My name is Timo Laak and I live in Helsinki, Finland.

This website is my professional profile. I’ve worked on many projects I really can’t use as a reference (those NDAs, you know), but I hope this site gives you an overview of my expertise. It all started around 1999 when I began learning HTML. I built my first CSS layout in 2001 when IE6 was a piece of cake compared to Netscape 4 and when everyone was still using tables for layouts. Since then I’ve seen a lot and learned a lot and the learning will never end because the world keeps going.

What you do then?

I consider myself as a UX developer, but I’ve worn many kinds of hats during my career. I’ve been a developer, I’ve been a designer and occasionally even found myself wearing a project manager’s hat. I like working on different roles through the whole project, from concept and sketching to development.

It’s always a great pleasure to create something that I can be proud of. Something that can be used without frustration, anger and hate (and other things that will lead to The Dark Side).

I like to design and create cool applications and services that don’t just look good, but also work like a charm. I think the formula for great apps is to build them on solid foundation where usability and information architecture are the key elements.

How?

Sketch, test, create wireframes, test, design interactions, test, create prototype, test, develop, test, polish, test and iterate every step if needed. When in production, always analyze user behavior and learn from the users. That’s one good way of doing it.

And abandon the graphical layout first approach. It just doesn’t work. The final product will never look exactly the same as the layout looks in Photoshop. Mobile first, content first and responsive design are modern design paradigms everyone should use.

Of course a software project has to be agile and team members really need to work as a team. Not just a bunch of cowboys without collaboration.

Great!

Want to hire me? I’d be happy to learn more about your company and its offerings. Anywhere in the world.