About Sascha Mombartz
Sascha Mombartz works as a designer, entrepreneur, and founder of The Office for Visual Affairs and Close Knit. He co-wrote Community Canvas, a framework meant to build communities. Based in New York City, he focuses on design and product development. He helps organizations find fresh directions for their brands and products while mapping out strategies to reach their goals.
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| Sascha Mombaertz: UI and UX Innovation and Community Building |
Technical Profile:
Sascha’s expertise lies in designing user interfaces and experiences while blending art, technology, and community-focused strategies. His technical skills include:
- Designing user interfaces and user experiences for websites and digital tools.
- Building collaborative systems and community-focused tools like Community Canvas, which serves as a step-by-step guide to design communities.
- Managing design teams by using tools like Figma and Notion along with other similar platforms.
- Skilled in front-end programming and interaction design, he turns broad concepts into functional digital products.
- Worked with top-tier companies including Google and the New York Times gaining hands-on experience in advanced technical setups.
Mombartz now spends his time on Close Knit and the Office for Visual Affairs merging technology with human connection to create lasting systems and communities.
Work Background
- Co-Founder and Creative Director – Caseable (2010–2011): Helped launch Caseable by creating branding, making promotional designs, building tote tools for customization, and handling the print products line.
- Designer – Google Creative Lab (2009–2010): Contributed to Chrome ad projects, kicked off internal product launches for Google, created icons, and set up branding rules for the Nexus One.
- Designer – New York Times (2009): Led the website design for NYTimes, built updated video players and breaking news modules, and teamed up with reporters to craft unique projects.
- Co-Founder and Head of Product – Keyp (2022–present): He helps run Keyp as its co-founder and head of product. His main focus lies in leading design and product development at the company.
Tools and Techniques
Sascha relies on a mix of tools and methods to get his work done:
- Design tools he uses include Figma, Sketch, and Adobe Creative Suite, which covers Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
- Tools like Notion, Webflow, Shopify, and InVision help with productivity and teamwork.
- He works with programming languages such as CSS3 and HTML5.
- His process involves methods like Lean UX, Prototyping, and Information Architecture.
Cultural and educational background
Sascha spent his childhood in Ethiopia, Thailand, Egypt, and Germany. Living in these places gave him a deep understanding of different cultures. He went on to study art and design at Cooper Union in New York.
Publications and thoughts
Sascha often shares his ideas about topics like building communities, participatory design, and understanding complex systems. Some of his writings include:
- Community Built Futures: This piece focuses on creating communities that last and can handle challenges.
- Trust: This article looks at the role trust plays in keeping communities connected.
Helpful resources
- Personal website: mombartz.com
- Close Knit
- Community Canvas