System design first.

Product design second.

Screens and icons third.

Defintions

System design: Identify key components of the product’s technical and business environments and define how they will interact with one another.

Product design: Specify how the user interacts with the product via UX widgets, voice, gestures, and hardware controls.

Screens and icons: Apply final text, colors, typography, editorial voice, and graphic styles to the refined product design.

Design is essential to all stages of the product process, from functional requirements through development and launch to ongoing business strategy.

I have extensive product design and launch experience af working at multiple startups and Fortune 500 companies. I’ve design products and systems for finance, manufacturing, SaaS, AI, IoT, medical, communications, and consumer electronics markets.

I’ve been the first design hire at small companies. I’ve been brought in to revitalize existing design teams and processes.

I work successfully across the organization and dive deep. I engage with Development at the level of fundamental tech. I act a proxy user to assist Product Management with requirements and business strategy.

I design holistically and resist the urge to deliver screens without out first understanding the broader product environment. I use models of varying levels of detail to identify and resolve product issues before working on screens and icons.

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Experience

Featured
Systems Design
Systems Design

Designing a successful frontend user experience requires a deep understanding of the backend. A designer has to be willing to work on both.

Product Design
Product Design

A beautiful and useful product design has to meet user requirements, fit within development constraints, and further business strategies.

Product & Project Management
Product & Project Management

Design timelines and milestones can be integrated into larger product management processes.

Startup Branding
Startup Branding

I often have broader design responsibilities when working at startups. I’ve fully rebranded several startups in support of product launches and funding rounds.

Team management and recommendations

I prioritize mentoring other designers. More than one designer has followed me from one company to another. Others have specifically thanked me for the skills I’ve taught them. I’ve been told several times I’ve been the best manager someone has worked for.
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Ron’s  extensive knowledge of product design and branding, coupled with his  talent for ideation and strategic thinking, sets him apart from even the  most elite professionals in the UX field…

Durk Stelter, CEO and entrepreneur

Ron is the best manager I’ve ever worked for…after he hired me at NetObjects, I followed him to Amazon, Avaya, and Palm. His passion for great design becomes an inspiration to his team…

Adam Donkin, Product lead and executive coach

Dog person

My dogs and I normally do not look at the sun. But when we do we wear appropriate eye protection.

Great American Eclipse, August 21, 2017
Ochoco National Forest, Oregon

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