Collin is a
Designer
d
Extraordinaire
Product.
Brand.
Visual
I'm an interdisciplinary designer with over 20 years experience delivering design solutions for companies, small to large, consumer to enterprise.
Collin is a star. He is a unique combination of artistic talent and technical skill who cares immensely about how those elements show up for the customer.
Eric JohnsonCEO | SurveyMonkey
Collin excelled at translating complex technical and operational requirements into clear and effective design solutions ... I would highly recommend Collin to any team in need of a world-class product designer.
Dino BruscoHead of Product | Mentoré
We worked together on a design project to gain trust and legitamacy to new users on our site. With the new design there was a 20% uplift of new user accounts. We no longer take pixels for granted.
Bernadette CikesSr. Product Manager | Xoom
I have had the pleasure of working with Collin Oguro for years, and he is one of the rare designers who pairs top-tier design and UX expertise with the ability to implement in code. That combination puts him on a whole other level, enabling teams to move faster and deliver better results. Collin doesnt just design—he unlocks productivity and elevates the entire workflow.
Josh CronemeyerVP of Engineering | Trucentive
I engaged GURO Design to receive a face-lift to a pre-existing company brand. What I received far exceeded my expectations ... for an internet based company like mine, the outward digital appearance is of critical-path importance and the trust I placed in Guro Design proved well placed.
Brent HuigensFounder | Pre-war Card Collector
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I build digital products from the ground up. From defining product requirements to shipping production ready code, I contribute through every stage of the cycle. I am particularly drawn toward the execution end of the process, honing visuals and translating designs into working applications. And while research helps provide a theorectical starting point, I believe in leveraging data to adapt to real world user behavior and optimizing interactions to improve experiences and achieve business goals. Over the past 20 years I have split my time between working corporate and building start ups.
My Score
8.0
As a brand identity designer I have extensive experience in corporate id, marketing, event, communication and print design. Whether developing an identity from the ground up or supporting an existing design system my experience as a visual designer amplifies my ability to concept and generate content as needed, while my experience in product design helps me translate brand guidelines to token-based design systems.
The foundation of my design expertise lies in graphic design. As an aspiring illustrator I pursued a formal education in the graphic arts for the practical application of creativity and I've carried it's fundmental teachings through my work. Illustration has been a love of mine since childhood, while my knowledge of animation and 3D modeling have developed over the back half of my career. The ability to generate creative to enhance user experiences and brand identity is something I consistently call upon.
I cut my teeth studying Art & Design at Cal Poly SLO, working as a spot illustrator for a mid-sized print company and as a catalog designer, pasting up album covers and setting type by hand. I left school to pursue a career opportunity and began my journey from graphic and editorial designer to product and design engineer.
I've had a tenured corporate experience of over a decade, building IPs in games and entertainment. As a Design Director for CNET/CBSi I designed for brands like GameSpot, Metacritic, Last.FM, and TV.com. My start-up experience began by co-founding a company delivering a SAAS product in the video generation space, and segued to new opportunities building companies in live events, recipe creation and publication, last-mile delivery and productivity wearables. As a consultant I've had the opportunity to contribute to a range of products and brands, helping companies like SurveyMonkey, Totango, The Beach Boys, Rocket Lawyer, and others fulfill their design needs.
While I've led design teams and founded companies I have never strayed far from active design. I continue to learn and improve my craft as the world and technology evolves. While the act of designing can oftentimes be a siloed process, I recognize it can also be elevated by collaborating with peers and cross-functional contributors, building the best product together.
I'm a proud girl dad enjoying life in San Francisco with my wife and two kids. I am a car enthusiast with an interest in german and JDM cars from the late 90s and early 2000s. I'm an avid Lakers and Dodgers fan. And when I'm not designing or developing, you can probably find me cooking, cleaning or fixing something for my family.
I'd love to hear from you whether you need design support, want to leave a comment or maybe just say 'hi'. I'm currently available to work by the hour, on retainer or can offer a fixed project bid for budget flexibility. Hit me up!
