Howdy!
I’m Sarah Coloma, a UX researcher and designer for A1M Solutions staffed currently at the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. My goal is to create products and services that improve people's health and overall well-being.
MY STORY
UX-ing in highly regulated spaces
I have experience in industries that are accustomed to legal constraints from clinical trials to the federal government. I'm comfortable in familiarizing myself with these requirements the same as I would user goals, business contexts, and technical feasibility to build out designs.
Prior to my role as a UX designer/researcher at A1M Solutions, I was a Product Designer at ClinOne, a software company providing patients, caregivers, and research site staff with solutions to more easily manage their participation in clinical trials.
In 2021, I was placed at Login.gov, the federal government's identity service provider at the General Services Administration. The service authenticates over 500,000 users a day so that they can access federal services from agencies like the Social Security Administration. My experience was part of the CiF Civic Digital Fellowship, a highly competitive program that selects less than 6% of applicants each year.
Increasing accessibility to services for improved quality of life outcomes
Well before my product design career, I've been interested in how I could help others gain greater access to basic services that affect their quality of life. This passion led to roles in numerous nonprofits. I've worked in organizations ranging from Saha Global in Northern Ghana where I helped operationalize clean water solutions in rural areas to the Georgetown University School of Medicine where I wrote SWOT analyses for its clinical education program.
After some time in the social impact space, I learned the term "Product Design" and have been practicing it ever since. Being able to leverage my problem-solving and facilitations skills, design background, and interest in accessibility has led to interesting and fulfilling projects and roles.
I'm a multidisciplinary designer
I've designed everything from mechanically operated furniture, motion-sensing hardware devices, T-shirts for hackathons, Instagram filters, floral arrangements, product packaging concepts, , as well as digital illustrations and paintings for numerous clients. Whether it's for someone else or just for fun, I'm happiest when I'm making something.
I love a good book
Some of my favorite authors are Beverly D'Onofrio, Nora Ephron, Mindy Kaling, and Dorothy Parker. I also love reading about tech, policy, and design processes.
I'm currently reading "Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better" by Jennifer Pahlka.