Great Lynx Designs

THOUGHTFUL TECHNOLOGY
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES & SCHOLARS

I design and build websites, applications, and digital infrastructure that are reliable, understandable, and built to last—so you can avoid costly services and stay in control of your tools.

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Meet Your Designer-Developer Ally

Why Work With Me

I bring a thoughtful, full-spectrum approach to every project — blending development, design, and lived experience. Learn more about how I work and who I am:

I’m Joel Southall — a designer, developer, and problem-solver with a passion for bringing real ideas to life online. I help small businesses, artists, and nonprofit groups who need more than just code. They need clear communication, thoughtful design, and user-friendly tools they can trust.

Whether it’s a full website, a small app, or a redesign, I combine full-stack development, UX strategy, and graphic design to help you bridge the gap between vision and execution.

I’m a creative technologist with a background in philosophy, journalism, game design, and visual arts. Before becoming a developer, I worked as a writer, designer, and academic — and I still bring that interdisciplinary lens to every project I take on.

As a First Nations Ojibwe technologist and creative, I’m especially interested in the intersection of software development, user experience, and language technology. My recent work includes software and language technology projects related to Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe), exploring how thoughtful design can strengthen language communities. I design with purpose—not just polish.

I believe language is one of the most important ways communities express identity, and technology should help preserve and strengthen that connection rather than erase it.

I aim to build with care: from culturally respectful visual language to accessible interfaces. I believe in careful thinking, inclusive planning, and creating tools that communities can own and trust.

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Services overview

what i offer

Web Dev Icon

Web & App Engineering

Websites, tools, and practical software.

Cross-platform web and mobile development using Blazor, JavaScript, React, and more—built for performance, accessibility, and long-term maintainability (not throwaway prototypes).
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Branding & Communication Design

Logos, layouts, and clear messaging.

Visual identity and design systems: logos, posters, business cards, and production-ready assets—plus content strategy and layout planning so your message stays consistent everywhere.
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CMS, E-Commerce & Content Ops

Editable sites that don’t break.

WordPress and custom CMS setups for stores, events, and member content—with admin workflows designed for real humans, plus updates, backups, and performance basics handled responsibly.
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Systems & Tech Consulting

Audits, strategy, and cost-saving fixes.

Technical audits and second opinions across UX, accessibility, performance, security basics, hosting, and infrastructure. I help you avoid unnecessary recurring services by building clear, maintainable systems—and documenting what matters.

Featured Projects

Here are a few featured projects that demonstrate how I blend frontend polish with backend logic, accessibility, and real-world utility.

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TribeFinder App

A tool to help users locate the five nearest tribal offices using the Google Maps API.

Tech: React, JS, JSON, Google Maps API

View Project GitHub
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Eugene DotNet

A community site for organizing events, sharing resources, and building a modern .NET group hub.

Tech: Blazor, Razor Pages, .NET Core

View Project GitHub
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Philosobot

A Blazor chatbot with selectable philosophical personas powered by GPT-3.5 and OpenAI’s API.

Tech: Blazor Server, OpenAI, C#, Bootstrap

View Project GitHub
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GardenSense

A smart garden monitoring UI simulating temperature/light sensors with Blazor. Raspberry Pi–ready.

Tech: Blazor, .NET 8, C#, Bootstrap

View Project GitHub
ShelterFinder logo

ShelterFinder

An app to help unhoused individuals find nearby shelters and resources. Built for accessibility and community impact.

Tech: Flutter, Dart, Node.js, Express

View Project GitHub

How I Work

DISCOVER

We clarify goals, users, constraints, and budget. Then we choose the smallest sensible solution that can grow—without unnecessary subscriptions or lock-in.

DESIGN

I design the experience and the system shape: layout, content structure, user flows, and what needs to be simple for you to maintain long-term.

BUILD

I develop the site or app with a practical stack and clean foundations—performance, accessibility, and maintainability baked in from the start.

DEPLOY

I handle launch plus the “boring but essential” layer: hosting, domains, DNS, backups, updates, and sensible security—so it keeps working after day one.

STABILITY

You get clear documentation and a sane path forward. I can provide ongoing support, or help you take the wheel so you’re not paying forever just to keep things running.

REVIEW

I audit your current setup—design, accessibility, performance, SEO, security basics, and operational risks (like fragile hosting, plugins, or auth).

REPORT

You get a clear, prioritized report: what matters, what’s urgent, what’s optional, and what will save you money or headaches long-term.

DISCUSS

We translate the findings into a plan you can actually execute—quick wins first, then deeper fixes that improve stability and reduce ongoing costs.

FIX / SUPPORT

I can implement changes directly, or support your in-house person with guidance and documentation—whatever keeps you independent and moving.

EXPLORE

We define your brand voice, audience, and intent—what you want people to feel, understand, and remember.

SKETCH

I develop concepts and directions, from quick sketches to digital drafts, with real use cases in mind (web, print, social, merch).

REFINE

We iterate together until it’s clean, legible, and consistent—good design that survives different contexts and future updates.

DELIVER

You receive organized final assets (PNG, SVG, print files) plus practical guidance for using them across your website and materials.

Let’s Build Something Amazing Together

Let’s build together — your ideas, my experience, our collaboration

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