Joël Paynel

Lead Product Designer  .  Mobile Apps & Digital Products

(I can legally work in the US and Europe) My journey into design began years ago in Paris. Since then, I have adapted to our constantly evolving design world to become a successful senior design leader. Innovation and technology are part of our visual and aesthetic surroundings. Ideas, harmony, and simplicity remain the pillars of proper design and I have acquired a multifaceted understanding that allows me to navigate comfortably between digital products and emerging technologies. As an art director in Paris, I have been involved in large advertising campaigns for Évian, Lego, L’Oréal… I moved to the US to discover new opportunities and challenges, to learn and share perspectives, and successfully adapt to a new culture. I was a lead product designer and partner of a digital firm in California for a decade. For the past 6 years, I have been assisting global businesses, specializing in information architecture, user experience, visual & product design for online interfaces, mobile apps, and eCommerce websites; embedding user-centered design principles and industry best practices at the core of my projects.
Learn More > LinkedIn

I love great photography. I appreciate clever concepts and I enjoy navigating well-thought-out interactive interfaces. As we implement design systems and follow grids, the challenge is how to bring consistency, usability to human-computer interaction without dismissing the emotional part of all visual communication. Using a mobile app or browsing a website should be an intuitive experience, while the content and design language should depict a great story for higher customer engagement.

I understand this subtle balance. I have been involved in a wide range of projects: mobile apps, websites, software development as well as branding and online marketing campaigns. From user experience to design, I have contributed to the process from the information architecture, wireframing, testing, design, prototyping, and delivery; in some particular cases produced photography or videos. I consider myself an expert in Figma, Sketch, Abstract, and Adobe products (Including After Effects & Lotties). In the meantime, I understand HTML, CSS, responsive design, and development needs. Definitively not on Facebook, but I am aware of the power of social media, web analytics, and data mining to monitor performance, learn from it, and design better.

– Education

• Académie Charpentier – École d’Arts Appliqués de Paris
  Bachelor’s degree, Graphic Design, Art & Photography
  www.academie-charpentier.fr
  Advertising, Typography, Illustration, Live Drawing & Painting, Photography, etc…
  1984 – 1988
• Institut Notre-Dame
  French Baccalaureat, Literature/Art
  1981 – 1983
• Beaux-Arts Chartres Museum
  Drawing & Painting Classes
  1981 – 1983
• Learn More > LinkedIn

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– In my spare time

• Garden Design – Aloes, Agaves, Succulent Plants
• Drawing & Watercolors Painting
• Rock Climbing & Camping in Joshua Tree
• Black Belt Judo (1978 – 1998)
• Black Belt Tae-Kwon-Do (2006 – 2018)
• Bicycling

– Testimonials

“There are many great designers, but where Joel really excels is during the process. He is a careful listener and thinker, a patient and generous collaborator. His insight and valuable perspective always come without ego. In the end his work reflects not only his skill but his understanding of everyone’s needs and input, the strategic business goals and the subtleties of the technologies involved.”

– Brian Copperman,  Senior Online Marketing Manager