Associate Designer, Product

About Morningstar
Morningstar brings inspired problem-solvers together with one goal in mind—to help investors reach their financial goals. At our core, we’re one of the world’s top investment research and data companies. But where we set ourselves apart is how we use that data and research to serve a diverse range of users. Our investment data and research enable us to deliver analytics and insights with a purely independent view, and then we leverage the latest in technology and design to deliver an array of solutions that best meet our users’ needs. This foundation of research, data, technology, and design uniquely positions us to provide a complete set of services to investors all around the world—ultimately helping people make better decisions about their money or money they manage for millions of people all over the world.

Our Design Culture
The Morningstar design team is dedicated to creating thoughtfully-designed financial products and services so that people across the world can make the best investing decisions for themselves and their clients. We synthesize complex financial information into experiences that empower our users to deliver better outcomes. We do this by not only creating the look and feel of a product but also driving product direction: prioritizing the biggest opportunities to support our users and the business while maintaining a strong sense of product ownership and its resulting success. The design organization is made up of several disciplines—visual, UX, communications, content, and research—united to help each other, and the whole company, grow. We’re always seeking designers who are motivated, are driven to deliver user-centered outcomes, and are equally committed to craft and compassion.

Position
We are looking for an associate product designer for our Financial Planning team in our Professional Software group. Backed by Morningstar's independent research, methodologies, high-quality data, behavioral science and innovative product design, our newly formed Global Financial Planning team builds modern software that helps advisors extend from investment selection to holistic advice through engaging software arming them to deliver goals-based advice and insights in the best interest of their clients. This multi-talented individual will be involved in all parts of the design process: concept development, creative visualization, user research and testing, UX writing, system design, and prototyping. This person will work within a cross-functional, global team developing software for financial professionals. We seek a curious, entrepreneurial designer who loves the challenges of elegantly simplifying complex data, translating user needs into intuitive, rewarding interactions, and beautifully expressing our brand.

This position is based in our Chicago office.

You’ll be great at:
• Owning all parts of the design process from discovery, definition, development, and delivery
• Bringing concepts to life through clear wireframes to illustrate a single point in a flow while also exploring how this could impact or align with the experience
• Creating high-fidelity prototypes and other artifacts that communicate design direction and execution considerations
• Understanding how to connect the information we’re trying to communicate with a user’s anticipated or perceived needs and actions
• Helping implement best practices around creating a great user experience
• Creating personas, experience maps, and user journeys to identify pain points and opportunities within an experience
• Solving a variety of navigation and information organization challenges.
• Using deliverables, such as site maps, to visually communicate relationships between pages and content
• Recognizing and supporting user-focused solutions and design thinking methods by preparing materials for workshops, contributing to research sessions, and helping the team create prototypes
• Creating wireframes, low-fidelity prototypes, task flows, and other artifacts to visualize and communicate design direction
• Applying creativity, logic, and critical thinking in new situations to find the best solution while continuously striving to find better ways of doing things
• Actively seeking out new challenges and tasks and overcoming obstacles to achieve results.
• Demonstrating core design skills—especially concerning typography, composition, information hierarchy, and data visualization—to create delightful, engaging experiences that reinforce the Morningstar brand
• Solving challenging information and communication design problems and being able to present multiple concepts for consideration, with sound rationale
• Supporting the Morningstar Design System by defining and specifying consistent interactions, patterns, and conventions

You’ll also do things like:
• Collaborate with the product owner, designer, and engineers on your squad to make product decisions
• Clearly articulate design decisions and share your process with stakeholders and other designers when appropriate
• Collect, interpret, and prioritize the feedback you receive
• Participate in critiques, workshops, design studios, and other design activities
• Participate in user research and prototyping activities, such as helping with planning, taking notes during sessions, and helping analyze the data
• Demonstrate design skills, especially concerning typography, information hierarchy, and data visualization
• Be curious, resourceful, and have a desire to solve challenging information, communication, and systems design problems
• Prioritize your work and know when to ask for help or clarity

Basic Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree
• 1-2 years of relevant professional experience designing for software, web and/or digital products

Preferred Qualifications:
• Strong knowledge of Sketch, Invision, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, and Mac OS X
• Knowledge of HTML and CSS
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Experience working with Design Systems

How to apply:
Include a link to your online portfolio or attach pdf samples along with your resume.

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