About
Kia ora and Hello. My name is Dana Iti. I'm a Senior UX Engineer based in New Zealand. I'm raw, honest and a bit of a dork. I feel deeply and go all-in on things I care about.
I build apps, prototypes, flows, and make things easy to use. The short version: if it's hard to use, doesn't exist or looks bad, I'm your person.
My last name literally means "little" or "small" and it's pronounced E.T. - like the alien. Kids gave me hell until Stuart Little came out.
Even though I started coding young, ran a hosting business, then around 23 y.o. started a few other businesses where I learned design. Did a bootcamp in 2012 and joined the industry full time. What keeps me interested is the challenge and the smart people I get to meet.
I'm in my early 40s now. Both my sons are adults - giants, actually. I'm kinda tall but I'm still the midget.
Outside of work, I lift weights. Fitness is part of my identity - it keeps me sharp and plays a huge part in keeping stress levels down. I've lifted most of my life but became very consistent about 6 years ago. I've never competed in lifting, but I did participate in a corporate boxing event - left with the W.
I have a very active creative side. I draw and have been playing piano since I was a child, writing music, melodies, and lyrics since I was 12, and guitar since my teens. I do it for the love of it - here's a snippet:
I've got more hobbies than I've got hours - boredom's never been a problem. Love history, ancient ruins, and travelling. I live with intention - we only get one shot at life, so might as well use it.
I wasn't handed a silver spoon, and uni wasn't in the cards - hard to study when you're busy creating your own dependents. I learned everything the hard way, failed more times than I can count, but I'm too stubborn to take the hint.
This site started as a guide for my sons (particularly my blog). If it helps others too, even better. It's my mind, my portfolio, and a place to share what I'm building and thinking about.
I gravitate toward people who are curious, who are building things, and who make things happen. If that sounds like you, let's connect.