Nick Capadano is a UX/UI Designer from Rochester, New York. He began his academic journey studying software engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, but after three years of coursework, he enrolled in an introductory design class and found the creative epiphany he’d been searching for. For the first time, Nick had the opportunity to experiment with human-computer interaction and the UX design process. He enjoyed the design process so much that he pivoted his major to Human-Centered Computing (HCC), with a software engineering minor.
Nick began his career as a UX/UI designer with a legal tech start-up, and he quickly discovered that his law firm clients had unique needs from the perspective of both design and development. Nick’s background in development made him an ideal bridge between his software engineer teammates and his attorney clients.
For his next design role, Nick joined a research lab dedicated to providing Deaf and Hard of Hearing college students with real-time captions and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. Nick’s role was to design the scheduling software so that it met a variety of students’ needs. For example, a student who grew up immersed in Deaf culture has different visual expectations than a student who grew up in hearing culture, but Nick’s UX/UI needed to work for everyone. His understanding of design’s power deepened.
Nick considers himself a creative problem solver at heart, and he believes that law firms have the most engaging, meaningful problems to solve. As the newest team member with Knox Design Strategy, Nick is delighted to return to his roots designing for the legal space. It was Nick’s natural empathy for both the client and user that drew him to Knox Design Strategy, and Knox Design Strategy to Nick.
Whether collaborating with the developers or exploring visuals with clients, Nick believes that the best design requires research, thoughtful iteration, and a practical perspective. He is inspired by the iconic Swiss artist Josef Muller-Brockmann, whose beautiful, mathematical work still looks fresh and interesting today.
Outside of his work, Nick enjoys traveling (ask him about his time in Croatia), playing tennis with friends, and skiing in the mountains of upstate New York.