Meet Grace Routh, Product Designer at Goalbook
Based in Boise, ID
What was your experience prior to Goalbook?
Many years ago, I was a Teach For America corps member in Houston. After my commitment, I moved back to my hometown of Boise, Idaho, and taught for another four years. Then, I worked part time in various education jobs before beginning as a content developer with Goalbook.
What gravitated you towards Goalbook’s mission?
The mission at Goalbook has been a really important extension of the work I’m most passionate about — creating a more equitable school system.
What is your role, and what are your favorite parts of it?
As a product designer, I have the huge privilege of listening to teachers’ challenges and then designing solutions that appear in our tools. I think my favorite part is speaking with educators directly in user interviews. I get to meet amazing, passionate educators and feel very humbled that they share their highs, lows, and expertise with me.
I think my favorite part is speaking with educators directly in user interviews. I get to meet amazing, passionate educators and feel very humbled that they share their highs, lows, and expertise with me.
Outside of the role, what are one or two things you love here?
I really enjoy the GoalBook Club! There’s a small group of Goalbookers who gather (remotely) each month to read and discuss a book. The club keeps me motivated to read!
How do you work and communicate with your manager?
My manager and I have weekly meetings to discuss workflow. We also have quarterly meetings to assess longer-term goals and growth. Additionally, we have chat rooms dedicated to certain projects; neither of us hesitate to G-chat or have impromptu video chats during the project’s life cycle.
What have you learned in your role so far?
I’ve learned way too many things to list, but I’ve certainly learned a lot about how to consistently improve. Work at Goalbook has pushed me to become much more disciplined in the way I approach problems and create solutions.
Work at Goalbook has pushed me to become much more disciplined in the way I approach problems and create solutions.
What are some areas you’d like to continue growing professionally?
The areas I’m continually trying to improve upon is making learnings from research sharper and more visible as well as making clearer design decisions. Synthesizing large amounts of information and then concisely explaining is an enormous, ongoing challenge.
What personal goals have you set outside of work?
Closing my rings on my Apple Watch!
What are some of your favorite spots in Boise?
I love hiking and trail running on the Ridge to Rivers trail system. Also, outdoor concerts at the Botanical Garden are a must-do.
What’s your favorite memory during your time at Goalbook?
At this point, all the memories of time spent together seem so sweet. It’s very hard not to romanticize every single (in-person) breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Which team activity has been your favorite?
Park Day during our Spring Celebrations in San Mateo, California, was one of my favorite annual activities. We’ve had some epic volleyball games!
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