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Michael Stewart

@michaelstewart1

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Creative and data-driven Senior UX Designer with 15 years of experience.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I am looking for a role that values creativity and collaboration, where I can lead impactful design projects and mentor others.

I am a Senior UX Designer with 15 years of experience specializing in user-centered design, research, and Design Thinking. My career has been marked by a commitment to creating impactful user experiences that drive customer engagement. I successfully led the redesign of Drake Pay, which resulted in a 16% increase in product enrollment, and improved sales by 8% and 11% through enhanced web experiences for new and renewal customers.

Throughout my career, I have collaborated with cross-functional teams to define business problems and develop user stories that inform design solutions. My expertise in tools like Figma and my strong background in user research, including usability studies and A/B testing, have enabled me to advocate effectively for users while presenting design solutions to stakeholders. I am passionate about mentoring junior designers and fostering a culture of design advocacy within teams.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Sr. UX Designer

Drake Software

Sep 2023 - Nov 2024 (1 year 2 months)

Served as the sole UX Designer for multiple product managers, conducting user-centered design and research. Led Design Thinking activities to enhance team communication and ideation practices. Designed and built sales websites, improving sales by 8% and 11%, and led the redesign of Drake Pay, increasing enrollment by 16%.

User Research Design Thinking Figma Prototyping Collaboration Research & Ideation Product Design UX UI Design User Centered Design

Sr. UX Designer

Impartner

Nov 2021 - Feb 2023 (1 year 3 months)

Worked as a UX Designer on multiple projects, successfully releasing MVPs for Referrals, Marketing Development Fund, and Business Planning features. Conducted user research including interviews, Journey Maps, and Personas. Contributed to design advocacy, design system improvements, and mentored a junior designer.

UX Design User Research Interviewing Journey Maps Personas Design Systems Mentoring Sisense

Residential Home Inspector

Hood River Home Inspections

Oct 2019 - Nov 2021 (2 years 1 month)

Performed clear and concise residential home inspections for real estate transactions. Activities included comprehensive home inspections, sewer line inspections, and radon testing. Provided detailed reports to clients.

Sewer Line Inspection Reporting Documentation

Design Team Lead

IBM

Jul 2013 - Mar 2019 (5 years 8 months)

Led design teams on multiple significant projects including Microclimate, Connect to Cloud, Operations Analytics, and Workload Automation, releasing products on IBM Bluemix and as freeware. Facilitated Design Thinking workshops for new designers and various product teams. Managed project timelines and deliverables.

Team Management Project Management Design Thinking Kubernetes Analytics IBM Bluemix Facilitation

Adjunct Professor

Austin Community College

Jun 2015 - Dec 2018 (3 years 6 months)

Served as an Adjunct Professor, teaching multiple courses related to UX and UI design. Courses included Survey of UX Design, User Interface Design 1 & 2, Prototyping, and Mobile Design Patterns. Developed curriculum and instructed students in design principles and practices.

Teaching Curriculum Development UX Design UI Design Prototyping Mobile Design Education Instructing

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of California, Berkeley

B.A., Peace & Conflict Studies

Activities and societies: Thesis: Community-based education

The Peace & Conflict Studies (PACS) program at UC Berkeley was an interdisciplinary social science major that examined the causes of conflict and strategies for peacebuilding at local, national, and global levels. Rooted in political science, sociology, history, and international relations, the program explored issues like human rights, diplomacy, social movements, and conflict resolution.

California State University East Bay

M.A., Multimedia

Activities and societies: Thesis: Impact of Digital Media on Society

The Multimedia Master’s Program at CSU East Bay is an interdisciplinary graduate program that blends design, technology, and storytelling to prepare students for careers in digital media, UX/UI design, game development, and interactive storytelling. The program focuses on hands-on, project-based learning, encouraging students to develop expertise in animation, web and mobile design, virtual and au