Product & UX Case Studies
Five examples of product design at system scale, from 0→1 platforms and enterprise workflows to ecommerce growth and cross-product strategy.
Across these projects, I use research and system models to help Product and Engineering decide what to build, then stay close enough to implementation to make sure it works in the real product.
Selected Work
ACT Roadmap Builder pathway-planning experience connecting schools, majors, careers, and learner information.
Enterprise Systems · UX Strategy & Leadership · ACT, Inc. · EdTech · 2016–2018

Defined a longitudinal learner experience across 37+ systems and 5+ product lines.

Led UX strategy and cross-product alignment, shifting roadmaps toward a more continuous learner experience.

ACT Roadmap Builder pathway-planning experience connecting schools, majors, careers, and learner information.
Enterprise Systems · UX Strategy & Leadership · ACT, Inc. · EdTech · 2016–2018

Defined a longitudinal learner experience across 37+ systems and 5+ product lines.

Led UX strategy and cross-product alignment, shifting roadmaps toward a more continuous learner experience.

Enterprise Systems · UX Strategy & Leadership · ACT, Inc. · EdTech · 2016–2018
ACT Roadmap Builder pathway-planning experience connecting schools, majors, careers, and learner information.

Defined a longitudinal learner experience across 37+ systems and 5+ product lines.

Led UX strategy and cross-product alignment, shifting roadmaps toward a more continuous learner experience.

Research-Led Product Design · Measurable Growth · Hy-Vee · Consumer Ecommerce · 2020–2022

A 100+ product audit showed the PDP redesign depended on the product model and variation system.

Authored the rules, aligned Hy-Vee with ProdX on two API changes, and helped move Similar Items conversion from 0.82% to 1.49%.

Hy-Vee product detail experience showing product variation and fulfillment choices.
Hy-Vee product detail experience showing product variation and fulfillment choices.

Research-Led Product Design · Measurable Growth · Hy-Vee · Consumer Ecommerce · 2020–2022

A 100+ product audit showed the PDP redesign depended on the product model and variation system.

Authored the rules, aligned Hy-Vee with ProdX on two API changes, and helped move Similar Items conversion from 0.82% to 1.49%.

Research-Led Product Design · Measurable Growth · Hy-Vee · Consumer Ecommerce · 2020–2022

A 100+ product audit showed the PDP redesign depended on the product model and variation system.

Authored the rules, aligned Hy-Vee with ProdX on two API changes, and helped move Similar Items conversion from 0.82% to 1.49%.

Hy-Vee product detail experience showing product variation and fulfillment choices.
Vertex 3D collaboration interface with model review, comments, and collaborative markup.
0→1 Product Design · Technical Collaboration · Vertex · Manufacturing & Engineering SaaS · 2018–2019

As Founding Product Design Lead and the sole designer in year one, I defined the 0→1 collaboration model for complex 3D work.

Designed around CAD, security, performance, and research-access constraints. I also implemented React/CSS changes in the product repository.

Vertex 3D collaboration interface with model review, comments, and collaborative markup.
0→1 Product Design · Technical Collaboration · Vertex · Manufacturing & Engineering SaaS · 2018–2019

As Founding Product Design Lead and the sole designer in year one, I defined the 0→1 collaboration model for complex 3D work.

Designed around CAD, security, performance, and research-access constraints. I also implemented React/CSS changes in the product repository.

0→1 Product Design · Technical Collaboration · Vertex · Manufacturing & Engineering SaaS · 2018–2019
Vertex 3D collaboration interface with model review, comments, and collaborative markup.

As Founding Product Design Lead and the sole designer in year one, I defined the 0→1 collaboration model for complex 3D work.

Designed around CAD, security, performance, and research-access constraints. I also implemented React/CSS changes in the product repository.

Complex Workflows · Research & Product Strategy · Innovation Refunds · B2B SaaS Startup · 2022–2023

I turned what top reps knew into guided workflows for live sales conversations, taking on product framing and prioritization alongside the design work.

Nine research-based customer archetypes shaped a unified knowledge center that supported faster onboarding, better continuity during live calls, and more consistent sales messaging.

Innovation Refunds Knowledge Center interface supporting guided sales conversations and governed internal guidance.
Innovation Refunds Knowledge Center interface supporting guided sales conversations and governed internal guidance.
Complex Workflows · Research & Product Strategy · Innovation Refunds · B2B SaaS Startup · 2022–2023

I turned what top reps knew into guided workflows for live sales conversations, taking on product framing and prioritization alongside the design work.

Nine research-based customer archetypes shaped a unified knowledge center that supported faster onboarding, better continuity during live calls, and more consistent sales messaging.

Complex Workflows · Research & Product Strategy · Innovation Refunds · B2B SaaS Startup · 2022–2023

I turned what top reps knew into guided workflows for live sales conversations, taking on product framing and prioritization alongside the design work.

Nine research-based customer archetypes shaped a unified knowledge center that supported faster onboarding, better continuity during live calls, and more consistent sales messaging.

Innovation Refunds Knowledge Center interface supporting guided sales conversations and governed internal guidance.
PearsonAccess Next student workflow interface showing student records, search, status, and administration actions.
Field Research · Enterprise Interaction Design · Pearson · EdTech · 2008–2013

Redesigned a mission-critical K–12 test administration platform around how coordinators actually worked.

Hand selected by the Core Engineering director as the sole interaction designer, I turned field research into task-based navigation and a coded prototype engineers could build from.

PearsonAccess Next student workflow interface showing student records, search, status, and administration actions.
Field Research · Enterprise Interaction Design · Pearson · EdTech · 2008–2013

Redesigned a mission-critical K–12 test administration platform around how coordinators actually worked.

Hand selected by the Core Engineering director as the sole interaction designer, I turned field research into task-based navigation and a coded prototype engineers could build from.

Field Research · Enterprise Interaction Design · Pearson · EdTech · 2008–2013
PearsonAccess Next student workflow interface showing student records, search, status, and administration actions.

Redesigned a mission-critical K–12 test administration platform around how coordinators actually worked.

Hand selected by the Core Engineering director as the sole interaction designer, I turned field research into task-based navigation and a coded prototype engineers could build from.

Colleague feedback
Derek excels at clarifying complex problems and making the right tradeoffs visible. He consistently aligns teams around shared understanding, allowing decisions to move forward with confidence rather than opinion.
Jason Engelbart

Product Design Leader | Ex-Amazon
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Experience Index
The case studies only cover a slice of my work. The Experience Index is a quicker way to scan the products, domains, and types of work I’ve taken on over the years.
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