About
TOM ZEHNER
User Experience, Visual Design, App Developer
As a leader, I thrive in diverse environments and excel at fostering collaborative relationships. I have successfully managed and mentored UX designers, guiding them to deliver high-quality work on time. I am skilled at management, advocating for user-centric design principles while balancing business goals and constraints. With a strong focus on continuous improvement, I actively seek feedback and iterate on designs to ensure user satisfaction.
Over the past 30+ years, I have honed my expertise in user experience design, working across various industries and collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful solutions. I have a proven track record of developing intuitive interfaces and optimizing user interactions through research, user testing, and data analysis. My understanding of user behavior enables me to craft seamless and engaging experiences that align with business objectives. Additionally, I have a strong technical awareness, staying up-to-date with the latest UX trends and tools, and effectively communicating design concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
A well grounded conceptual thinker developing mobile, enterprise, and multimedia rich applications. High level technical expertise and idea generation. Proven record of delivering award-winning products along with extensive knowledge in game development and user-experience design. Comfortable working on teams from start-ups to global software sites. Formal training in illustration and design. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Dedicated, creative, inventive and enthusiastic.
Highlights
Technology: Location & Contextually Aware, Wireless/Cellular
Systems: Sony, Nintendo, Sega, PC
Relationships: MTV, Nickelodeon, Viacom, Virgin, NEC, GE, Microsoft, Motorola, Google
Mobile Device Platforms
Web Software Development
Responsive Design, Touch Screen Devices, Mouse-driven and Real-time 3D interaction
Conceptualization, Wireframing, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Interaction and Visual Design
Co-Founding member of Storm Impact game company
EXPERIENCE
Proliant, Atlanta, GA —User Experience Director
NOVEMBER 2017 - PRESENT
Established the organization's UX department
Assembled a team of diverse designers to create user-friendly and enjoyable experiences
Supervise a range of UX professionals, including researchers, visual and interaction designers, UI architects, and UX developers
Fulfill managerial responsibilities such as mentoring, scheduling, conducting yearly reviews, and overseeing the recruitment process
Conduct weekly presentations to top-level executives, including the CEO, CFO, CRO, Production, and Sales
Engage in quarterly and annual planning meetings with stakeholders
Developed a comprehensive UX design system to provide guidance for all system components
Possess a clear vision for current and future products
Advocate for ADA/accessibility compliance features
Emphasize the importance of exceptional user experience based on customer feedback
Drive organizational change to enhance customer experience
Successfully delivered desktop, tablet, mobile web, iOS, and Android applications
Paylocity, Schaumburg IL —Lead User Experience Designer
SEPTEMBER 2012 - OCTOBER 2017
Designer of desktop, tablet and mobile applications
Delivered first iOS application in first 8 months
Delivered first Android application 4 months later
Delivered first WinOS application 6 months later
Created UX Design System for Stakeholders and Development
Provided wireframes, task flows, high fidelity mockups, animations
Specializing in responsive design, Xamarin and Ionic frameworks
Knowledgeable in Agile and Kanban models
Google / Motorola, Libertyville, IL —Senior User Experience Engineer
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
Motorola, Schaumburg, IL —Human Factors Specialist
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
Terraglyph, Schaumburg, IL —Lead Game Designer
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
Sega / Visual Concepts, San Rafael, CA —Senior 3D Artist
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
Viacom New Media, Buffalo Grove, IL —Senior Game Designer
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
Icom Simulations, Wheeling, IL —Senior Artist
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
Storm Impact, Glenview, IL — Art Director / Co-Founder
JUNE 1989 - NOVEMBER 1990
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
SKILLS
MacOS, Windows, Unix, DOS, Android, iOS, Win OS
Adobe CS, Figma, Sketch, Invision, Axure, Omnigraffle, Balsamiq, Flinto, Visio
SketchUp, Alias, Maya, Soft Image, Blender, 3D Studio, Infiniti-D
Ms Office, Jira, Slack, Zoom, Airtable
AWARDS
“ 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
LANGUAGES
LANGUAGES
HTML, XML, CSS, TAT