About

TOM ZEHNER

User Experience, Visual Design, App Developer

Seasoned professional with over 20 years experience and a proven track record of developing award-winning  products along with a deep understanding of human behavior and design principles. Skilled at designing intuitive and engaging user interfaces across diverse product lines. Champion of user-centered design, adept at collaborating with cross-functional teams to integrate design thinking into all facets of product development. Proficient in overseeing user research, usability testing, and utilizing metrics to refine designs. Skilled leader and mentor, experienced in building and nurturing high-performing UX teams. Dedicated to staying abreast of the latest UX design trends and technologies to drive innovation and enhance user experiences.

Skills

• DESIGN - Conceptualization, Wireframing, Prototyping, Design Systems, User Flows, IA Diagrams 

• RESEARCH – Usability Testing and User Research, AB testing,  Heuristic Evaluations, UI Audits

• PLATFORMS – MacOS, Windows, UNIX, DOS, iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, WinCE, Palm OS, Playstaton, Nintendo, Sega 

• LANGUAGES - HTML, XML, CSS, TAT

• FRAMEWORKS – Bootstrap, Kendo, Angular, Xamarin, Ionic, Material, SAAS

• TECHNOLOGY – AI, Location Services, Contextually Aware, Wireless and Cellular Technology, Touch Screen, Mouse-driven and Real-time 3D interaction

• SOFTWARE – Figma, Sketch, Invision, Adobe CS, Axure, Omnigraffle, Balsamiq, Visio, Microsoft Office, G Suite, Jira, Slack, Zoom, Airtable, SketchUp, Alias Maya, Soft Image, Blender, 3D Studio

• PROJECT MANAGEMENT – Strategic UX Vision Development, User-Centered Design Principles, Team Leadership and Mentorship, Quality Assurance and Innovation

EXPERIENCE

UX Director, Proliant, Atlanta, GA — NOVEMBER  2017 - PRESENT

• Established UX department and built a skilled design team

• Lead a team of UX/UI designers and researchers, nurturing a culture of collaboration and innovation

• Develop strategic UX visions to elevate user satisfaction and brand loyalty 

• Maintain a clear design vision for products/services, ensuring coherence and user-friendliness

• Design and prototype various products, balancing high-level concepts with detailed interactions

• Delivered first iOS and Android applications within first 6 months

• Conducted presentations for the CEO, CFO, Development, Design and Sales teams

• Effectively communicate the value of design initiatives to stakeholders, to gain support 

• Drive user research and usability testing to inform designs with robust insights and feedback

• Utilize metrics and user feedback iteratively to refine and optimize designs continually

• Establish scalable design systems for consistent and efficient product development

• Stay updated on the latest UX design trends and technologies, integrating tools into workflows

• Oversee the design process from ideation to execution, ensuring top quality and innovation

• Promote user-centered design principles company-wide, collaborating across teams for integrated design thinking

Lead UX Designer, Paylocity, Schaumburg IL — SEPTEMBER  2012 - OCTOBER 2017

• Successfully launched iOS, Android, and Windows OS applications within aggressive timelines

• Proficient in responsive and fluid design for desktop, tablet, and mobile applications

• Produced wireframes, task flows, high-fidelity mockups, illustrations and animations to visualize and communicate design concepts 

• Developed UX Design Systems to facilitate collaboration between stakeholders and development

• Experienced in Agile and Kanban methodologies for effective project management

Senior UX Designer, Google, Libertyville, IL —AUGUST 2008 - AUGUST 2012

• Creator of SMARTACTIONS™ #1 software in Motorola’s history

• Deployed globally on millions of phones such as Droid and RAZR

• Specializing in context, location services and mobile form factors 

• Developed consistent look and feel across 15 product lines

• Collaborated with 30+ team members across 11 studios, Libertyville, IL, Bangalore, India, Beijing, China, Sunnyvale, CA,Indianapolis, IN

• Products: SMARTACTIONS™, Genie, Rich Location, Widgets

• “SmartActions is an amazing tool” – Jack Wallen, The Tech Republic, Jan 17, 2012

• “SmartActions app is pure brilliance…” – David Pogue, New York Times, Feb 8, 2012

• “SmartActions is the single best feature of the RAZR” – The Verge, Nov 7, 2011 

Senior UX Designer, Motorola, Schaumburg, IL — APRIL 2000 - JULY 2008

• Designer of graphically rich user interfaces for next generation applications

• Established a consistent look and feel of over 15 products across the Public Safety portfolio

• Collaborated across  five studios,  Schaumburg, IL, Shalimar, FL, Boulder, CO,  Adelaide and Perth Australia

• Products: TxMessenger™, AirMobile™, Premier Handheld, Citations, PremierOne, PMDC

Lead Game Designer, Terraglyph, Schaumburg, IL — SEPTEMBER 1999 - APRIL 2000

• Developer of original and commercial content for Nintendo 64

• Designer of open world environments

• 3D polygonal modeling, texture mapping, vertex coloring 

• Collaborated directly  with Nickelodeon Studios

• Products: Carnivale, Blues Clues

Senior 3D Designer, Sega / Visual Concepts, San Rafael, CA — DECEMBER 1997 - SEPTEMBER 1999

• Creator of original content for the Sega Dreamcast

• Developed on Sega's cutting-edge  SET 2 - SET 5 Katana boards 

• Designer of AI characters interacting within complex environments 

• 3D  polygonal modeling, texture mapping, lighting, vertex coloring

• Products: Floigan Brothers

Lead Game Designer, Viacom New Media, Buffalo Grove, IL — MARCH 1993 - SEPTEMBER 1997

• Creator of  “Beavis and Butthead in Virtual Stupidity,” #1 best selling game in Viacom’s  history

• Character generation, game design, video editing, rotoscoping, and color optimization

• Established new graphical processes during development cycle

• Products: MTV's SlamScape, Beavis and Butthead Cheap Clicks, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Nickelodeon’s Guts, Rocko's Modern Life

Senior Artist, Icom Simulations, Wheeling, IL — NOVEMBER 1990 - MARCH 1993

• Developer of multi-platform entertainment titles

• Designer of multiple  custom tools, increased production by 50%

• Products: Shapeshifter, Beyond Shadowgate, Camp California, Right paint, Intermission

Design Director, Glenview, IL — JUNE 1989 - JANUARY 1991

• Creator of the first Macintosh color sports game

• Designer of all media including animation, environments, cut scenes 

• Products: Technical Snapshot, TaskMaker and MacSki

• “Macintosh Hall of Fame” – MacWorld 1990

AWARDS

“Leader Award 2023” Proliant Mobile - G2 2023

“Excellence in Technology” ReadyPay Today – Brandon Hill Group 2022

“Core 77 Design Award”  Smart Actions  – Core77  2012

“Digital Design Winner”  Smart Actions  -IDSA  2012

“Video Game of Year”  Beavis and Butthead – PC Gamer 1995

“Parents Choice Award”  Beavis and Butthead – Newsweek 1995

“Top 10 Best TurboGrafx Games”  ShapeShifter – TurboPlay 1992

“Best Sports Game of the Year” Macski – Macworld 1990