Sean Courtney smiling outdoors in glasses and a black t-shirt

About me

I design for phone, TV and the web, and I see projects through from early research to the live front-end.

I was born and raised on Vancouver Island. I learnt web development early, and in high school I ran my own web hosting company. I loved cooking, so I spent fifteen years in the restaurant industry. I started as a dishwasher, worked my way up to kitchen manager, and eventually decided it wasn't for me.

During COVID I did two courses at BrainStation, but I ended up back in the restaurant industry for another four years before starting a full-time UX Design certificate at Emily Carr. The early web work, the kitchens, and school finally sit in the same place for me, and I feel more prepared than ever as a designer.

How I design

Access is part of the craft

Being Métis and growing up with a disabled mom means accessibility isn't abstract to me. Treat people as equals, look for the nuance, and don't design like everyone is the same.

I've worked every step

I've got experience with every step of a project, including development, design, marketing, branding, and deploying. Working through all of it myself helps me understand scope and the technical side much better.

What I bring to a team

Six years managing kitchens taught me to listen first, ask a lot of questions, and keep a crew pointed at the same goal when things get busy. I bring empathy, cooperation, and very good jokes and puns.

Off the clock

A small jungle at home

Over 100 plants in a one-bedroom apartment. Mostly Monsteras and Philodendrons, but I love everything green.

More plant photos

Machines and a home server

I love to tinker and build. Right now that's a hand-built Unraid server with 8 drives and a 36TB array.

More about the home server

Tools, systems & workflows

  • FigmaWeb, app, and dashboard UI, plus the design systems and motion behind them.
  • AIOrganising research, help with code, and the boring parts like token systems.
  • CursorProduction site and UI code, with agents for the heavy lifting.
  • VS CodeWriting and editing code by hand when I need full control.
  • GitHubRepos, pull requests, and pushing live.
  • IllustratorApp icons, wordmarks, and one-off vector art.
  • XcodeBuild, debug, and ship apps for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
  • CloudflareHosting for this site. Pages, Workers, and DNS.
  • TokensShared colour, type, and spacing so screens stay consistent.
  • SwiftUINative Apple screens and quick app prototypes.
  • iOSPhone and tablet product UI, from home to settings.
  • HTML/CSSReal pages. Layout, breakpoints, and contrast.
  • JavaScriptFilters, forms, lightboxes, and other on-page behaviour.
  • tvOSFocus, remote, and big-screen media apps.
  • UnraidHome lab storage, Docker, and always-on services.
  • HardwareGaming PCs to servers. Parts, upgrades, and troubleshooting.