DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP
PRODUCTS • SERVICES • EXPERIENCES
L E A D E R S H I P
QASID | Product Management & Service Design Strategy
As Director of Institute Development, I guided a culturally diverse, distributed team—both on site and virtually across multiple countries and time zones—researching, developing, and launching an online, foreign language learning program. Project planning, business and requirements analysis, standards establishment, international partner relations, capacity building, and presentation design were deployed to stimulate over $100 000 in revenues annually.
As an adaptable and resourceful, multi tasking problem solver, I handled the design, delivery, and evolution of various services, programs, offerings, organizational productivity tools, and institute enhancements. I would also troubleshoot, streamline operational procedures, automate manual processes, manage detailed data and finances, train staff, define and refine communications, and support facilities planning.
INTEL | Project Management
Invited to rise above my senior design role and into project management within a highly matrixed enterprise, our distributed, 35 member team surpassed expectations to deliver quality assured, multi disciplinary requirements in a telehealth, product development partnership.
Leading the project amid complex and shifting corporate and departmental dynamics, program structural transitions, and scope fluctuations would involve assertive scheduling, managing dependencies, defining roles and responsibilities, preparing proposals, anticipating and mitigating risks, realigning resources, engaging stakeholders, monitoring performance, and liaising with internal and external partner heads to foster a collaborative environment.
WATSON | Director of Product Development
Brought on board to form and lead an internal product design team, a $400 000 annual cost savings is gained by leveraging prior professional experience and perceptive foresight to recognize and actualize an innovation opportunity for Watson to create a distinctively proprietary, digital comfort control system for emergency call center responders.
Directing the development group would include the establishment of key procedures, protocols, and program tracking tools for inter and intra departmental coordination and efficiencies, interfacing with the company CEO, hiring, supervising, and mentoring design staff, managing consulting partners, identifying market trends, and oversight of budget allocations for consistent operations and strengthening the company’s overall quality, capabilities, and brand value.
S O L U T I O N S
FINTECH CLIENT | UX Design Lead
Information architecture was just one aspect of an initiative to establish an internal UX team and foundations with a FinTech client as they scaled their website presence to a coded platform.
Other areas of capacity building included aligning project directions with business objectives and brand vision, auditing and increasing data and research synthesis productivity by 3500%, defining UX metrics, generating service blueprints, and composing strategic level, persona profiles to empower multiple business units.
INTEL | Product & Experience Design
Design thinking and collective creativity combined in the User Centered Design group as we developed working prototypes of evidence based, digital product ideas as demonstration platforms of end user experiences to advise senior management of advancing market trends as they charted the corporation’s strategic, silicon course.
Concepts such as a twin touchscreen, notebook computer enabling more profoundly personal interactions between small business owners and their clients to improve mutual understanding and build stronger relations for better service, repeat patronage, and profitability.
LUMA | Entrepreneur
A rising, ecological consciousness and an eagerness to make a positive impact led to trusting principles and passion over pay and position as I founded a business for the design and fabrication of biologically responsible, modern furniture and interior wares.
Each project was thought through in depth and breadth as a holistic, human experience. Such as a futon platform bed with a dimmable, backlit headboard for gentle and centrally accessible illumination recalling the gradual glow of both dawn and dusk, and alluding to the romance of soft, candle light.
The pieces were inspired by nature itself—and by human nature—in their form, function, fabrication, and future benefit. Featuring sustainable, biodegradable, and recyclable materials, they had abiding value for patrons and our planet.
Beyond design though, the endeavor also exercised practical skills and enriched personal traits relating to apt organization, business planning, risk management, finance, process optimization, sourcing, partnerships, promotion, quality assurance, and vision fortitude.
GRANDESIGN | Senior Industrial Designer
While traveling through Europe, I connected with a young but advancing, product development firm looking for senior design expertise to influence their next plateau of proficiency.
Modeling a variety of skillsets, my contributions would involve project leadership, product design, vendor management, creative guidance, and generally promoting a high caliber of professional competency.
A hand held, mobile transaction device was the most intriguing project, as its development was also a venue to train the team in design language, concept exploration, and phase by phase completion of a digital, commercial product.
I N F L U E N C E
CAREER | Sojourns
Inherent curiosity, creativity, and concerted effort would drive a design degree and employment exposure to what I thought was the real world. However, a deeper analysis and awareness of consumer psychology and the realities of my own culture then impelled international excursions to learn about the rest of the world and the alternate perspectives it held.
Since then living those experiential lessons, personal and professional opportunities and destinies have led along a more purposeful career path, seeking to become ever more effective enhancing the human experience through the most impactful and enduring means.
EDUCATING | Inspiring Minds
Always appreciating those who came before, I believe seeking and sharing favorable knowledge is a human responsibility—like planting climbing pitons in a cliff face to benefit those who grapple with life’s ascent after us. Beyond roles in the academic domain developing a language learning institute, and serving a local community administering a primary and secondary private school, I am grateful to have ‘given forward’ as a design instructor too.
In addition to a term at the Art Institute of Seattle, in Washington State, I would later teach in Türkiye at Istanbul Technical University, Middle East Technical University, and most recently at Özyegin University. I find the utmost fulfillment watching students realize their own potential as they explore design challenges as holistic, experiential possibilities.
HUMANITARIAN | Volunteering
Travel and residency overseas, witnessing the trials and adversities of others, along with innate respect for the humanity of those in need, impress the import of taking action to prevent and resolve human suffering whenever possible.
Thankful to have begun addressing this responsibility, ideally more of us too, can turn our attention, time, and talents to this monumental and imperative task.
Y O U R T I M E A N D I N T E R E S T
. . . in having a further look herein are much appreciated.
Although drawn from the same, fundamental narrative, each composition depicts a professional story from a different, personal vantage to enrich an overall view.
If you’re looking for a condensed version, though, a conventional, career synopsis can be found through the LINKED IN option above.
And, of course, your comments are welcomed via the CONTACT option above too.
In closing, then, please do reach out regarding any career or consulting prospects you feel may be of mutual benefit.
Be well . . .