to design. My background as a Podcast Producer and Operations Manager in media production has instilled in me the importance of teamwork, transparency, organization, process, and constant feedback.
I bring my audio editing expertise into my design storytelling to keep users engaged throughout their digital experience. Mastering my tools (especially Figma) allows me to present the best possible product through many iterations.
My friend, Kristen, and I working on my podcast!
ADPList meetup in Chicago! 📷: Mila Shumilina
User experience design helped me sparkle again.
Before designing for others, I redesigned my personal and work life, significantly improving my mental health and productivity. I continuously iterate on strategies to organize my workflow, take better care of myself, and achieve my goals.
Design isn't just a career for me; it's a way of life. Just as design has transformed my life, I aim to dedicate my career to improving the lives of others. Along my design journey, I've met truly encouraging and inspirational people, and I am incredibly grateful for them.
I highly recommend the blog post "Ways to Sparkle and Keep Your Motivation in Tough Times" by Ann Mehl. It’s a great read!
Interested in working together? Get in touch at joneiljescobar@gmail.com
The first step in any design challenge is to find the core problem. If you have a design problem, let's talk about it! I can help you create a website, develop new products or features, audit and enhance existing user experiences, conduct UX research, and build a design system or brand identity for your business.
Not Chicago, but I took a trip to San Francisco in 2022!
Fun facts about me!
I enjoy trying new things and diving deep into the things I love.
I am a dancer.
I’ve been dancing since I was 6 years old. I've continued to take classes and perform for audiences, with my journey taking me from small stages to the experience of dancing for an artist at Lollapalooza. I also served in board as Creative Chair in my dance company for 2 years.
I was a Podcast Producer.
Before transitioning to user experience design, I worked in the podcast industry for 3 years, contributing to 10+ shows. My role ranged from onboarding clients to producing, promoting, and maintaining podcasts.
I made a film photo book.
Earlier in 2024, I created a 100 page photo book filled with analog film I had taken in the past year. It’s a book of beautiful memories from my time in my dance company. Flip through the PDF here! (it's a big file 😬)
I travel to eat.
I’m a foodie and I love taking pictures of my food. Whenever I visit a new area, I try to hit up as many yummy places as possible. You can follow my food Instagram or my restaurant reviews on the Beli app!
Family & friends = home
I call Chicago, Illinois my home, surrounded by my favorite people. My adventures in Beijing and Seoul, and 5 years in a dance company have shown me that home is not just a place, but wherever my people are.
Proud Filipina-American
I was born in Manilla, Philippines and raised in Illinois by two hard-working Filipino nurse parents. As I go through life, I aim to never forget where I come from and the lessons learned growing up.
