Julong Design

Going from 0-1 and beyond

I led the early design of Simwave Academy from 0-1, from analysis to synthesis, designing to prototyping, and preparing documentation for developer handoff. The end-to-end, insight to execution is what defined my role as the first UX Designer, eventually also onboarding new designers and teammates. The Elearning platform supports the learning journeys for both educators and students and helps reduce the risk of unpreparedness and accidents on board.

Going from 0-1 and beyond

I led the early design of Simwave Academy from 0-1, from analysis to synthesis, designing to prototyping, and preparing documentation for developer handoff. The end-to-end, insight to execution is what defined my role as the first UX Designer, eventually also onboarding new designers and teammates. The Elearning platform supports the learning journeys for both educators and students and helps reduce the risk of unpreparedness and accidents on board.

Going from 0-1 and beyond

I led the early design of Simwave Academy from 0-1, from analysis to synthesis, designing to prototyping, and preparing documentation for developer handoff. The end-to-end, insight to execution is what defined my role as the first UX Designer, eventually also onboarding new designers and teammates. The Elearning platform supports the learning journeys for both educators and students and helps reduce the risk of unpreparedness and accidents on board.

Hybrid education as the future of maritime training

Hybrid education as the future of maritime training

Hybrid education as the future of maritime training

Pivoting to online education

With a founding team of 7, we rapidly defined, executed, and iterated on balancing both user needs, business goals, and technical constraints. Delivering a well-received MVP for Simwave’s ‘Learning Management System’ later grew out to become a full-stack collaboration ranging from web-based application development to branding, product strategy, to internal tools. Moving from on-location training to self-guided, eventually blended forms of learning.

Pivoting to online education

With a founding team of 7, we rapidly defined, executed, and iterated on balancing both user needs, business goals, and technical constraints. Delivering a well-received MVP for Simwave’s ‘Learning Management System’ later grew out to become a full-stack collaboration ranging from web-based application development to branding, product strategy, to internal tools. Moving from on-location training to self-guided, eventually blended forms of learning.

Pivoting to online education

With a founding team of 7, we rapidly defined, executed, and iterated on balancing both user needs, business goals, and technical constraints. Delivering a well-received MVP for Simwave’s ‘Learning Management System’ later grew out to become a full-stack collaboration ranging from web-based application development to branding, product strategy, to internal tools. Moving from on-location training to self-guided, eventually blended forms of learning.

Architecture maps, graphs, and flowcharts

Architecture maps, graphs, and flowcharts

Architecture maps, graphs, and flowcharts

Making high-pace design decisions

The Elearning system embodied a diverse set of advanced features: offline compatibility on vessels, content management systems, PDF generators, crew analytics, and flexible roles & permissions, to name a few. To maintain pace and velocity, I visualised and documented most work within the team. This proven continuous process allowed for truly iterative work, enabling future collaborators through testing, feedback loops, and design guidelines.

Making high-pace design decisions

The Elearning system embodied a diverse set of advanced features: offline compatibility on vessels, content management systems, PDF generators, crew analytics, and flexible roles & permissions, to name a few. To maintain pace and velocity, I visualised and documented most work within the team. This proven continuous process allowed for truly iterative work, enabling future collaborators through testing, feedback loops, and design guidelines.

Making high-pace design decisions

The Elearning system embodied a diverse set of advanced features: offline compatibility on vessels, content management systems, PDF generators, crew analytics, and flexible roles & permissions, to name a few. To maintain pace and velocity, I visualised and documented most work within the team. This proven continuous process allowed for truly iterative work, enabling future collaborators through testing, feedback loops, and design guidelines.

Monitoring, user management, and administration

Monitoring, user management, and administration

Monitoring, user management, and administration

Designing the manager-side

From the dialogue with Simwave’s clients (i.e. early adopters), the need arose to monitor crew members, also due to the training demands an admirable investment from their side. That’s why, in the end, I spent close to a year on designing the manager-side, including Insights, Course-, Assessment-, User, and Settings management to help management grasp where a crew is in their learning journey.

Designing the manager-side

From the dialogue with Simwave’s clients (i.e. early adopters), the need arose to monitor crew members, also due to the training demands an admirable investment from their side. That’s why, in the end, I spent close to a year on designing the manager-side, including Insights, Course-, Assessment-, User, and Settings management to help management grasp where a crew is in their learning journey.

Designing the manager-side

From the dialogue with Simwave’s clients (i.e. early adopters), the need arose to monitor crew members, also due to the training demands an admirable investment from their side. That’s why, in the end, I spent close to a year on designing the manager-side, including Insights, Course-, Assessment-, User, and Settings management to help management grasp where a crew is in their learning journey.

Assessment reports, course certificates, and flyers

Assessment reports, course certificates, and flyers

Assessment reports, course certificates, and flyers

Developing components for print

One of the early challenges was working with my engineers to translate static HTML components to PDFs (i.e. pixels to ink on paper). This included text, tables, graphs, charts, and other visual assets. After five iterations of printing, measuring and ocular assessment with my in-house designers, we defined the canvas and parameters to make content work on paper. As a result, reports, certificates, and flyers of high quality could be provided to clients fast and effectively.

Developing components for print

One of the early challenges was working with my engineers to translate static HTML components to PDFs (i.e. pixels to ink on paper). This included text, tables, graphs, charts, and other visual assets. After five iterations of printing, measuring and ocular assessment with my in-house designers, we defined the canvas and parameters to make content work on paper. As a result, reports, certificates, and flyers of high quality could be provided to clients fast and effectively.

Developing components for print

One of the early challenges was working with my engineers to translate static HTML components to PDFs (i.e. pixels to ink on paper). This included text, tables, graphs, charts, and other visual assets. After five iterations of printing, measuring and ocular assessment with my in-house designers, we defined the canvas and parameters to make content work on paper. As a result, reports, certificates, and flyers of high quality could be provided to clients fast and effectively.

Bite-sized lessons and quizzes to navigate

Bite-sized lessons and quizzes to navigate

Bite-sized lessons and quizzes to navigate

Thinking from a didactic-perspective

To ensure the system suited different learning styles, I collaborated with experienced lecturers and content experts at Simwave to foster a more didactic approach and shape a consistent tone of voice from a content perspective. The course material took a flurry of shapes; by doing (i.e. practical assessment), by seeing (i.e. lesson imagery and videography), by listening (i.e. audiography).

Thinking from a didactic-perspective

To ensure the system suited different learning styles, I collaborated with experienced lecturers and content experts at Simwave to foster a more didactic approach and shape a consistent tone of voice from a content perspective. The course material took a flurry of shapes; by doing (i.e. practical assessment), by seeing (i.e. lesson imagery and videography), by listening (i.e. audiography).

Thinking from a didactic-perspective

To ensure the system suited different learning styles, I collaborated with experienced lecturers and content experts at Simwave to foster a more didactic approach and shape a consistent tone of voice from a content perspective. The course material took a flurry of shapes; by doing (i.e. practical assessment), by seeing (i.e. lesson imagery and videography), by listening (i.e. audiography).

Contributing to safety on sea

The final product is used by thousands of monthly users. Design helped accelerate to a viable business proposition—defining front-office and back-office processes from scratch, implementing feedback loops, and building teams within the organisation (development, content, design). Honestly, one of my proudest projects, besides design and technology, is a didactic experience, where crew members are learning something.

Contributing to safety on sea

The final product is used by thousands of monthly users. Design helped accelerate to a viable business proposition—defining front-office and back-office processes from scratch, implementing feedback loops, and building teams within the organisation (development, content, design). Honestly, one of my proudest projects, besides design and technology, is a didactic experience, where crew members are learning something.

Contributing to safety on sea

The final product is used by thousands of monthly users. Design helped accelerate to a viable business proposition—defining front-office and back-office processes from scratch, implementing feedback loops, and building teams within the organisation (development, content, design). Honestly, one of my proudest projects, besides design and technology, is a didactic experience, where crew members are learning something.

Learnings

What I’ve learned is the importance of product ownership; early defining and scheduling activities while developing digital products and services from 0-1. In order to balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints, you need to continuously empathise and align with stakeholders and disciplines. No matter which rituals or feedback mechanisms are in place. Collecting input is crucial to inform decisions, ensure quality, and deliver tangible results.

Learnings

What I’ve learned is the importance of product ownership; early defining and scheduling activities while developing digital products and services from 0-1. In order to balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints, you need to continuously empathise and align with stakeholders and disciplines. No matter which rituals or feedback mechanisms are in place. Collecting input is crucial to inform decisions, ensure quality, and deliver tangible results.

Learnings

What I’ve learned is the importance of product ownership; early defining and scheduling activities while developing digital products and services from 0-1. In order to balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints, you need to continuously empathise and align with stakeholders and disciplines. No matter which rituals or feedback mechanisms are in place. Collecting input is crucial to inform decisions, ensure quality, and deliver tangible results.