Timeout: Joshua Brand

* Accessibility champions program graduate at Target

* Defined the UX career architecture framework at Target

* Helped shape design operations at Target

* Shipped dark mode for Target's iOS app

* Created branding for the US Pond Hockey Championships

* Participated in the design mentorship program at Wayzata High School

Accomplishments

An initiative at Target was to create a dark mode equivalent for our iOS app. We wanted to maintain the Target look and feel while adhering to usability standards. We worked closely with accessibility to ensure a proper user experience for everyone.

A few benefits of dark mode:
• It can reduce eye strain in low-light conditions
• It can help with light sensitivity or visual impairment  

App use after the first 24 hours of introducing dark mode:
  • Force light: 17% 
• Dark: 35% 
• Light: 48%  

Reception:  
”I love the new dark mode! I often build my grocery list at night when my phone is on dark mode but the Target app used to blind me with how bring the white app was. This change is great!”  

“Thank you so much for including a dark mode for the app. I get migraines daily and this is a gigantic help.”  

My responsibilities included defining a new set of colors, partnering with engineering on a new token set, defining guidelines for creating content in dark mode, and retrofitting non-conforming components.

Dark Mode for iOS

Foundational Conversations are quarterly talks meant for UXers to meet the team and learn more about foundational skills that help in their design practice. There are two general categories we have: Foundational and Team.

Foundational talks are rotating topics that help build baseline skills and knowledge of the UX team. Each quarterly talk has a new set of content related to design or how Target operates.

Past topics include: Data, Design Critique, Design Principles, Frequency Shopping and Same Day Services, Influence, and Intro to usertesting.com.

Team talks are an opportunity to learn about different team within Target UX that either centrally support UX designers or are embedded teams.

Past topics include: Accessibility, Content, Design Systems, Research, Directors

My responsibilities include presenting with our team, curating topics, finding speakers, setting the schedule, providing support on accessible presentations, recording, and facilitation.

Foundational Conversations

At Target we have a series of training that covers a variety of basic Figma best practices as well as some advanced features to help team members level-up their skillset. This includes training videos and live sessions. Some topics we have covered are below.

Libraries & Components:
 •  Connect to libraries 
• Use text and color styles
  • Add a component  
• Swap a component
  • Use variants
  • Swap images

Auto-Layouts & Building Components:  
• Understand parent/child relationships
 • Use auto-layout to save time and organize your work  
• Use auto-layout to simulate responsiveness
  • Make your designs more development-friendly

Prototyping :
 • Understand the principles of creating prototypes
  • Apply those principles to design prototyping needs
• Manage state, scrolls, navigations, and transition animations

My responsibilities include curating topics, finding speakers who are passionate about Figma to present, providing support on accessible presentations, and facilitation.

Figma Training

Collection of visuals I've created, including logos, marks, and other design pieces.

Visuals

As a Senior UX Operations Manager at Target, I focus on career development, learning initiatives, and scalable tools. Previously, as a Product Designer, I contributed to the growth of Target’s guest-facing design system.

Senior UX Operations Manager

Before Target, I helped shape brands, visuals, marketing materials, and deliver cohesive digital experiences for companies like [SportsEngine](https://www.sportsengine.com/), [Leadpages](https://www.leadpages.com/), and others.

Joshua Brand

About

Work Experience

Contact