Design Leader
ContactCURRENTLY DigitalOcean
PREVIOUSLY SCAD
IBM
Skeptic
Philographica
Selbert Perkins Design
Design Leader
ContactCURRENTLY DigitalOcean
PREVIOUSLY SCAD
IBM
Skeptic
Philographica
Selbert Perkins Design
Set Users Up for Success
Empowerment by Design
Driving Growth Through Design
All the World’s a Map
Luxury Reimagined
CASE STUDIES Who I Am, What I BuildPhilosophy of Leadership
Revamping onboarding for DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean’s onboarding process was complex, especially for users new to cloud infrastructure. This hindered new user retention and team collaboration, as project owners struggled to invite team members during setup.
APPROACHI led a cross-functional effort to address this, aligning design, product, and engineering in a collaborative model. By emphasizing user-centered design, we set out to simplify the onboarding journey while driving long-term engagement.
SOLUTIONIntroduced a bulk email invitation feature during sign-up, paired with educational tooltips on roles and permissions to enhance security and usability. Planned a second phase for more advanced team customization options, reinforcing personalization and user empowerment.IMPACT
Achieved a 30% reduction in ‘Time to First Value.’
Increased team collaboration by 20%, as measured by onboarding analytics.
Received positive feedback from users, with one stating, “Inviting team members has never been easier.”
DISCIPLINE COLLABORATORS
The Democratization of AI Set Up
The Watson Candidate Assistant faced a critical challenge: its traditional, service-heavy setup process required extensive customization for each client. This approach was unsustainable, time-intensive, and inaccessible to non-technical users. The result? Lengthy installation times and frustrated users, limiting the product’s adoption and scalability.
APPROACHI spearheaded a cross-functional initiative to redesign the setup experience, shifting from developer-led customization to a scalable, self-service model. Partnering with the Offering Manager and involving a diverse team from design, development, support, and sales, we pursued a bold vision to democratize the AI setup process, empowering users of all technical backgrounds.
Our strategy included: Iterative Design Sprints: Testing and refining prototypes based on constant user feedback.IBM Carbon Framework: Leveraging a modern design system to create a future-ready, intuitive UI.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Aligning stakeholders on a user-first approach, focusing on accessibility and simplicity.SOLUTIONThe resulting Watson Talent Self-Service Admin Tool transformed the setup process into an empowering, app-like experience. Key innovations included:
- A guided setup interface enabling users to configure the product themselves without technical assistance.
- Educational tooltips and in-app guidance to foster confidence and reduce errors.
- Scalable features that supported customization while maintaining simplicity.
This shift fundamentally redefined the product, making it more accessible and user-friendly while significantly reducing dependency on technical teams.
IMPACT
The results of this transformation were profound:
- Reduced installation times by over 90%, from several weeks to just a few days.
- Enhanced user satisfaction, as reported in post-implementation surveys.
- Enabled internal teams to focus on innovation and value-add features rather than repetitive setups.
- Positioned Watson Candidate Assistant as a leader in user-friendly AI applications, driving broader adoption and engagement.
DigitalOcean’s growth team had traditionally been engineering-driven, with limited integration of design in strategic decision-making. The challenge was to embed a modern, user-centered design approach that could accelerate user acquisition, improve customer retention, and drive innovation.
APPROACHAs a design leader, I introduced a bold, experimental methodology that redefined the role of design within the growth team. My strategy included:
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Tripartite Collaboration: Positioning design as an equal partner with product management and engineering.
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Process Innovation: Establishing a structured yet flexible framework for idea intake, alignment, and rapid iteration.
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Cultural Shift: Fostering a culture of experimentation where failures were stepping stones to innovation.
This approach emphasized transparency, alignment, and the power of strategic design thinking to solve complex problems and improve business outcomes. SOLUTION
- Growth Phase 1: The Initializer: A replicable intake and alignment process that ensured all ideas—whether from junior developers or senior executives—were considered and refined collaboratively.
- Iterative Prototyping: A rapid prototyping and testing cycle that reduced the time from ideation to implementation.
- Documentation & Transparency: Clear records of every step ensured team alignment and empowered contributors at all levels.
- Improved user acquisition and retention metrics, validating the integration of design into the growth team’s workflow.
- Enhanced team agility and innovation, allowing faster responses to market demands.
- A cultural shift that recognized design as a critical driver of growth and innovation.
Broadway’s rich history of artistic collaboration is complex and interconnected, making it difficult to visualize and understand. Traditional narratives often fail to capture the intricate web of relationships between directors, choreographers, composers, and lyricists, leaving enthusiasts and educators searching for a more engaging way to explore this vibrant cultural legacy.
APPROACHTo bridge this gap, I designed the Broadway Musical Theatre History Subway Map (BMHSM), a dynamic visualization of Broadway’s collaborative networks. My strategy included:
- Transforming Data into Design: Reimagining the history of musical theatre collaborations as a navigable subway map, where each line represents a key figure and intersections highlight shared projects.
- Engaging Format: Combining functionality with artistic appeal, the map serves as both a decorative artifact and an interactive educational tool.
- Iterative Refinement: Regular updates since 2008 have ensured the map reflects new discoveries and maintains relevance for its audience.
- A Metro-Style Diagram: Lines for iconic theatre professionals, intersections for shared productions, and stops for key works.
- Educational and Entertaining: Users can trace the connections between shows like Into the Woods and Show Boat, or follow the collaborations of legends like Stephen Sondheim.
- Large-Format Design: Available in sizes up to 36x24 inches, the map invites exploration and serves as a conversation-starting centerpiece.
- Educational Use: Featured in classrooms and academic institutions, enhancing learning about musical theatre history.
- Professional Recognition: Sold in the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts gift shop, cementing its cultural and scholarly value.
- Audience Delight: Praised for its design and detail, with customers calling it a “masterpiece” and a “treasure for theatre lovers.”
Joanna Czech’s e-commerce platform struggled to reflect her status as a luxury brand. The grayscale, functional design failed to capture her high-end aesthetic, limiting user engagement and holding back business growth. The challenge was to elevate her digital presence to match her celebrity reputation while driving significant revenue growth.
APPROACHI led a comprehensive digital transformation rooted in strategic design and collaboration. My approach included:
- Creative Direction: Redefining the brand’s digital aesthetic to exude luxury and exclusivity.
- User-Centered Design: Conducting research to craft an intuitive and visually engaging user experience.
- Content Strategy: Aligning website content with Joanna’s successful social media presence to ensure a seamless journey from click to purchase.
- Scalable Framework: Designing with scalability in mind to support rapid business growth.
- A narrative-driven interface that transformed every interaction into an extension of Joanna’s expertise.
- Sophisticated visual design leveraging fundamental principles like point, line, and plane to evoke elegance and simplicity.
- Integrated social media strategies to drive traffic and create a cohesive brand ecosystem.
- Streamlined navigation and purchasing flows to enhance user engagement and conversion rates.
The transformation delivered remarkable business results:
- Increased annual revenue from $300K to $5M in three years.
- Elevated Joanna Czech’s brand perception as a leader in luxury skincare.
- Improved user satisfaction, as evidenced by higher engagement metrics and repeat customers.
A look at the philosophy and practice driving my design leadership
I design experiences that empower and inspire. At DigitalOcean, I lead a talented team to deliver intuitive, impactful solutions for cloud developers, blending data-driven insights with creativity to drive real results. My work at IBM focused on crafting self-service tools that met the needs of even the most technically complex environments, pushing design at the speed of business.
With an MFA in Communication Design and a BFA in Graphic Design, my background in theatre and design drives my approach—emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and a relentless focus on human-centered design. I’m passionate about mentoring and building teams that push boundaries, solve problems, and anticipate the future.
Leadership for me isn’t just about managing—it’s about fostering environments where ideas thrive, driving alignment, and empowering people to deliver excellence.
Design as Story, Leadership as Direction
Leadership, like theatre, is about creating connection. It’s knowing your audience, pacing the story, and orchestrating moments that resonate. I lead teams like a director: bringing diverse voices together, setting a clear vision, and ensuring every detail contributes to the larger narrative.
From my time in academia, I bring a love of experimentation and a focus on measurable outcomes. I believe in crafting environments where bold ideas are tested, refined, and brought to life with both creativity and precision. Like a great production, the work should feel effortless—but only after rigorous preparation.
Core Principles
- Connection to Audience: Every design begins with empathy, anticipating needs and creating solutions that feel intuitive, personal, and impactful.
- Pacing and Energy: Leadership requires rhythm—knowing when to push, when to pause, and how to keep the team aligned and inspired.
- Iterative Excellence: Borrowing from academia, I embrace rubrics and experimentation, blending creativity with metrics to guide both design and growth.
The Vision
Great design tells a story. Great leadership shapes the cast and choreography that make the story possible. Together, they create not just outcomes, but experiences that leave a lasting impression—on teams, users, and the future.