Spotlight: Rad Kalaf

Everyone, meet Rad, sovereign of sarcasm and associate UX architect here at PRPL. We've watched him blossom from an ambitious intern to a full-time wireframing fiend, and it's about time you got to know him, too.Name: Raduan KalafHometown: Born and raised in JamlandoNickname(s): "Rad," "Totally Rad," "Owner of the Hottest Mixtape"Years at PRPL: Including my internship, a year and four months. Time flies when you’re having fun.Spotify Playlist:Rad Jams

What do you do here?

Eat most of the food in the kitchen. But also, I’m a user experience architect. I strategize for the user in mind with research I’ve gathered, plan out projects to ease the job for designers and developers, and try to document as much as possible. Think of it like an architect of buildings, but applied to a web environment. It may not sound like it, but it’s a lot of fun.

What was the inspiration for your playlist?

I listen to such a large, awkward range of music most people wouldn’t expect. It’s basically a list of my favorite songs from my favorite artists. If you like it, let me know. If you don’t…don’t.

Pick one Jonas Brother forever.

Are you trying to embarrass me? It’s not working. Nick Jonas.

How do you stay up on UX trends?

I have a huge folder of bookmarked sites. My favorite right now is www.usersknow.com; they have really awesome podcasts. Seriously, check it out.

Have any hidden talents?

Definitely binge-watching shows on Netflix on top of my busy schedule. I finished Mad Men in less than two months, which is why I keep this embarrassing talent very hidden. I just started watching the Office, and you don’t even want to know what season I’m on.

Who's you're favorite coworker?

It’s not a secret that Tricia D’Antin is practically my work mother. I’ve learned so much from her, and I still have so much to learn. Plus, we’re both left handed, so we bond over problems like right-handed butter knives.

Which Whitney Houston song best defines life of a UX architect?

I love this question, mainly because it’s so well known how much I love Whitney. Probably, “How Will I Know,” because I’m constantly looking for answers to things. Always looking for the why in terms of user/site goals and functionality. Also, it’s my jam.

Chipotle or Chick-fil-A?

Does Chick-fil-A have guac? Didn’t think so.

What has been your favorite project to work on here?

Oh. For sure, it's www.summitbasecamp.org. That project had a timeline of about two weeks (which is absolutely insane), so despite some late nights and frequent meetings, the team kept it fun. Everyone worked so well together that it felt less like a project more like a build-a-website-in-two-weeks party.

It's your day off. How would you treat yo’self?

Catching z's, lifting weights, tickling those ivory keys, and two-for-one margs and chips and salsa at Chili's. In that order.Great job, Rad. Thanks for taking time out of your busy Netflix binge to humor our questions.