https://toddp.me Todd Purgason Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:45:15 +0000 https://toddp.me en https://toddp.me/ICA-top Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:31:07 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/ICA-top IRVINE COMPANY https://toddp.me/ICA-Hero Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:32:08 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/ICA-Hero https://toddp.me/ICA-Description Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:32:27 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/ICA-Description Five by Five, 2020  Reimagining Irvine Company’s flagship website IrvineCompanyApartments.com When I started, ICA’s site was essentially an outdated brochure that offered an unintuitive search experience for apartment hunters and performed poorly on mobile devices, even though mobile accounted for the majority of site traffic. My engagement began after I completed an emergency project for owner Donald Bren, earning high praise and leading to one of my favorite client testimonials: "I have worked for Donald Bren for 20 years and not once have I ever heard him call anything Fantastic until now." As a result of this trust, the CMO bypassed the usual bid process and awarded us the ICA redesign directly. Together with producer Jesse Knack, we transformed their most important digital asset. Transforming the Apartment SearchThe previous site was built at a time when online leasing seemed unimaginable to most, so the digital experience was limited to replicating printed brochures. As customer expectations evolved, a seamless self-serve digital experience became essential. Project Scope:UX DesignUI DesignInteraction DesignDesign System Our goal was to create a premium, intuitive journey on par with platforms like Airbnb and Zillow, while addressing the complexities of apartment rentals such as multiple buildings, floor plans, and amenities. ICA had invested heavily in high-quality content like 3D walkthroughs, videos, and photography. We made this content easy to access and explore, and we also built tools for users to discover more about neighborhoods and cities. We worked closely with ICA’s SEO team to structure the site with multiple entry pathways that reflected different consumer shopping behaviors. We also designed specialized search components for landing pages, balancing overall consistency with unique requirements.My Role and Challenges At Five by Five, I was always eager for hands-on involvement. While a UX consultant was initially brought in, I ultimately took over the UX for the comprehensive site search application. After that phase, I collaborated with Steve Kobb on the remaining UX and led design for the bulk of the project, bringing in other designers for specific pages as needed. The site was built by ICA’s internal development team. Although they delivered a solid result, I was not able to perform a final round of Quality Assurance, and a few client compromises in development meant some parts of the site did not fully align with my original design vision. https://toddp.me/ICA-gallery Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:33:31 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/ICA-gallery https://toddp.me/Self-Guided-tour-app-Description Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:42:51 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/Self-Guided-tour-app-Description The Self-Guided Tour App Shortly after the site launched, the COVID-19 lockdowns began and ICA needed a self-guided tour app urgently. Because of our previous rapid-response success, we were the first team they called. I developed a strategy for accelerated collaboration, encouraging the client to streamline their approval process and adopt a more agile approach. We delivered two applications: an internal tool for associates to create tours, and a mobile app for prospects to schedule and navigate self-guided tours using GPS. This system guided users through properties, handled entry, and included solutions for locations with challenging cellular coverage. I led strategy and UX, with a designer supporting UI. https://toddp.me/ICC-Description Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:45:15 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/ICC-Description https://www.irvinecompanyoffice.com/ Following the success of the ICA site and the Self-Guided Tour app, we were recommended to Irvine Company Commercial Properties (ICP), who engaged me to redesign their property search experience. Years earlier, I had pitched for the same project while at another agency, but it had gone to a much larger firm with a multi-million-dollar budget. Now, I was brought in to reimagine the core experiences of that very site. This series of projects solidified our reputation as trusted partners, capable of delivering under pressure and transforming complex real estate experiences for both consumers and internal teams. https://toddp.me/ICA-footer Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:33:44 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/ICA-footer ︎ Prev ︎ Portfolio Next ︎ https://toddp.me/Metro-top Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:19:39 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/Metro-top METRO BY T-MOBILE https://toddp.me/Metro-Video-Top Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:21:32 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/Metro-Video-Top https://toddp.me/Metro-Description Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:36:32 +0000 Todd Purgason https://toddp.me/Metro-Description Metajive, 2022  Following our North Star work for T-Mobile, we were handed a new challenge: completely reimagine the end-to-end digital experience for Metro, T-Mobile’s prepaid brand. The goal was to take a value brand and make it feel like a premium service. Metro’s existing digital presence had a major identity crisis. Traditionally bathed in harsh white and purple, the site felt less like a modern digital storefront and more like a giant, high-contrast coupon. It was loud, flat, and stripped of any real craftsmanship. Our job was to elevate the brand's digital expression without losing its accessible, budget-friendly appeal. Project Scope:UX DesignUI DesignInteraction DesignDesign System To tackle this, I teamed up with UX Director Michael Jackson and Design Director Leo Rabelo. We started by mapping out user journeys that accommodated two very different shopping behaviors: customers who shop plan-first, and those who shop phone-first. We designed a frictionless, step-by-step flow from initial discovery to checkout, while also accounting for returning users looking to upgrade devices, make monthly payments, or add on accessories and 5G home internet. Once the UX foundation was solid, Leo and I focused on the visual translation. We softened the harsh brand palette, introducing subtle gradients, a broader range of complementary tones, and rounded corners to make the interface feel approachable and polished. We proved that "value-focused" doesn't have to mean "cheap." To hand it off, we packaged everything into a robust Figma design system and component library, giving Metro's internal teams a flexible toolkit to build from. But as is often the case with massive telecom brands, organizational shifts got in the way. A change in internal management and shifting corporate priorities meant that despite delivering a fully realized, comprehensive design system, the new experience was never built. It stands as a beautiful testament to what Metro's digital future could have been.