Case Studies
- R4 - Behavioral Health Readiness
Defense Digital Service - Drone Detection UI
Defense Digital Service - Secure Drone Software Suite
Defense Digital Service - BASTION - Aerial Refueling
Defense Digital Service - Desert Architect
Defense Digital Service - Strategic Discovery Sprints
Defense Digital Service - Magic Manifest
Defense Digital Service - The Archie Logistics Bot
FRAIGHT AI - Public Good Software
Public Good Inc. - Obama 2012
Obama for America
R4 - Behavioral Health Readiness and Suicide Risk Reduction Review
From Policy to Practice: Designing Life-Saving Mental Health Tools for Military Leaders
The Challenge
The Army had developed the R4 (Behavioral Health Readiness and Suicide Risk Reduction Review) framework - a comprehensive policy for identifying and mitigating suicide risk among soldiers. However, this existed only as policy documentation. My mission was to understand how this framework could actually be implemented throughout the Army and design digital tools that military leaders would adopt and use effectively.
Key Deliverables
- User Research Plan
- Structured approach for understanding military command hierarchy and communication patterns
- Stakeholder Interviews
- Conducted rank-separated interviews across enlisted levels to understand roles and responsibilities
- User Personas
- Created comprehensive personas for all stakeholders in suicide risk identification chain
- Journey Maps
- Mapped entire process flow: identify → document → report → mitigate risk
- Competitive Analysis
- Research of existing suicide risk assessment tools and military resources
- Wireframes & Prototypes
- Designed differentiated user flows for platoon/squad leaders vs. company commanders
- Working Application
- Built HTML/CSS and React app with embedded coaching and micro-learning features
- Training Integration
- Converted lengthy presentations into contextual video modules within the tool
Key Research Insights
- Leadership Skills Gap
- User research revealed that many platoon leaders lack the soft social skills needed for meaningful conversations with soldiers under their command. Promotion in the Army varies greatly - some leaders advance based on technical or tactical skills but struggle with interpersonal connection.
- Cultural Resistance to Mental Health
- Company commanders sometimes didn't view mental health as a priority and expected soldiers to "man up" with a tough-love attitude, seeing support as "coddling" their troops.
- Expert Burnout
- Mental health professionals were resistant to implementing yet another tool, feeling burnt out by previous half-hearted approaches to addressing the crisis.
- Research Constraints
- Had to conduct rank-separated interviews - discovered that no one would share openly in mixed-rank groups due to military hierarchy dynamics.
- Process Breakdown Points
- Journey mapping revealed critical gaps in the identify → document → report → mitigate flow, particularly around consistent documentation and follow-through on interventions.
Design Solutions
- Embedded Relationship Coaching
- Sprinkled soft-skill relationship-building tips throughout the digital interface
- Provided practical conversation starters and guidance for leaders lacking interpersonal skills
- Contextual Conversation Prompts
- Reframed mental health check-ins as natural leadership touchpoints
- Example: "Long holiday weekend coming up - ask soldiers about plans with family/friends to prevent isolation"
- Helped leaders approach conversations without stigma
- Micro-Learning Integration
- Broke down lengthy training presentations into bite-sized video modules
- Inserted contextual training content at relevant points in the workflow
- Reduced training burden while maintaining educational value
- Rank-Appropriate Workflows
- Designed different interface complexity levels for platoon leaders vs. company commanders
- Tailored information density and decision-making flows to match experience levels and responsibilities
- Resource Integration
- Built in links to additional mental health resources and support services
- Connected leaders to appropriate intervention options based on risk assessment levels
Impact & Current Status
- Field Testing Implementation
- Currently in small-batch testing across select Army units to validate effectiveness and gather usage feedback.
- Organizational Adoption Challenges
- Experiencing typical large-institution implementation hurdles - budget changes and leadership transitions have slowed broader rollout, highlighting the complexity of implementing systemic change in military organizations.
- Design Validation
- Early feedback indicates that embedded coaching tips and contextual prompts are successfully helping leaders have more meaningful conversations with their soldiers.
- Life-Saving Potential
- Tool addresses critical gap between suicide prevention policy and practical implementation, with potential for Army-wide deployment to support soldier mental health and readiness.
Technical Implementation
Developed full-stack solution including user research, interface design, and front-end development (HTML/CSS, React) to transform static policy documents into interactive, guided digital experiences for military leaders at all levels.
Project details shared within security guidelines. Specific implementation details and testing results remain sensitive.
Drone Detection UI
Securing National Airspace: Designing Drone Detection Interfaces for Critical Defense Operations
The Challenge
Design user interfaces for drone detection systems protecting the nation's most critical facilities, including the Pentagon and Camp David. Operators monitor these systems 24/7 to identify and assess potential airspace threats.
Key Deliverables
- Field Research
- User observations and interviews at Pentagon operations center, Camp David, Joint Base Andrews, and other military installations
- Operator Interviews
- In-depth sessions with personnel monitoring detection displays full-time
- Feature Roadmap
- Collaborated with co-designer to plan and prioritize capabilities based on field feedback
- Sprint Management
- Managed roadmaps, sprint reviews, and velocity with consultant engineering team
- UI Design & Prototypes
- Designed detection display interfaces for 24/7 monitoring operations
- Style Guide & Documentation
- Created comprehensive design system and training materials
- Training Videos
- Developed instructional content for new operators
Key Research Insights
- Environmental Design Challenges
- Field observations revealed extreme lighting conditions in monitoring facilities. Some operations centers were pitch-dark, causing significant eye fatigue for operators staring at screens all day.
- False Positive Management
- Discovered that innocent drone usage (families taking pictures in nearby parks) was creating numerous false alarms, potentially causing "cry wolf" scenarios that could mask genuine threats.
- User Experience Gaps
- Found dramatic differences in operator experience levels between facilities - Pentagon had highly experienced security operators while Camp David deployed very young recruits with minimal experience.
- Process Inefficiencies
- Manual report writing for threat escalation to authorities and judges was extremely time-consuming and prone to inconsistencies.
Design Solutions
- Adaptive Interface System
- Light/dark mode toggles and customizable display options for various lighting conditions
- Low-light interface optimizations to reduce eye strain during extended monitoring sessions
- Intelligent Threat Assessment
- Integrated AI-enhanced filtering to distinguish genuine security threats from innocent civilian drone usage
- Smart highlighting system to draw operator attention to higher-priority detections
- Experience-Appropriate Design
- Simplified interfaces and enhanced guidance systems for inexperienced operators at Camp David
- Advanced feature sets and streamlined workflows for veteran operators at the Pentagon
- Automated Reporting System
- Built automatic report generation in multiple formats required for legal/authority escalation
- Eliminated manual report writing bottleneck, dramatically improving response times
Impact & Recognition
- Challenge Coin
- Received first challenge coin from Counter UAS group at Joint Base Andrews for project contributions
- Commercial Success
- Software transitioned to vendor and marketed as enterprise drone detection platform
- Usability Achievement
- "Easy to use as Google Maps" - operators can be trained in under one hour
- System Integration
- Deployed across multiple high-security military installations with real-time SMS/email alerting
- Process Improvement
- Automated reporting eliminated hours of manual work per incident
- Scalable Design
- Platform integrates with existing C-sUAS systems for centralized operations
Technical Implementation
Led hands-on hardware deployment and collaborated with engineering team to implement the interface system across multiple security levels.
Project details shared within security guidelines. Specific technical capabilities and operational details remain classified.
Secure Drone Software Suite
Securing Commercial Drones for Military Use: Enabling Mission-Critical Operations Through Design
The Strategic Challenge
DJI drones dominate 80% of the commercial drone market and offer capabilities superior to domestic alternatives. However, as Chinese-manufactured products, they pose significant security risks for military operations. The challenge was designing software solutions that would enable military personnel to leverage these advanced capabilities while completely mitigating foreign data transmission and embedded security vulnerabilities.
Key Deliverables
- Desktop Application Design
- Complete UI/UX for security-hardening software suite
- Authenticated Web Platform
- Secure download portal with user authentication and documentation access
- Educational Resources
- Comprehensive training materials, knowledge base and process documentation
- User Research & Surveys
- Conducted outreach and evaluation studies across military user base
- Product Management
- Led 6-month PM role during staffing transition, managing vendor relationships and roadmap planning
- Front-End Development
- HTML/CSS architecture through multiple redesign cycles
- Technical Documentation
- Created materials explaining complex security processes for varied technical skill levels
Research & Design Approach
- User Diversity Challenge
- Military drone users represented an extremely diverse range of use cases, technical knowledge levels, and operational requirements. Research revealed significant variation in both drone expertise and mission-specific needs across different military units and applications.
- Security-First Design Philosophy
- Every design decision required balancing stringent security requirements with practical usability for field operations. The interface needed to be intuitive enough for users with varying technical backgrounds while maintaining robust security protocols.
- Iterative Redesign Process
- Collaborated with vendor consulting teams, engineering groups, and security specialists through multiple design cycles to continuously improve the user experience while strengthening security measures.
Impact & Strategic Importance
- Program of Record Status
- The software suite achieved Program of Record designation within the Department of Defense, making it integral to all military drone operations using commercial DJI hardware.
- National Security Enablement
- Successfully bridged the gap between commercial drone capabilities and military security requirements, enabling continued access to superior technology while protecting sensitive operations.
- DoD-Wide Adoption
- Became the required solution for any military use of DJI drones, as mandated by the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act Section 805.
- Vendor Collaboration Success
- Effectively managed complex relationships between government stakeholders, security teams, and engineering vendors to deliver a mission-critical security solution.
Technical Implementation
Led end-to-end design process from user research through front-end implementation, ensuring security-first approach was maintained throughout development.
Specific operational details, security methodologies, and user research findings remain classified. Project scope and impact shared within security guidelines.
BASTION
AI-Powered Aerial Refueling Logistics: Congressional Mandate to Optimize Military Operations
The Strategic Challenge
Congress mandated through H.R.2670 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, Section 345, that the Department of Defense establish a pilot program using advanced digital technologies and artificial intelligence to optimize aerial refueling logistics and fuel management for contested logistics environments.
Key Deliverables
- Research Strategy
- Comprehensive research plans developed collaboratively with co-designer
- Competitive Analysis
- Extensive evaluation of vendor solutions and internal military software used by flight planners, logistics coordinators, pilots, and refueling experts
- Global Field Research
- User observations and interviews conducted in hangers and operations centers worldwide
- Workflow Design
- Created mockups and process flows after identifying critical gaps in current operations
- Congressional Reports
- Delivered official findings and recommendations to Congress as mandated
- Stakeholder Demonstrations
- Presented solutions and gathered feedback from extensive military stakeholder network
- AI Integration Design
- Designed interfaces that made complex AI recommendations actionable for military operators
- Data Strategy Development
- Identified systems and processes needed for quality AI training data collection
- Policy Recommendations
- Developed policy change recommendations to enable future data collection workflows
- Dataset Creation
- Built custom datasets as examples for pilot program validation
- Vendor Integration
- Collaborated with vendors to establish new data connections for ongoing collection
Research & Design Approach
- Comprehensive User Ecosystem
- Conducted intensive field research with diverse military personnel including flight planners, logistics coordinators, pilots, and aerial refueling specialists to understand current operational challenges and workflows.
- Global Operations Understanding
- Performed user observations and interviews in military hangers and operations centers across multiple global locations to understand real-world operational constraints and requirements.
- Technology Gap Analysis
- Executed extensive competitive analysis of both commercial vendor solutions and existing internal military software to identify capability gaps and improvement opportunities.
- Systems Integration & Data Strategy
- Identified and analyzed existing military systems and processes to determine data quality requirements for AI workflow optimization. Developed comprehensive recommendations for policy changes needed to enable effective data collection going forward.
- Custom Dataset Development
- Created original datasets as proof-of-concept examples for the pilot program, demonstrating how quality data collection could improve AI-powered logistics optimization.
- Vendor Collaboration
- Worked directly with technology vendors to establish new data connection protocols and integration pathways, ensuring sustainable data flow for future AI implementation.
Innovation Methodology
Our team designed and facilitated a rapid innovation process that combined military operational expertise with civilian technical innovation, creating a replicable framework for addressing evolving national security threats through accelerated development cycles.
Specific technical solutions, security methodologies, and operational details remain classified. Event design approach and strategic impact shared within security guidelines.
Desert Architect
Designing Innovation Events for Critical Military Challenges
The Strategic Challenge
US Central Command needed innovative solutions to enhance the efficiency and precision of counter-UAS processes critical for protecting US and allied forces. Traditional procurement and development cycles were too slow for rapidly evolving drone threats, requiring direct field research and hackathon approach to accelerate solution development where seconds matter in threat mitigation.
Field Research & Event Leadership
- Overseas Field Research
- Led design research mission to a military base in Iraq, conducting user observations, rapid interviews, and workflow analysis of real-world counter-UAS operations in active threat environments.
- Critical Workflow Documentation
- Analyzed time-sensitive threat mitigation processes where seconds determine mission success, identifying specific bottlenecks and inefficiencies in current software and operational procedures.
- Threat Analysis Review
- Studied video documentation of actual threat mitigation scenarios to understand real-world constraints and requirements for counter-UAS systems.
- Research Translation
- Documented field findings and translated operational insights into actionable design challenges for hackathon participants, ensuring solutions addressed actual battlefield needs.
- Pre-Event Field Research Mission
- Selected as the sole designer to conduct overseas field research at military bases in Iraq, gathering critical user insights that informed the entire hackathon team's approach to solution development.
- Cross-Functional Design Contribution
- Served as one of only 3 designers among 20 participants, bringing unique UX perspective to rapid software development for life-critical military applications.
- Rapid Prototyping Structure
- Facilitated intensive development sessions focused on creating functional prototypes that could demonstrate enhanced speed and accuracy of UAS countermeasures.
Key Deliverables
- Event Design Strategy
- Framework for bringing together diverse technical and military expertise
- Challenge Facilitation
- Guided teams through rapid problem-solving and prototype development
- Innovation Process Design
- Created repeatable methodology for future military hackathons
- Stakeholder Integration
- Enabled effective collaboration between hackers and operational experts
- Prototype Validation
- Facilitated demonstration and feedback sessions with military leadership
- Transition Planning
- Created comprehensive handoff documentation and facilitated knowledge transfer sessions to ensure smooth transition to operational teams
Strategic Impact & Recognition
- Command Leadership Endorsement
- General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander, highlighted the event's success in advancing "data-centric warfighting" and committed to future hackathons based on Desert Architect's results.
- CTO Recognition
- Schuyler Moore, USCENTCOM CTO, praised the combination of "exceptional hackers and brilliant software prototypes with a repeatable process" for addressing critical operational issues.
- Repeatable Innovation Framework
- Established methodology that USCENTCOM could use for future hackathons, expanding the command's network of technical experts and enhancing counter-UAS capabilities.
- Immediate Implementation Impact
- Design Recommendations were acted upon immediately by software vendors, resulting in measurable time savings in critical workflows where seconds determine mission success and soldier safety.
- Real-World Validation
- Field research in active operational environments ensured hackathon solutions addressed actual battlefield challenges rather than theoretical problems.
- Vendor Integration Success
- Direct collaboration with software vendors enabled rapid implementation of workflow improvements identified through field research and hackathon innovation.
- Cross-Agency Collaboration
- Successfully coordinated complex multi-agency event involving Defense Digital Service, military intelligence units, airborne corps, and defense information systems.
Innovation Methodology
Our team designed and facilitated a rapid innovation process that combined military operational expertise with civilian technical innovation, creating a replicable framework for addressing evolving national security threats through accelerated development cycles.
Specific technical solutions, security methodologies, and operational details remain classified. Event design approach and strategic impact shared within security guidelines.
Strategic Discovery Sprints
Rapid Problem Diagnosis for Defense Leadership
The Discovery Sprint Approach
Led multiple rapid organizational assessment projects using the proven USDS discovery sprint methodology. Each sprint involved a small cross-functional team conducting intensive research to quickly build understanding of complex defense systems, identify root causes of organizational challenges, and provide specific, actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
Standard Sprint Deliverables
- Stakeholder Interview Strategy
- Comprehensive interview plans across organizational hierarchy
- User Research & Observation
- End-user interviews and process observation in operational environments
- Data Analysis
- Assessment of existing systems, processes, and performance metrics
- Root Cause Analysis
- Identification of underlying issues vs. surface-level symptoms
- Strategic Recommendations
- Specific, actionable next steps for organizational leadership
- Executive Reports
- Formal documentation delivered to Secretary of Defense and key stakeholders
My Selected Discovery Sprints
- Sprint 1: NSA Innovation Strategy
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- Challenge: How to foster innovation within the National Security Agency
- Research Approach: Cross-functional team assessment of innovation barriers and opportunities
- Key Finding: Identified specific organizational and process changes needed to enable innovation
- Recommendation: Strategic initiatives to remove innovation bottlenecks
- Impact: Report directly led to increased funding for key recommendations, with successful implementation
- Sprint 2: NGA CORE Developer Platform Onboarding
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- Challenge: Users experiencing significant challenges onboarding to NGA's CORE developer platform
- Research Approach: Comprehensive stakeholder interviews, user journey mapping, three distinct persona development
- Key Finding: CORE lacked "center of gravity" - resources were too decentralized for effective user adoption
- Recommendation: Unified platform experience, enhanced community support via RocketChat, improved cost estimation tools
- Impact: Comprehensive strategic roadmap delivered to NGA CTO office for platform improvement
- Sprint 3: Counter-UAS Strategy Assessment
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- Challenge: [Classified] counter-unmanned aerial systems strategy evaluation
- Research Approach: Strategic assessment of current capabilities and future requirements
- Key Finding: [Classification restrictions apply]
- Recommendation: Strategic direction for counter-drone capabilities development
- Impact: Informed organizational strategy and resource allocation decisions
- Sprint 4: Advana Platform Deep Dive
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- Challenge: Review and future considerations for Advana data analytics platform
- Research Approach: Comprehensive platform assessment and stakeholder analysis
- Key Finding: Identified opportunities for platform enhancement and strategic direction
- Recommendation: Strategic roadmap for platform evolution and capability expansion
- Impact: Provided strategic guidance for major DoD data analytics platform
- Sprint 5: Congressional Budget Application
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- Challenge: Problem analysis and solutions for Congressional budget management application
- Research Approach: Stakeholder interviews and process analysis of budget workflow challenges
- Key Finding: Identified key inefficiencies in Congressional budget management processes
- Recommendation: Specific application improvements and process optimization opportunities
- Impact: Strategic recommendations for improving Congressional budget management technology
Strategic Impact
- Executive-Level Decision Making
- Each sprint provided the Secretary of Defense and senior stakeholders with data-driven insights and specific recommendations for addressing complex organizational challenges within 2-4 week timeframes.
- Root Cause Identification
- Consistently identified underlying systemic issues rather than treating surface-level symptoms, enabling more effective long-term solutions.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Worked with diverse teams including engineers, product managers, procurement specialists, and subject matter experts to deliver comprehensive organizational assessments.
- Rapid Value Delivery
- Demonstrated ability to quickly understand complex defense organizations and provide actionable strategic guidance under tight timelines and high-stakes conditions.
Note: Specific project details, organizational findings, and strategic recommendations remain classified. Sprint methodology and strategic impact shared within security guidelines.
Magic Manifest
Designing Paratrooper Safety Applications for the 82nd Airborne
The Strategic Challenge
Jump masters in the 82nd Airborne needed enhanced safety and efficiency during aircraft boarding processes for paratrooper training. Traditional paper-based systems created administrative burdens, potential safety gaps, and limited ability to make real-time decisions about personnel readiness and training modifications.
Design Challenge & Solution
- ATAK Framework Integration
- Designed application within the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) framework, ensuring seamless integration with existing military tactical systems and devices already familiar to 82nd Airborne personnel.
- ID Card Scanning Workflow
- Created an intuitive interface for jump masters to scan troops' ID cards during pre-checks and boarding, enabling rapid verification and automated personnel accountability tracking.
- Real-Time Decision Support
- Designed features that enable jump masters to make last-minute training decisions based on current personnel status, weather conditions, and readiness assessments.
- Paperless Operations
- Eliminated traditional paper-based manifest systems, reducing administrative burden while maintaining comprehensive training records and safety compliance.
Key Design Features
- Personnel Accountability System
- Real-time scanning and verification of all personnel during boarding process
- Automated tracking ensures no personnel are missed or unaccounted for
- Visual indicators for jump master situational awareness
- Training Management Interface
- On-demand paratrooper training scheduling and modification capabilities
- Integration with combat readiness tracking systems
- Last-minute adjustment workflows for changing conditions
- Safety Enhancement Tools
- Pre-flight safety checklist integration within ATAK framework
- Personnel status verification before training operations
- Emergency contact and medical information accessibility
- Administrative Efficiency
- Paperless manifest generation and management
- Automated record-keeping and compliance documentation
- Streamlined reporting for training operations
Strategic Impact
- Enhanced Safety Operations
- Improved personnel accountability during high-risk paratrooper training operations, ensuring all personnel are properly tracked and accounted for throughout the boarding and training process.
- Operational Efficiency
- Significantly reduced administrative burden on jump masters, enabling focus on safety and training execution rather than paperwork management.
- Technology Integration Success
- Demonstrated practical benefits of mobile technology integration for military operations, showcasing how digital tools can enhance rather than complicate field operations.
- Training Flexibility
- Enabled on-demand training modifications and real-time decision making, improving training responsiveness and effectiveness for 82nd Airborne operations.
- Framework Compatibility
- Successfully integrated complex personnel management workflows within existing ATAK tactical framework, ensuring adoption without requiring new device training or procurement.
Technical Implementation
Designed user interface and interaction patterns specifically optimized for military field conditions, rapid decision-making requirements, and integration with existing 82nd Airborne tactical technology ecosystem through ATAK framework.
Note: Specific operational details and security features remain within military guidelines. Design approach and operational impact shared appropriately.
FRAIGHT AI
From Whiteboard to 'Best in Show': Designing AI Interfaces for Freight Logistics
The Strategic Challenge
FRAIGHT AI was building Archie, an AI logistics system designed to automate 80% of routine freight broker tasks. The challenge was creating an interface that would enable complex AI interactions while being accessible to truckers who weren't technology enthusiasts. The system needed to feel natural and familiar rather than forcing users to adopt entirely new workflows.
Research & Discovery
- Embedded User Research
- Spent one week fully embedded with the FRAIGHT AI team and end users, conducting intensive workflow observations and user interviews to understand the real-world context of freight logistics operations.
- Workflow Analysis
- Observed existing freight broker and trucker communication patterns, identifying pain points and opportunities for AI-assisted automation while respecting established industry practices.
- Collaborative Ideation
- Led extensive whiteboard sessions with the team to translate complex AI capabilities into intuitive user experiences, ensuring technical possibilities aligned with user needs and industry constraints.
Key Design Insights & Solutions
- Meet Users Where They Are
- Instead of forcing truckers to adopt new technology platforms, designed system to work through familiar communication channels like email and SMS, reducing adoption barriers and training requirements.
- Slack-Inspired Interface Design
- Created conversational interface inspired by Slack's familiar interaction patterns, making complex AI communications feel natural and approachable for users comfortable with basic messaging apps.
- AI Personality & Interaction Design
- Gave Archie a consistent visual identity and conversational personality, humanizing the AI system while maintaining professional credibility in the freight logistics industry.
- Task Management Integration
- Designed comprehensive tracking and tasking system for all Archie-related activities, enabling human oversight and intervention when needed while maintaining automation efficiency.
Key Deliverables
- User Research Documentation
- Comprehensive analysis of trucker and freight broker workflows and pain points
- Interface Wireframes
- Medium-fidelity designs optimized for rapid implementation
- Interaction Patterns
- Conversational AI interface guidelines and component systems
- Visual Identity
- Created distinctive brand identity that resonated with both technical and non-technical audiences
- Implementation Guidelines
- Technical specifications for development team execution
Strategic Impact & Recognition
- Industry Recognition
- Archie won 'Best in Show' at the FreightWaves conference, demonstrating successful translation of complex AI capabilities into market-ready user experience.
- Rapid Market Validation
- Medium-fidelity wireframes enabled quick implementation for major industry demonstration, proving design approach could meet aggressive timeline requirements without sacrificing quality.
- User Adoption Success
- Interface design successfully bridged the gap between sophisticated AI automation and non-technical user base, enabling access to advanced logistics technology without requiring extensive user training.
- Business Growth Foundation
- Design work supported FRAIGHT AI's evolution into CoLane, a workflow automation company positioned to capture significant market share in the $300B freight industry.
- Human-AI Collaboration Model
- Successfully designed system that automates routine tasks while preserving human oversight and decision-making for complex problems, creating sustainable and trustworthy AI integration.
Technical Innovation
Created interface patterns that made complex AI logistics automation accessible to traditional freight industry users, demonstrating how thoughtful UX design can enable AI adoption in traditionally low-tech industries.
Project completed under tight deadline constraints while maintaining high design quality standards for critical industry demonstration.
Public Good Software
Building Public Good Software: From Founding Team to Mission-Driven Platform
The Vision & Challenge
As a founding team member, helped create Public Good Software from the ground up with the mission of connecting people to local nonprofits through news consumption. The platform facilitated two distinct user types: individuals creating profiles about their nonprofit passions and interests, and local nonprofits claiming profiles to fundraise and add volunteer actions. The core challenge was building this two-sided marketplace while solving the classic "chicken and egg" problem - requiring valuable offerings to attract both sides simultaneously.
Revolutionary "Public Good Button" Innovation
- News Integration Partnership
- Our "Public Good for Media" program, partnering with journalism organizations to embed "Take Action" buttons directly into news articles, connecting readers to local nonprofits working on relevant issues mentioned in the stories.
- Automated Content Analysis
- Developed sophisticated machine learning and natural language processing systems to automatically match journalistic articles to relevant causes and local nonprofit organizations, scaling from manual curation to processing hundreds of articles daily.
- Geographic Matching Technology
- Created technology to identify both the geographic area mentioned in articles and match readers to nonprofits working in those specific locations, enabling hyperlocal civic engagement through news consumption.
Founding & Brand Development
- Brand Foundation Partnership
- Collaborated directly with renowned designer Aaron Draplin on logo development, establishing the visual foundation that would define Public Good Software's identity and approach to mission-driven design.
- Comprehensive Brand System
- Expanded the logo foundation into a complete brand system, creating cohesive visual language that communicated trustworthiness, accessibility, and social impact to nonprofit partners and users.
- Two-Sided Marketplace Strategy
- Addressed the classic chicken-and-egg challenge of marketplace platforms by designing user experiences that provided immediate value to both sides - nonprofits could access resources and tools even before full service provider participation, while service providers could showcase capabilities and build social impact portfolios.
User Research & Product Strategy
- Nonprofit Partner Collaboration
- Worked directly with nonprofit organizations to understand their real operational challenges, mission goals, and technology barriers through extensive stakeholder engagement and partnership development.
- In-Person User Observations
- Conducted field research at nonprofit organizations, observing daily workflows, volunteer coordination, and mission-critical processes to identify technology opportunities and pain points.
- Design Sprint Leadership
- Led collaborative design sprints with nonprofit partners, facilitating rapid ideation and validation of platform features that would directly support their mission work and organizational effectiveness.
- User Journey Mapping
- Created comprehensive user journey maps that captured the nonprofit experience from initial platform engagement through mission achievement, informing product roadmap decisions and development priorities.
Technical Implementation & Design Systems
- Full-Stack Design Contribution
- Contributed across the entire development process, from initial wireframes and user experience design through final code implementation, ensuring design vision was maintained throughout development.
- Platform Interface Design
- Designed comprehensive user interface for the Public Good Software platform, optimizing for nonprofit workflows, volunteer coordination, and mission-driven organizational needs.
- Living Style Guide Development
- Created and maintained a comprehensive style guide system that kept our internal development team and external nonprofit partners aligned on design standards and implementation guidelines.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Worked seamlessly between design, development, and business strategy, ensuring technical decisions supported both user needs and sustainable business model for continued nonprofit support.
Key Deliverables
- Product Strategy
- Developed comprehensive roadmap for nonprofit technology platform
- User Research
- Conducted extensive interviews with nonprofit leaders to understand technology needs
- UX Design
- Created intuitive interfaces for complex nonprofit operations
- Visual Identity
- Created distinctive brand identity with Aaron Draplin that resonated with both technical and non-technical audiences
- Technical Architecture
- Designed scalable system architecture for nonprofit operations
Strategic Impact & Mission Success
- Nonprofit Empowerment
- Successfully created a technology platform that helped nonprofit organizations achieve greater mission impact through improved operational efficiency and volunteer coordination capabilities.
- Marketplace Growth Strategy
- Successfully navigated two-sided marketplace challenges by designing user experiences that solved the chicken-and-egg problem, enabling sustainable growth and valuable connections between nonprofits and service providers.
- Design-Led Company Culture
- Established user-centered design practices and mission-driven decision making as core company values, influencing how the entire organization approached product development and partner relationships.
- Journalism Industry Integration
- Successfully integrated Public Good buttons into multiple high-volume national media outlets, creating seamless pathways from news consumption to civic action and local nonprofit engagement.
- Academic Recognition
- Platform's technical innovations in automated article analysis and nonprofit matching were documented in peer-reviewed academic research, demonstrating the sophistication and scalability of the underlying technology systems.
- Founding Team Leadership
- Successfully contributed to company creation, brand development, product strategy, and technical implementation as core founding team member, showing entrepreneurial leadership and execution capabilities.
Mission-Driven Innovation
Built technology platform that prioritized social impact and nonprofit mission achievement, demonstrating how thoughtful design and user research can create meaningful change in the social impact sector while maintaining sustainable business operations.
Project represents successful startup founding experience with sustained social impact and nonprofit empowerment outcomes.
Obama 2012
Respect, Empower, Include, Win - Designing Democracy at Scale
The Strategic Challenge
Serve as the crucial bridge between Technology and Design departments during a campaign that would revolutionize political organizing through digital innovation. Design and develop technology platforms that could scale community organizing strategies nationwide while maintaining the personal, grassroots feel that made Obama's organizing approach so effective.
High-Impact Platform Design
- Dashboard
- Created a comprehensive dashboard that provided real-time insights into campaign performance, volunteer engagement, and fundraising metrics, enabling data-driven decision making at all levels of the campaign
- Call Tool
- Developed an intuitive call tool that streamlined voter outreach efforts, featuring smart call routing, script management, and real-time feedback collection to maximize volunteer efficiency and impact
- Event Tool
- Built a robust event management system that simplified the process of organizing and promoting campaign events, from small house parties to large rallies, with integrated RSVP tracking and volunteer coordination
- Donation Tool
- Designed a secure and user-friendly donation platform that optimized the giving experience, featuring recurring donation options, social sharing capabilities, and real-time contribution tracking
Design Systems & Technical Leadership
- 70-Project Design Framework
- Created and maintained a comprehensive design system supporting approximately 70 branded technology projects, ensuring consistent Obama for America visual identity across all digital touchpoints.
- Code-Based Style Guide
- Developed living HTML/CSS design operations framework that empowered engineering teams to build consistent experiences without requiring designer intervention for every implementation decision.
- Performance-Focused Development
- Implemented responsive design, optimized load times, ensured accessibility compliance, and maintained cross-browser compatibility across all platforms - critical for reaching diverse voter demographics nationwide.
- Component Library Creation
- Built reusable design components and templates that enabled rapid development of new campaign tools while maintaining visual and interaction consistency across the entire digital ecosystem.
Data-Driven Optimization Culture
- A/B Testing Leadership
- Supported comprehensive experimentation culture for donation pages, event registration, and other high-impact user journeys, treating every design decision as a hypothesis to be validated through user behavior data.
- Performance Optimization
- Rigorously tested everything from page weight and load times to copy changes, button colors, and layout variations to optimize conversion rates and user engagement across all campaign platforms.
- User Research Integration
- Collaborated closely with Director of UX Jason Kunesh to define projects and align technology solutions with overarching field operation goals through personas, wireframes, and prototypes.
Strategic Impact & Innovation
- Industry Recognition
- Won Webby Award for innovative digital campaign design work, receiving recognition from the international digital community for excellence in political technology and user experience design.
- Democratic Technology Revolution
- Contributed to the campaign that set new standards for political technology, demonstrating how thoughtful design and user experience could amplify grassroots organizing and democratic participation at unprecedented scale.
- Organizational Bridge-Building
- Successfully connected Technology and Design departments, creating collaborative workflows that enabled rapid innovation while maintaining design quality under intense timeline and political pressure.
- Scalable Community Organizing
- Translated human-centered organizing principles into digital platforms that maintained personal connection while reaching millions of supporters nationwide, proving technology could enhance rather than diminish authentic political engagement.
- Presidential Recognition
- Work contributed to campaign success that resulted in direct presidential acknowledgment of technology team contributions to democratic process and election victory.
- Legacy Impact
- Established design and technology practices that influenced subsequent political campaigns and civic technology initiatives, permanently raising expectations for digital political engagement platforms.
Technical Excellence Under Pressure
Delivered high-quality user experiences under extreme timeline pressure and public scrutiny, managing multiple concurrent projects while maintaining performance, accessibility, and design standards that served a diverse user base across the entire United States.
Career-Defining Experience
"After the President hugs you and tells you that he expects you to carry on his legacy, it's tricky to re-enter the world you once knew." - Jason Kunesh, Director of UX
Established lifelong commitment to using design and technology for positive social impact.
My time on the campaign represents a pivotal moment in political technology history and my personal commitment to democracy-enhancing design work.