2020.
I love design and I love to travel.
The intertwined experience inspires me
to express these visions into my creations.
The intertwined experience inspires me
to express these visions into my creations.
I love to listen to people and I love research.
They shape the decisions of what I do,
extending what I know beyond myself.
They shape the decisions of what I do,
extending what I know beyond myself.
—————————————————————
"The biggest adventure you can ever take is
to live the life of your dreams"
Oprah Winfrey
to live the life of your dreams"
Oprah Winfrey
Charlotte Mae Efren, MDes, MIS
— Education —
Shu-Te University • 樹德科技大學
Master of Design • 設計學碩士
Applied Design & Game Studies
2017 - 2019
Master of Design • 設計學碩士
Applied Design & Game Studies
2017 - 2019
University of the Philippines
Master of Information Systems
Web Development & UX Design
2016 - 2020, Dean's List
Master of Information Systems
Web Development & UX Design
2016 - 2020, Dean's List
— Featured Experience —
SiteMinder
Senior Product Designer
February 2023 - Present
Senior Product Designer
February 2023 - Present
Newly joined Product Designer for one of SiteMinder's product lines.
PayMongo
Principal Product Designer
April 2022 - January 2023
Principal Product Designer
April 2022 - January 2023
● Principal Product Designer of Payments User Experience.
● Led the design initiatives of Checkouts, Plugins, and an unreleased product line.
● Unified the three different payment channels - Links, Pages, and Shopify to utilize just one Checkouts. Decreasing the overall resources needed to design and develop multiple channels with a similar purpose.
● Led and oversaw the design initiatives of the teams working on the product channels - Links, Pages, Plugins, and API.
● Oversaw and influenced the design initiatives of the teams working on payment methods - Cards, Card installments, E-wallets, Online banking, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), and OTC.
● Led the design initiatives of Checkouts, Plugins, and an unreleased product line.
● Unified the three different payment channels - Links, Pages, and Shopify to utilize just one Checkouts. Decreasing the overall resources needed to design and develop multiple channels with a similar purpose.
● Led and oversaw the design initiatives of the teams working on the product channels - Links, Pages, Plugins, and API.
● Oversaw and influenced the design initiatives of the teams working on payment methods - Cards, Card installments, E-wallets, Online banking, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), and OTC.
Lista PH
Head of Product
October 2021 - February 2022
Head of Product
October 2021 - February 2022
● Drove the product and business planning process across cross-functional teams of the company.
● Analyzed product requirements and design appropriate products to ensure they were successfully achieved.
● Developed, implemented and maintained production timelines across multiple departments.
● Designed and drove the release and development of Transactions, Inventory, Invoices, Sales Challenges, and Savings features of the app. Co-designed the technical implementation of background syncing on the mobile app.
● Managed the Product and Engineering teams to ensure quality products and deadlines are met.
● Recruited, screened, interviewed, and placed Product roles.
● Assisted on a technical level and managed Customer Support in resolving issues.
● Analyzed product requirements and design appropriate products to ensure they were successfully achieved.
● Developed, implemented and maintained production timelines across multiple departments.
● Designed and drove the release and development of Transactions, Inventory, Invoices, Sales Challenges, and Savings features of the app. Co-designed the technical implementation of background syncing on the mobile app.
● Managed the Product and Engineering teams to ensure quality products and deadlines are met.
● Recruited, screened, interviewed, and placed Product roles.
● Assisted on a technical level and managed Customer Support in resolving issues.
First Circle
Product Designer
March 2021 - October 2021
Product Designer
March 2021 - October 2021
Worked as a sole Product Designer during my stay in First Circle. Handled projects both for their client-facing and internal web applications.
Collaborated with stakeholders to understand business goals. Conducted extensive research and discovery work to understand users. Facilitated and analyzed results of usability tests for actionable insights. Converted insights into interactive prototypes and hi-fi designs.
Designed and co-drove the rollout for these projects: FC Connect, Revolving Credit Line,
Subscription Fees Management, and FC Capital Advisor Program.
Collaborated with stakeholders to understand business goals. Conducted extensive research and discovery work to understand users. Facilitated and analyzed results of usability tests for actionable insights. Converted insights into interactive prototypes and hi-fi designs.
Designed and co-drove the rollout for these projects: FC Connect, Revolving Credit Line,
Subscription Fees Management, and FC Capital Advisor Program.
Enderun Colleges
UX Design Mentor and Consultant
May 2021 - Nov 2021
UX Design Mentor and Consultant
May 2021 - Nov 2021
Localized the content of the UX Design Diploma course by UX Design Institute, Dublin.
Mentored students to achieve goals and success in their UX projects.
Facilitated monthly webinars and workshops.
Mentored students to achieve goals and success in their UX projects.
Facilitated monthly webinars and workshops.
New Zealand Computing Solutions
Sr. UX Designer & Consultant
May 2013 - Feb 2021
Sr. UX Designer & Consultant
May 2013 - Feb 2021
Designed the experience of their apps and websites from the concept, prototypes, and front-end development. Conducted competitor research and user studies. Collaborated with their stakeholders, clients, and developers to ensure proper implementation of the design and user experience to the production level. This resulted in an improved design, experience, and workflow for both internal and client projects.
GoAbroad Philippines (GAPLabs)
Designer
Dec 2006 - Jul 2010
Designer
Dec 2006 - Jul 2010
More than just a web designer that created wireframes and mockups, I have conceptualized and created brandings from logos to graphics. Additionally, implemented these designs into front-end web development. Collaborated with teammates from other designers, programmers, sales, and executives.
— Publication & Talks —
“The State of UX in the Philippines”
User Experience Philippines (UXPH) Industry Report
Aug 2021 | Research Lead and Author
Co-authors: R. H. Hernandez, C. San Diego, J. Tamayo, T. J. Sta. Maria,
S. Pangilinan, J. Rabacio, J. Teves, and J. A. Deja
User Experience Philippines (UXPH) Industry Report
Aug 2021 | Research Lead and Author
Co-authors: R. H. Hernandez, C. San Diego, J. Tamayo, T. J. Sta. Maria,
S. Pangilinan, J. Rabacio, J. Teves, and J. A. Deja
In this study, the UXPH Research Team aimed to capture a holistic picture of the growing UX practice in the Philippines, reveal insightful data, and share a compendium of handy information about the UX design practice in the Philippines. This report discusses the high-level findings gathered from the respondents, ranging from students to UX practitioners to UX Leads/Managers.
“The Influence of Attractive Game Characters on Gaming Purchases:
A Grounded Theory and Ordinal Logistic Regression Study”
International Journal of Digital Media Design
Dec 2019 | Academic Journal Author | Co-author: C.H. Su
A Grounded Theory and Ordinal Logistic Regression Study”
International Journal of Digital Media Design
Dec 2019 | Academic Journal Author | Co-author: C.H. Su
Research that used both qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the player's behavior towards their gaming purchases when attractive characters are present. The factors that influence a game character's attractiveness were identified through the players' discussions and narrations. Levels of agreement and key predictor variables influencing the players' behavior were identified through multiple statistical tests.
“Player Treatment on Attractive Game Characters and Their Wallets”
5th International Workshop of Creative Computing in Game, Animation and eSports
Sep 2019 | Invited Keynote Speaker | Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
5th International Workshop of Creative Computing in Game, Animation and eSports
Sep 2019 | Invited Keynote Speaker | Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
“Attractiveness in Game Characters: Physical and Psychosocial Factors”
12th International Conference on Interdisciplinary Design and Industrial-Academic Collaboration
May 2019 | Conference Speaker | Shu-Te University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
12th International Conference on Interdisciplinary Design and Industrial-Academic Collaboration
May 2019 | Conference Speaker | Shu-Te University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
— Featured Awards —
“Excellent Paper Award”
Taiwan Association of Digital Media Design
Jun 2019 | Taichung, Taiwan
Taiwan Association of Digital Media Design
Jun 2019 | Taichung, Taiwan
Research Title: “The Influence of Attractive Game Characters on Players’ Gaming Purchases”
Presented and won the Excellent Paper Award in the 12th Conference on Taiwan Association of Digital Media Design held in Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
“Best in Thesis Award”
College Commencement Exercises
Apr 2009 | Tacloban City, Philippines
College Commencement Exercises
Apr 2009 | Tacloban City, Philippines
Thesis Title: “Web-based Interactive Organizer with Mobile Support”
Built a web application that provided an easy way to manage tasks based on David Allen's Getting Things Done® methodology then integrated an advanced team and collaborative work features. Developed using Ramaze Framework, Datamapper ORM, and Gnokii. Singlehandedly finished the entire thesis solo and won the award.
“Gold Medalist - 12th Philippine National Skills Competition”
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Headquarters)
Dec 2005 | Taguig City, Philippines
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Headquarters)
Dec 2005 | Taguig City, Philippines
Competed on a national competition in the IT Software Application - Youth Category. Won the
Gold Medal and Certificate of Excellence as the Representative of Region VIII and Tacloban City.
Gold Medal and Certificate of Excellence as the Representative of Region VIII and Tacloban City.
— Art & Design exhibit —
“Tanyag”
Student Exhibitor
May 2018 | Robinsons Galleria, Cebu City, Philippines
Student Exhibitor
May 2018 | Robinsons Galleria, Cebu City, Philippines
Multiple arts and design work from my product design master's degree course was exhibited in
Tanyag: The 43rd Annual Students’ Exhibition of the College of Communication, Art, and Design Week of the University of the Philippines Cebu.
Tanyag: The 43rd Annual Students’ Exhibition of the College of Communication, Art, and Design Week of the University of the Philippines Cebu.
Have a project in mind?