Great design requires both form and function!
Favoring one over the other will greatly affect a design’s ability to communicate. Striking a balance between the two is something I dwell on every single day.
I am Mike Mai, a UIX designer from (near) Boston. Professionally, I design with code. On the fun side, I create designer parodies such as the viral Helvetica Sucks, I Love Eurostile, and No Pro Bono.
My website is my playground. The current iteration challenges all standards and best practices. Remember’em good ol’ days when websites were fun? I do!
Contact
Call +1(978)912-0881 or Email.
Press Kit
Download high-res images for any kind of press you are writing about me.
- Portrait: 900px wide
- Portrait: 1280px wide
- Portrait: 2000px wide
- Profile: 500px wide
- Logo: 144px wide
Colophon
- Photography: Ben Gebo
- Typography: Share Tech Mono
- CSS trick: codepen
Résumé
I got my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2009. Since then I have designed for various startups and small businesses.
Principal UIX Designer
2017—present, Pegasystems, Inc.
Co-leading the Pega Design System that powers a network of Pega websites.
Full-stack Designer
2015—2017, Fullbridge Inc.
This role required me to handle the entire design process, hence the word full-stack, going from idea creation to design to production ready front-end code.
In addition, the design work is focused on enhancing the user experience of the platform, which includes: accessibility, cross-device responsive interface, front-end performance, information architecture, and right-to-left language compatibility.
Daily routine includes the following:
- Brainstorming and sketching
- Wireframing and creating user flows
- Designing and prototyping
- Front-end development (HTML and CSS)
- Maintaining a living style guide (of user interface elements) for developers and designers
- Analyzing recorded sessions of users interacting with the platform
- Doing quality assurance on user experience and information architecture
Product Designer
2013—2015, Sonicbids Inc.
Worked with a small team of developers to re-invent the music career platform. Notable contributions include creating a living styleguide, band search UI/UX, and EPK management system.
Chief Creative Mechanic
2010—2013, Bluetrain Mobile
Oversaw all creative process happening at Bluetrain Mobile for graphic design, web/mobile design and user experience design while providing creative inputs for digital marketing, SEO and SEM.
Side Projects
Design and/or code projects that I’m absolutely proud of.
Typesettings.css
Typesettings.css is the typography boilerplate for your minimal website or blog project. All typographic styles are inspired by traditional graphic design fundamentals—the boring stuff that you learn in Typography 101. (See more code on Codepen)
HTML4 Parody
When the HTML5 logo first hit the Internet, I was not the only one who thought it resembles the Autobots symbol. I decided to make a parody of it. I designed a HTML4 logo that resembles the Decepticons symbol. It was quite a hit on Forrst.
Hipster Tough Logo
Hipster Tough was created as a salute to my friend Josh Wilson, who is the ultimate hipster with his fixie, craft coffee, million pairs of neon-colored glasses, tiny beanies and super short jorts.
Legendary Pictures DVD Series
This series is inspired by my favorite TV show HIMYM. I created fictional movies based on a few inside jokes from the show, and designed the DVD cover art for each one.
Straight Outta China
Canton, China is home. I go back to visit from time to time.
In 2013, I had the honor of getting my friend Ben Gebo to do a photoshoot with me in my hometown. We went on the streets I grew up on and posed with my bros for these awesome nostalgic shots.
These are my bestest friends. They will always have a special place in my heart and on my website.
Marvel Contest of Champions
2015—present, gaming addiction
After 2+ years of playing, I would say this mobile game is an addiction. Here is some data I collected from the game.
| Name | Level | Rating | Prestige | Top Champ | Total Champs | Duels Won | Quest Fights Won | Highest Arena Win Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mikemai2awesome | 60 | 392,075 | 4,843 | Drax | 251 | 1,655 | 49,302 | 224 |
Realm of Legends
I completed Realm of Legends right before the 100% Block Proficiency synergy was taken out of the game. I used my 4-star Guillotine for every fight except against Vision where I used a 3-star Black Bolt. I had a “Perfect Block Team” of 4-star Magneto and Guillotine, plus 3-star Cyclops, Magneto, and Black Bolt.
Labyrinth of Legends
NOPE! I can’t even finish Road to the Labyrinth. I am such a noob. OK, I am practicing on Red Hulk now at least.
Uncollected Mode Challenge
The first uncollected mode event quest that I completed 100% was Hotel Modok event. Everything was smooth sailing except for that Ice Phoenix. I do not want to disclose how many revives I used on her.
Arena Grind
I don’t really do arena much. The only time I grinded for a basic champ was Elektra, and oh boy, she is worth every exhausting second.
Most Epic Fight
She-hulk vs RTL4.2 Thanos. Enough said, son!
Glossary
The Glossary contains extra information on all abbreviations and tooltips being used on mikemai.net.
- Fixie
- A fixed-gear bicycle (or fixed-wheel bicycle, commonly known in some places as a fixie) is a bicycle that has a drivetrain with no freewheel mechanism.
- HIMYM
- How I Met Your Mother (often abbreviated to HIMYM) is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014.
- Jorts
- Shorts made of denim fabric.
- UIX
- The combination of user interface and user experience.