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Kate Fretz

Kate Fretz · Burlington, Ontario

UX designer & researcher.

I find out how people actually use things, then design so they work for everyone, especially the people products tend to leave out. I care about accessibility, motivation and the small details that help someone use a product on their own.

See my workRésuméAbout me
Master of Digital Experience Innovation
University of Waterloo, 2026 · Academic Distinction
Bachelor of Design, Honours UX Design
Wilfrid Laurier University, 2025 · Academic Distinction

Selected work

Five projects: a client capstone, my honours research and three course projects. Hover over a project, or tab to it, for the quick version.

  1. The redesigned Region of Waterloo landing page on a laptop

    Client capstone · UX research

    Region of Waterloo

    Our capstone client asked us to fix a chatbot. The research pointed at the whole website, so we redesigned how residents find things and tested it against the live site.

    Role
    UX Researcher
    When
    2024–2025 · 7 months

    At a glance

    My part
    Interviews and coding, personas and journey maps, both card sorts, the A/B test
    Team
    8 people, with the Region as our client
    Methods
    Interviews, card sorting, A/B testing
    Tools
    Figma
    Outcome
    Tasks 27% faster with 33% fewer errors than the live site
  2. Kate's ACERS research poster on gamification and flow, standing on an easel

    Honours thesis · UX research

    Gamification & Flow State

    My honours thesis: a 10-day diary study comparing Duolingo and Khan Academy to see which game mechanics keep people learning.

    Role
    Independent Researcher
    When
    2024–2025 · 8 months

    At a glance

    My part
    The whole study: design, recruiting, surveys, analysis, thesis and poster
    Team
    Solo, supervised by Dr. Maurita Harris
    Methods
    10-day diary study, pre/post surveys, thematic analysis
    Tools
    Qualtrics, Excel
    Outcome
    Recognized at Laurier’s ACERS research showcase, 2025
  3. Three Fit4All phone screens: workouts, the home dashboard and the leaderboard

    Course project · Mobile app

    Fit4All

    A fitness app concept for people with mobility impairments, where progress comes from showing up rather than from how hard you push.

    Role
    Lead UX / Gamification Designer
    When
    2026 · 4 weeks

    At a glance

    My part
    Personas, the gamification system and every screen
    Team
    Solo project
    Methods
    Personas, Self-Determination Theory, the RECIPE framework
    Tools
    Figma, FigJam
    Outcome
    A concept prototype, not yet tested with users
  4. Three wayfinding phone screens: welcome, the floor map and accessibility options

    Course project · Mobile web

    Burlington Library Wayfinding

    I watched how people find their way around Burlington Central Library, then designed a QR-based mobile map for the visitors the signage leaves out.

    Role
    UX Researcher & Designer
    When
    2025 · 3 weeks

    At a glance

    My part
    Field observation, user groups, sketches, the prototype and its revisions
    Team
    Solo project
    Methods
    Field observation, sketching, AI-assisted accessibility review
    Tools
    Figma, GPT-5
    Outcome
    A medium-fidelity prototype, not yet tested with visitors
  5. The Human Intelligence compose-message screen shown inside a VR headset visor

    Course project · Speculative design

    Human Intelligence

    Speculative design set in 2050, when AI handles most conversations. Our team designed an AR lens that rewards people for talking to each other.

    Role
    UX Designer
    When
    2025 · 4 weeks

    At a glance

    My part
    AI-enhanced personas, low-fidelity wireframes and the user flow
    Team
    3 people
    Methods
    Future casting, scenario mapping, personas
    Tools
    Miro, Figma Make, Google AI Studio
    Outcome
    A speculative prototype and the ethical questions it raises

Let’s talk.

I’m looking for UX design, UX research and product design roles. If you’re hiring, or you’d like to ask about one of these projects, email is the best way to reach me.

Email me

Email
fretz.kate3@gmail.com
LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/katefretz
Phone
(905) 379-5283
Based in
Burlington, ON