Lauren Hege

• Lead and participate in employee testing, focus groups, and in-home interviews to understand consumer frustrations and generate unique solutions using various types of concept models and prototypes
• Research and analyze current competitive product assortment, consumer habits, and design trends to influence and apply to new design concepts
• Create and implement new design processes to identify and improve any customer pain points of a product from assembly, use, and system care allowing for a seamless user experience
• Develop and refine Hoover’s and Dirt Devil’s Visual Brand Language by creating a consistent color strategy and standardizing product graphics to be informative and engaging to the user
• Prepare concept renderings and support material for use in marketing and sales presentations
• Mange color, material, and finish of products by creating proper CMF documentation and work to hone in correct color formulations in various materials for production across multiple suppliers and countries
• Work with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers to support product design and maintain design intent from concept through production within tight project schedules
• Manage TTi’s three Culture Teams (Social, Networking, and Philanthropy) by helping to plan, organize, and rollout monthly activities to boost employee engagement

• Created new products based on customer insights, user experience design, and research of products, trends, materials, and processes
• Researched and synthesized consumer and competitive insights for strategic brand development
• Held monthly training meetings with different departments to help build organizational understanding of new products and processes
• Attended trade shows to support sales by establishing and maintaining strong customer relationships
• Established brand awareness through informational videos, case studies, newsletters, and effective marketing materials such as catalogs, brochures, flyers, websites, social media and promotions to drive sales and profitability
• Operated in a cross-functional team environment, primarily collaborating with upper management, sales, art department, and plant managers
• Managed and trained the Sample Department to upsell products by using our marketing materials, flyers, and current promotions

• Designed and edited orthographics and soft goods patterns
• Created soft goods prototypes
• Taught and motivated a firms employees on how to use Adobe Illustrator

• Conceptualized and designed packaging and displays for production
• Innovated with structure designers to come up with original concepts
• Utilized lock-ups to keep a constant design within a project

• Analyzed internet and on-site research for ideation and presentation to clients
• Constructed soft goods designs and prototypes
• Reviewed clients needs and research while ideating new concepts

Vice President, IDSA Student Chapter Savannah, GA September 2008-June 2009
• Provided social events that addressed the intellectual interests of the design student which resulted in tripling the IDSA
student membership
• Planned, organized, and participated in fundraisers to send students to IDSA conferences

· Research American market to predict trends in the next two years
· Developed new designs using Photoshop and InDesign
· Experimented with different fibers and machines to make new materials
· Assisted marketing team in a photo shoot and sent documents to clients

Industrial Design Project

· Input and updated client information into computer database
· Assisted at IIDA trade show in Charleston, SC by setting up booth and product presentation