Heath Korvola
“Hee-th” “Core-vole-ahh”
Finnish, he/him
is a full stack product design leader with more than a decade of experience translating eclectic needs into successful outputs outcomes.
Outside of work you can find him riding bikes, speaking Japanese + dropping Oxford commas with wild abandon.
Learn a new language,
get a new soul.
Czech proverb
This little truth highlights the importance of translation in our daily lives. We constantly interpret what others say and mean as well as the world around us. As a designer, my role is to effectively translate business needs, technical constraints, and user input into compelling solutions. Success lies in conveying these ideas clearly to everyone involved while creating impressive and functional results. I enjoy tackling complex problems and finding solutions that satisfy all parties. It’s often the translators who hold the real power.
This Czech proverb is truth + touches on the power of translation, which is what we do. We all translate everyday - what she said, what he meant, what that pause was about.
My work as a designer is framed around how well I translate - business needs, technical constraints, team concerns all have a place in shaping designs. The key is how one translates them both to each party involved but also into a stunning, efficient outcome.
I find my calling in this translation + thrive in ambiguous problems + multi step solutions. A spin here, a side step there, an outcome to appease all collaborators - shhh, don’t tell anyone, but it’s the translators that rule the world.
This Czech proverb reflects a fundamental truth about the nature of communication and the transformative power of translation, an essential element of our work. Each day, we engage in translation—deciphering intentions behind words, interpreting silence, and bridging understanding.
As a designer, my role hinges on effective translation. I integrate diverse factors—business objectives, technical constraints, and team dynamics—into my design process. The challenge lies in conveying these elements clearly to all stakeholders while crafting an outcome that is both visually striking and functionally efficient.
I have discovered my passion lies in this process of translation, particularly in navigating ambiguity and developing multi-step solutions. With each project, I adapt and pivot strategically, aiming for results that satisfy all collaborators. In this intricate dance, it's often the translators who hold the key to success.
This Czech proverb reflects a fundamental truth about the nature of communication and the transformative power of translation, an essential element of our work. Each day, we engage in translation—deciphering intentions behind words, interpreting silence, and bridging understanding.
As a designer, my role hinges on effective translation. I integrate diverse factors—business objectives, technical constraints, and team dynamics—into my design process. The challenge lies in conveying these elements clearly to all stakeholders while crafting an outcome that is both visually striking and functionally efficient.
My passion lies in this process of translation. With each project, I adapt and pivot strategically, aiming for results that satisfy all collaborators. In this intricate dance, it's often the translators who hold the key to success.
This tidbit reflects a fundamental truth about the transformative power of translation. Each day, we decipher intentions behind words, interpret silence, and bridge understanding. As a designer, my role hinges on effective translation. I integrate diverse factors—business objectives, technical constraints, and team dynamics—into my design process. The challenge lies in conveying these elements clearly to all stakeholders while crafting an outcome that is both visually striking and functionally efficient. My passion lies in this process of translation. A spin here, a side step there, an outcome to appease all collaborators - shhh, don’t tell anyone, but it’s the translators that rule the world.
Experience
2021-2024 // M1 Chicago, IL (remote)
Senior Product Designer II
2020-2021 // Simple Portland, OR
Senior Product Designer
2017-2019 // Tribe Pilot Bend, OR (remote)
Product Design Director
2016-2020 // Viewpoint Portland, OR
UX Designer, Senior UX Designer
About
Education + training
Heath is from Portland, OR, and specializes in product design and visual media. With over 20 years of experience, he has worked with brands like Nike, Patagonia, Microsoft, and the US Postal Service. His main focus is on mission-driven work in the fintech sector, whether for businesses or consumers, startups, or larger companies. He understands financial design and encourages teamwork across Fraud, Compliance, and Legal areas in finance.
He has taught at the Art Institute of Portland and the SI Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, as well as at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography. He helped launch the design/fabrication firm Ruphus and was part of a team that won an IDEA Student Gold award. He has showcased his self-made furniture at SHOW PDX, a designer event during DESIGN WEEK PDX.
Heath is a native of Portland, OR who translates varied inputs into successful product design outcomes. He has more than two decades of experience working with visual media including collaborations with clients such as Nike, Patagonia, Microsoft + the US Postal Service. He has lectured for the Art Institute of Portland + the SI Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, taught at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography + helped kickstart the design/fab firm Ruphus. He was part of a team that won an IDEA Student Gold award + has presented his self fabricated furniture designs at Show PDX, an invite only designer showcase that's part of DESIGN WEEK PDX.
His passion + focus is around mission based work in the fintech sector - whether B2B or B2C, enterprise or startup or something more altogether. Fluent in the nuances of financial design he welcomes cross functional collaboration through the myriad layers of Fraud, Compliance + Legal that make up our financial system.
Heath, a native of Portland, OR, specializes in product design and visual media with over 20 years of experience. He has worked with clients like Nike, Patagonia, Microsoft, and the US Postal Service, focusing on mission-driven projects in the fintech sector. He is skilled in financial design and advocates for cross-functional collaboration within Fraud, Compliance, and Legal. Heath has lectured at the Art Institute of Portland and Syracuse University’s SI Newhouse School, taught at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, and contributed to the design firm Ruphus. He was part of a team that won an IDEA Student Gold award and showcased his self-fabricated furniture at SHOW PDX during DESIGN WEEK PDX.
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"Heath is your favorite product designer’s favorite product designer."
Dan, Head of Product
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“Heath was one of the most tenacious, and curious design leaders I have worked with.”
Luis, Chief Operating Officer
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“Heath was one of the most creative designers I’ve ever worked with, and had a lot of fun collaborating with him…”
Patrick, iOS Lead