Sarah Buehler spends her days imagining a user’s mindset. The user interface designer brings a depth of experience and an empathetic approach to every project. With a passion for human connection and a career spent learning and pushing herself at every turn, she shares what it’s like to be part of the growing Pattern team, a few recent projects, and how creative inspiration often comes when you least expect it.
Walk us through your career journey before Pattern.
I studied graphic design at Iowa State University. After graduation, I moved to the Bay Area for what I thought was going to be a two-month internship at a Silicon Valley start-up. It turned into a three-year stint during which I spent most of my time designing print and digital marketing materials.
After leaving that company, I interviewed with Fluid, an ecommerce agency that works with clients ranging from Puma to Mattress Firm. That's where I originally met Mike Janiak, Pattern’s cofounder. I had barely any web design experience at the time, but Mike and the team gave me a shot. I remember getting project assignments in the beginning and Googling terms I didn’t know along with and basic UI/UX standards. It required a lot of hard work and a lot of practice, but I eventually became more confident in the things I created.
After a couple years, Mike left to start Pattern. I helped out on a few different projects and really admired both the work they were creating and the general good vibes of the team. I eventually joined Pattern full time this past June, and it has been a nonstop learning experience since then.
"We’re a close-knit team that looks out for one another. We also care about the clients we work with, and love working with brands who make a positive impact in their own right. When a client is passionate about their product, it’s easy for us to be passionate about it, too."
What is your role at Pattern? Describe your creative process.
I’m a senior designer, and my role specifically focuses on designing the user interface of a client’s website; I create the look and feel of a brand’s online presence. As a team, we work together to make sure that customers have the best possible online experience through the websites we’re designing. As far as the creative process, we do a lot of research before we jump into the actual design of a project. We really dig into the brand’s existing online presence and try to figure out how to take it to the next level.
We typically start with a kickoff meeting where we really get to know the client and their product. It’s super conversational, and the whole point is to get an idea of how they want to portray their brand to the world. Once we get a feel for the brand, we’ll launch into a discovery phase where we come up with different design directions that could potentially be applied to the website. This is the part where I get to be the most creative. There’s always at least one direction that pushes the client to be more adventurous.
Once we provide clients with several design directions, we work together to narrow it down to a final look and feel. It’s then my job to apply that direction to the rest of the website. It’s always the most fun when a client encourages us to get creative and ends up being just as excited about an idea as we are.
Tell us about a project or client engagement that you’re most proud of. What made it great?
I just finished a project for Olive & June, a nail-care company that provides tools for salon-quality manicures at home. They wanted a complete redesign of their website, and it was really the first project I saw through all the way from the initial discovery phase to the final handoff. There’s a sense of ownership that comes with working on something from start to finish. Building out an online brand is a lot of work, but it makes seeing the final product live online even more special. You can check out some of our work at oliveandjune.com.
What is it like to be a senior designer at Pattern?
It’s been an awesome experience. There’s just a level of care that’s put into every aspect of the company. We work hard, but there’s a good rhythm to it. We have a “vibe check” every Thursday where we not only talk about how our projects are going, but how we’re doing in general. We’re a close-knit team that looks out for one another. We also care about the clients we work with, and love working with brands who make a positive impact in their own right. When a client is passionate about their product, it’s easy for us to be passionate about it, too.
"At Pattern we’re encouraged to push boundaries, and I never want to stop learning and growing as a designer. As long as that’s happening, I’m stoked."
What advice do you have for candidates interviewing for roles in design at an agency like Pattern?
I will never know why I got that first internship out of college. I had no professional experience at the time and it showed.. But when I talked to my interviewers a few months later, they said they had gotten off the Skype call and were laughing. Whether you’re in an interview or meeting with a client, you're just talking to another human being. Building that rapport plays a big part in knowing whether you want to work together. Even in a field like design where your work is so important, that human-to-human relatability also plays a huge role in how you build trust.
What gets you stoked?
The world is weird right now, but I am trying to find stoke in the little things like getting outside and enjoying the outdoors, and catching up with friends and family who I’m unable to see as often. Having supportive colleagues and a job that allows me to be creative also gets me stoked. At Pattern we’re encouraged to push boundaries, and I never want to stop learning and growing as a designer. As long as that’s happening, I’m stoked.
Want to join Sarah on our next project? We’re looking for freelance designers and project managers to join our team. If crafting award-winning digital experiences for emerging and established consumer brands is your thing, get in touch!
About Pattern
Pattern is a digital design & e-commerce agency that helps brands succeed in the experience economy. We design modern brands, eCommerce experiences, products & platforms that help founders, disruptors and visionaries find their place at the intersection of culture, community & commerce.
