Case Studies
Selected work across EdTech, consumer ecommerce, manufacturing SaaS, and B2B platforms, showing how I approach complex systems, cross-functional alignment, and product decisions under real-world constraints.
Each project reflects decisions made under real constraints, balancing user needs, business goals, and technical reality.
Selected Work
UX Strategy, Systems Design & Delivery · ACT, Inc. · EdTech

Reframed a fragmented ACT product ecosystem into a more unified learner experience spanning planning, testing, results, and next-step decisions.

Aligned product, research, architecture, and adjacent teams around a systems-level vision for continuity, personalization, and cross-product learner support.

UX Strategy, Systems Design & Delivery · ACT, Inc. · EdTech

Reframed a fragmented ACT product ecosystem into a more unified learner experience spanning planning, testing, results, and next-step decisions.

Aligned product, research, architecture, and adjacent teams around a systems-level vision for continuity, personalization, and cross-product learner support.

UX Strategy, Systems Design & Delivery · ACT, Inc. · EdTech

Reframed a fragmented ACT product ecosystem into a more unified learner experience spanning planning, testing, results, and next-step decisions.

Aligned product, research, architecture, and adjacent teams around a systems-level vision for continuity, personalization, and cross-product learner support.

Product Strategy, Research & Delivery · Hy-Vee · Consumer Ecommerce

Re-architected a highly complex product detail experience to support scale, variation, and long-term growth.

Defined and negotiated the variation system governing the platform migration, contributing to a 1.49% conversion rate increase and 84k additional add-to-carts.

Product Strategy, Research & Delivery · Hy-Vee · Consumer Ecommerce

Re-architected a highly complex product detail experience to support scale, variation, and long-term growth.

Defined and negotiated the variation system governing the platform migration, contributing to a 1.49% conversion rate increase and 84k additional add-to-carts.

Product Strategy, Research & Delivery · Hy-Vee · Consumer Ecommerce

Re-architected a highly complex product detail experience to support scale, variation, and long-term growth.

Defined and negotiated the variation system governing the platform migration, contributing to a 1.49% conversion rate increase and 84k additional add-to-carts.

0→1 Platform Design, Strategy & Delivery · Vertex · Manufacturing & Engineering SaaS

Defined interaction paradigms and system architecture for a cloud-based 3D collaboration platform built from zero to one.

Shaped a collaborative 3D modeling platform for large engineering and manufacturing organizations, with target accounts including Rockwell Collins, John Deere, Vermeer, and Caterpillar.

0→1 Platform Design, Strategy & Delivery · Vertex · Manufacturing & Engineering SaaS

Defined interaction paradigms and system architecture for a cloud-based 3D collaboration platform built from zero to one.

Shaped a collaborative 3D modeling platform for large engineering and manufacturing organizations, with target accounts including Rockwell Collins, John Deere, Vermeer, and Caterpillar.

0→1 Platform Design, Strategy & Delivery · Vertex · Manufacturing & Engineering SaaS

Defined interaction paradigms and system architecture for a cloud-based 3D collaboration platform built from zero to one.

Shaped a collaborative 3D modeling platform for large engineering and manufacturing organizations, with target accounts including Rockwell Collins, John Deere, Vermeer, and Caterpillar.

Internal Platforms, Research & Delivery · Innovation Refunds · B2B SaaS Startup

Led research, strategy, and delivery for a revenue-critical internal platform used by a rapidly scaling sales organization.

Translated insights from top performers and external research into guided workflows that improved speed, accuracy, and trust at scale.

Internal Platforms, Research & Delivery · Innovation Refunds · B2B SaaS Startup

Led research, strategy, and delivery for a revenue-critical internal platform used by a rapidly scaling sales organization.

Translated insights from top performers and external research into guided workflows that improved speed, accuracy, and trust at scale.

Internal Platforms, Research & Delivery · Innovation Refunds · B2B SaaS Startup

Led research, strategy, and delivery for a revenue-critical internal platform used by a rapidly scaling sales organization.

Translated insights from top performers and external research into guided workflows that improved speed, accuracy, and trust at scale.

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
Beyond the featured case studies, I’ve led and contributed to a wide range of initiatives across industries, product types, and organizational models. This index highlights the breadth of problems I’ve solved and the contexts in which I’ve operated.
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