Andy Cochran

designer, open‑source developer, civic technologist

I design and build software that's well crafted, accessible, and easy to use. I believe that technology can improve the world through transparency and collaboration. I modernize government development practices. And I regularly contribute to open‑source libraries which further standards, security, and reliability.

Nava PBC October 2020‑present

navapbc.com

As a Senior Designer & Frontend Engineer, my hybrid skills improve trust in government through digital service design and implementation. In partnership with government agencies, we positively transform how millions of people experience government.

NYC Planning Labs July 2017‑October 2020

labs.planning.nyc.gov

As Director of this division of the New York City Department of City Planning, I led a team that embraced progressive civic tech values including open technology, agile development, and user-centered design to build impactful products with NYC’s Urban Planners.

zola.planning.nyc.gov

NYC's Zoning and Land Use Application, providing access to land use regulations and property data via an intuitive map interface

popfactfinder.planning.nyc.gov

Select Census Tracts, Census Blocks, Neighborhood to define a study area and produce a detailed population profile

geosearch.planninglabs.nyc

Autocomplete search results API using authoritative NYC address data (Property Address Directory) and the Pelias geocoder

communityprofiles.planning.nyc.gov

Data Profiles for NYC's 59 Community Districts, providing access to demographics, indicators, flood resiliency, Land Use Applications and more

The Linux Foundation March 2019‑January 2020

events.linuxfoundation.org

As a Design Consultant on a small cross-functional team (of two), I provided UI/UX expertise and front‑end development to reimagine and rebuild The Linux Foundation Events website.

New York City Council 2015‑2017

As the Lead Designer and Developer of NYC Council's Digital Strategies Division, I implemented Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's plan for digital inclusion and open government.

To test new ways for NYC Council to share information and engage residents, I built a beta website using an iterative process throughout 2016. It's now Council's official website. Its human-centered, mobile-first design approach and focus on accessibility ensures that the site works for anyone, regardless of which devices or assistive technologies they use.

I streamlined workflows and increased the efficiency of overburdened staff by creating WordPress Multisite themes customized to the specific needs of Council Districts and Divisions. I designed user workflows so residents can more easily discover their Council Member/District, including an interactive map and search functionalities.

Advocating for users, I worked with Council staff to compile institutional knowledge and design content that's understandable and intuitive. This demystification was crucial in clarifying for residents what Council does and how they can participate.

I created brand guidelines that put content first, establishing a clear and concise voice that avoids governmental jargon, and a visual identity that increases readability and consistency.

OpenPlans 2008‑2015

As Design & Creative Director at OpenPlans (a non-profit civic tech incubator), I contributed open‑source code to web apps, collaborative mapping services, real-time transit trackers, multi-modal trip planners, geospatial software, and other civic engagement tools.

I was involved in projects from ideation through implementation and helped roll out mature initiatives into their own for-profit companies.

A key product is Shareabouts, an online mapping tool for crowdsourcing public input about places. It lets people easily drop pins on a map and have discussions about those places. This mobile-friendly web app has been used to suggest bike share locations, identify dangerous intersections, survey community assets, propose capital projects, and provide feedback for other city planning and design issues.

I worked with many local governments and organizations to launch instances of Sharabouts customized to address their needs.

Circle at Seven Studio, Inc. 2003‑2008

At this boutique agency, I specialized in high-quality design for non-profit organizations, managing the entire process — from initial client contact, estimates, and proposals through production, delivery, and invoicing. We offered a broad range of services including web design, identity/branding, illustration, print design, packaging, books, periodicals, mailers, posters, screen graphics, and…well, you name it!

Maryland Institute College of Art

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Cum Laude, Minor in Art History

  • UI
  • UX
  • CSS
  • Sass
  • HTML
  • Git
  • JavaScript
  • Next.js
  • Ember.js
  • Web Mapping
  • Mapbox GL
  • Carto
  • Leaflet
  • WordPress/PHP
  • Web Accessibility
  • CICD
  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
  • Brand/Identity
  • Typography
  • Agile Methodologies

Certified Professional Scrum Master

I have over 10 years of experience in applying the Scrum framework to teams of various size, skillsets, and delivery schedules.

Foundation Yetinauts 2015‑present

I'm part of the select group of core contributors to Foundation for Sites dubbed Yetinauts. With direct write access to the Foundation codebase, we support and encourage a community of 986+ developers and guide the evolution of the web's most advanced responsive front-end framework.