Technology consulting company (under NDA)
Technology consulting company (under NDA)
Technology consulting company (under NDA)
Technology consulting company (under NDA)
How I used AI to evolve a Product Design practice and shaped the future of their SaaS products
How I used AI to evolve a Product Design practice and shaped the future of their SaaS products
How I used AI to evolve a Product Design practice and shaped the future of their SaaS products
How I used AI to evolve a Product Design practice and shaped the future of their SaaS products
Hired as a long-term consultant, leading the Product Design team across 2 SaaS products
Hired as a long-term consultant, leading the Product Design team across 2 SaaS products
Hired as a long-term consultant, leading the Product Design team across 2 SaaS products
YEARS
YEARS
May 2024-Current
May 2024-Current
ROLE
ROLE
Sr. Director of Product Design
Sr. Director of Product Design
TYPE
TYPE
SaaS Product
SaaS Product
ROLE:
Sr. Director, Product Design
YEARS:
2024 - Current
TYPE:
SaaS Products
Hired as a long-term consultant, leading the Product Design team across 2 SaaS product
ROLE
Sr. Director, Product Design
YEARS
2024-Current
TYPE
SaaS Products
SITUATION
Scaled product, unscaled design team
This tech transformation consultancy has developed a robust suite of enterprise SaaS tools for IT asset and contract management. However, the UX/UI hadn’t evolved with the product’s complexity. Product Design lacked leadership, processes, and a consistent approach to scale across products.
I was brought in to level up the design function by introducing structure, aligning teams, improving design-engineering collaboration, and freeing up the SVP of Product from managing design day-to-day.
SITUATION
Scaled product, unscaled design team
This tech transformation consultancy has developed a robust suite of enterprise SaaS tools for IT asset and contract management. However, the UX/UI hadn’t evolved with the product’s complexity. Product Design lacked leadership, processes, and a consistent approach to scale across products.
I was brought in to level up the design function by introducing structure, aligning teams, improving design-engineering collaboration, and freeing up the SVP of Product from managing design day-to-day.
SITUATION
Scaled product, unscaled design team
This tech transformation consultancy has developed a robust suite of enterprise SaaS tools for IT asset and contract management. However, the UX/UI hadn’t evolved with the product’s complexity. Product Design lacked leadership, processes, and a consistent approach to scale across products.
I was brought in to level up the design function by introducing structure, aligning teams, improving design-engineering collaboration, and freeing up the SVP of Product from managing design day-to-day.
SITUATION
Scaled product, unscaled design team
This tech transformation consultancy has developed a robust suite of enterprise SaaS tools for IT asset and contract management. However, the UX/UI hadn’t evolved with the product’s complexity. Product Design lacked leadership, processes, and a consistent approach to scale across products.
I was brought in to level up the design function by introducing structure, aligning teams, improving design-engineering collaboration, and freeing up the SVP of Product from managing design day-to-day.
The challenge:
No established Product Design leadership, which led to inconsistent UX and UI across the product experience.
No established Product Design leadership, which led to inconsistent UX and UI across the product experience.
No established Product Design leadership, which led to inconsistent UX and UI across the product experience.
Designers lacked collaborative processes, systems, and close alignment with engineering.
Designers lacked collaborative processes, systems, and close alignment with engineering.
Designers lacked collaborative processes, systems, and close alignment with engineering.
Design team was overly reliant on the SVP of Product, often waiting for direction and management.
Design team was overly reliant on the SVP of Product, often waiting for direction and management.
Design team was overly reliant on the SVP of Product, often waiting for direction and management.
Product experiences were functional but not intuitive, lacking a customer-first mindset.
Product experiences were functional but not intuitive, lacking a customer-first mindset.
Product experiences were functional but not intuitive, lacking a customer-first mindset.
My mandate:
Provide hands-on leadership to establish scalable UX practices and systems.
Provide hands-on leadership to establish scalable UX practices and systems.
Provide hands-on leadership to establish scalable UX practices and systems.
Uplevel design quality and consistency across three major SaaS platforms.
Uplevel design quality and consistency across three major SaaS platforms.
Uplevel design quality and consistency across three major SaaS platforms.
Improve design/engineering collaboration and speed up delivery in agile sprints.
Improve design/engineering collaboration and speed up delivery in agile sprints.
Improve design/engineering collaboration and speed up delivery in agile sprints.
Introduce customer-centric design principles and processes.
Introduce customer-centric design principles and processes.
Introduce customer-centric design principles and processes.
Partner with the SVP of Product to bring new concepts to life.
Partner with the SVP of Product to bring new concepts to life.
Partner with the SVP of Product to bring new concepts to life.
2x
Loyalty Signup Goal
+65%
Site Sessions
+35%
Screen Views Per Session
3
Teams Aligned
2x
Loyalty Signup Goal
+65%
Site Sessions
+35%
Screen Views Per Session
3
Teams Aligned
LEADING TEAMS
Building design maturity and concept velocity
I'm acting as player-coach, leading the product design team while introducing design operations and rituals to improve consistency and efficiency. I launched a design system, coached the team on modern UX practices, and improved sprint workflows with engineering.
As the team gained maturity, the SVP of Product brought me into innovation initiatives—what he called "concept cars"—future-facing concepts to excite clients and inspire internal teams. These experiments became catalysts for product innovation and sales enablement.
LEADING TEAMS
Building design maturity and concept velocity
I'm acting as player-coach, leading the product design team while introducing design operations and rituals to improve consistency and efficiency. I launched a design system, coached the team on modern UX practices, and improved sprint workflows with engineering.
As the team gained maturity, the SVP of Product brought me into innovation initiatives—what he called "concept cars"—future-facing concepts to excite clients and inspire internal teams. These experiments became catalysts for product innovation and sales enablement.
LEADING TEAMS
Building design maturity and concept velocity
I'm acting as player-coach, leading the product design team while introducing design operations and rituals to improve consistency and efficiency. I launched a design system, coached the team on modern UX practices, and improved sprint workflows with engineering.
As the team gained maturity, the SVP of Product brought me into innovation initiatives—what he called "concept cars"—future-facing concepts to excite clients and inspire internal teams. These experiments became catalysts for product innovation and sales enablement.
LEADING TEAMS
Building design maturity and concept velocity
I'm acting as player-coach, leading the product design team while introducing design operations and rituals to improve consistency and efficiency. I launched a design system, coached the team on modern UX practices, and improved sprint workflows with engineering.
As the team gained maturity, the SVP of Product brought me into innovation initiatives—what he called "concept cars"—future-facing concepts to excite clients and inspire internal teams. These experiments became catalysts for product innovation and sales enablement.
My approach to leading the team:
My approach to leading the team:
My approach to leading the team:
Establish formal design operations to support more consistent and efficient output.
Create and scale a design system to unify UX across the platform and reduce rework.
Build closer relationships between designers and engineers to improve sprint velocity.
Mentor design team in modern research and UX techniques using GenAI and and Design Thinking.
Lead team critiques and async workflows to offload work from the SVP of Product.
Champion a customer council to help inform our strategy and validate design solutions.
UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMER NEEDS
It's all about controlling the data
Unfortunately, the product design team isn't allowed direct access to speak with customers to learn how they use the product and understand their needs. However, through interviews with client reps and workflow audits, we discovered key areas of frustration with our users: IT and Procurement Leaders in enterprise companies.
UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMER NEEDS
It's all about controlling the data
Unfortunately, the product design team isn't allowed direct access to speak with customers to learn how they use the product and understand their needs. However, through interviews with client reps and workflow audits, we discovered key areas of frustration with our users: IT and Procurement Leaders in enterprise companies.
UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMER NEEDS
It's all about controlling the data
Unfortunately, the product design team isn't allowed direct access to speak with customers to learn how they use the product and understand their needs. However, through interviews with client reps and workflow audits, we discovered key areas of frustration with our users: IT and Procurement Leaders in enterprise companies.
UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMER NEEDS
It's all about controlling the data
Unfortunately, the product design team isn't allowed direct access to speak with customers to learn how they use the product and understand their needs. However, through interviews with client reps and workflow audits, we discovered key areas of frustration with our users: IT and Procurement Leaders in enterprise companies.
Inconsistent and confusing asset taxonomy
Inconsistent and confusing asset taxonomy
Need for more powerful search and filtering tools
Need for more powerful search and filtering tools
Confusing order and shipping information
Confusing order and shipping information
Lack of useful dashboards and reporting tools
Lack of useful dashboards and reporting tools
Research Methods:
Customer Rep Interviews
Analytics Review
Customer Feedback
Customer Rep Interviews
Analytics Review
Customer Feedback
Activities I led:
Research Methods:
Customer Rep Interviews
Analytics Review
Customer Feedback
Activities I led:
Customer Rep Interviews
Analytics Review
Customer Feedback
DESIGN PROCESS
Transforming design and prototyping with GenAI
One of the biggest shifts I led was introducing AI-powered tools to accelerate the team's design workflow. I integrated tools like Figma Make and Claude Code into the team's workflow, enabling us to generate clickable prototypes in a fraction of the time it previously took.
These fast-turnaround prototypes made it easier for us to align quickly with engineering and stakeholders, ensuring that we were solving the right problems before investing heavily in design polish or development. This shift not only increased delivery speed but also built stronger trust and momentum.
DESIGN PROCESS
Transforming design and prototyping with GenAI
One of the biggest shifts I led was introducing AI-powered tools to accelerate the team's design workflow. I integrated tools like Figma Make and Claude Code into the team's workflow, enabling us to generate clickable prototypes in a fraction of the time it previously took.
These fast-turnaround prototypes made it easier for us to align quickly with engineering and stakeholders, ensuring that we were solving the right problems before investing heavily in design polish or development. This shift not only increased delivery speed but also built stronger trust and momentum.
DESIGN PROCESS
Transforming design and prototyping with GenAI
One of the biggest shifts I led was introducing AI-powered tools to accelerate the team's design workflow. I integrated tools like Figma Make and Claude Code into the team's workflow, enabling us to generate clickable prototypes in a fraction of the time it previously took.
These fast-turnaround prototypes made it easier for us to align quickly with engineering and stakeholders, ensuring that we were solving the right problems before investing heavily in design polish or development. This shift not only increased delivery speed but also built stronger trust and momentum.
DESIGN PROCESS
Transforming design and prototyping with GenAI
One of the biggest shifts I led was introducing AI-powered tools to accelerate the team's design workflow. I integrated tools like Figma Make and Claude Code into the team's workflow, enabling us to generate clickable prototypes in a fraction of the time it previously took.
These fast-turnaround prototypes made it easier for us to align quickly with engineering and stakeholders, ensuring that we were solving the right problems before investing heavily in design polish or development. This shift not only increased delivery speed but also built stronger trust and momentum.
Old Process
STEP 1
UI Design Creation
STEP 1
UI Design Creation
STEP 1
UI Design Creation
STEP 1
UI Design Creation
STEP 2
Build Prototype in Figma
STEP 2
Build Prototype in Figma
STEP 2
Build Prototype in Figma
STEP 2
Build Prototype in Figma
STEP 3
Engineering Team Review #1
STEP 3
Engineering Team Review #1
STEP 3
Engineering Team Review #1
STEP 3
Engineering Team Review #1
STEP 4
Stakeholder Review
STEP 4
Stakeholder Review
STEP 4
Stakeholder Review
STEP 4
Stakeholder Review
STEP 5
Final Design Edits w/component states
STEP 5
Final Design Edits w/component states
STEP 5
Final Design Edits w/component states
STEP 5
Final Design Edits w/component states
STEP 6
Engineering Team Review #1
STEP 6
Engineering Team Review #1
STEP 6
Engineering Team Review #1
STEP 6
Engineering Team Review #1
STEP 7
Writing Specifications
STEP 7
Writing Specifications
STEP 7
Writing Specifications
STEP 7
Writing Specifications
STEP 8
Engineering Development
STEP 8
Engineering Development
STEP 8
Engineering Development
STEP 8
Engineering Development
New Process
STEP 1
Collaborative Prototyping w/Figma Make
STEP 1
Collaborative Prototyping w/Figma Make
STEP 1
Collaborative Prototyping w/Figma Make
STEP 1
Collaborative Prototyping w/Figma Make
STEP 2
Stakeholder Review & Alignment
STEP 2
Stakeholder Review & Alignment
STEP 2
Stakeholder Review & Alignment
STEP 2
Stakeholder Review & Alignment
STEP 3
Customer Validation
STEP 3
Customer Validation
STEP 3
Customer Validation
STEP 3
Customer Validation
STEP 4
Design Refinement in Figma Design or Make
STEP 4
Design Refinement in Figma Design or Make
STEP 4
Design Refinement in Figma Design or Make
STEP 4
Design Refinement in Figma Design or Make
STEP 5
Engineering Development
STEP 5
Engineering Development
STEP 5
Engineering Development
STEP 5
Engineering Development
The new, AI-led approach has unlocked some big wins:
The new, AI-led approach has unlocked some big wins:
The new, AI-led approach has unlocked some big wins:
Faster Alignment
Co-creating from the start reduces back-and-forth, building shared understanding across disciplines.
Faster Alignment
Co-creating from the start reduces back-and-forth, building shared understanding across disciplines.
Faster Alignment
Co-creating from the start reduces back-and-forth, building shared understanding across disciplines.
Earlier Validation
By testing prototypes with users sooner, we ensure we’re building the right thing before we code.
Earlier Validation
By testing prototypes with users sooner, we ensure we’re building the right thing before we code.
Earlier Validation
By testing prototypes with users sooner, we ensure we’re building the right thing before we code.
Less Spec Work
The prototype becomes the shared source of truth, cutting down on lengthy design documentation.
Less Spec Work
The prototype becomes the shared source of truth, cutting down on lengthy design documentation.
Less Spec Work
The prototype becomes the shared source of truth, cutting down on lengthy design documentation.
Quicker Time to Market
The new process reduces design timelines from 2-3 weeks to under a week, while improving quality.
Quicker Time to Market
The new process reduces design timelines from 2-3 weeks to under a week, while improving quality.
Quicker Time to Market
The new process reduces design timelines from 2-3 weeks to under a week, while improving quality.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Delivering solutions customers need, with outcomes that make an impact
Leading with our new process, I acted as player-coach, guiding the product design team to deliver several product enhancements, new features, and full experiences. I also designed an AI onboarding toolkit for non-design teams to prototype ideas faster and explore AI-enhanced processes.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Delivering solutions customers need, with outcomes that make an impact
Leading with our new process, I acted as player-coach, guiding the product design team to deliver several product enhancements, new features, and full experiences. I also designed an AI onboarding toolkit for non-design teams to prototype ideas faster and explore AI-enhanced processes.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Delivering solutions customers need, with outcomes that make an impact
Leading with our new process, I acted as player-coach, guiding the product design team to deliver several product enhancements, new features, and full experiences. I also designed an AI onboarding toolkit for non-design teams to prototype ideas faster and explore AI-enhanced processes.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Delivering solutions customers need, with outcomes that make an impact
Leading with our new process, I acted as player-coach, guiding the product design team to deliver several product enhancements, new features, and full experiences. I also designed an AI onboarding toolkit for non-design teams to prototype ideas faster and explore AI-enhanced processes.
The work is under NDA due to its proprietary nature, so I can only describe the work. Images below are conceptual and only represent a small portion of the work.
The work is under NDA due to its proprietary nature, so I can only describe the work. Images below are conceptual and only represent a small portion of the work.
The work is under NDA due to its proprietary nature, so I can only describe the work. Images below are conceptual and only represent a small portion of the work.
The work is under NDA due to its proprietary nature, so I can only describe the work. Images below are conceptual and only represent a small portion of the work.
AI-Powered Taxonomy Engine
Led UX/UI for a LLM-powered Asset Taxonomy Engine to auto-classify thousands of IT assets and reduce QA cycles by 90%.
AI-Powered Taxonomy Engine
Led UX/UI for a LLM-powered Asset Taxonomy Engine to auto-classify thousands of IT assets and reduce QA cycles by 90%.
AI-Powered Taxonomy Engine
Led UX/UI for a LLM-powered Asset Taxonomy Engine to auto-classify thousands of IT assets and reduce QA cycles by 90%.
AI-Powered Taxonomy Engine
Led UX/UI for a LLM-powered Asset Taxonomy Engine to auto-classify thousands of IT assets and reduce QA cycles by 90%.
Forecasting IT Needs
Conceived and designed an AI-fueled Asset Insights tool to forecast IT needs based on real-time data ingestion and historical patterns.
Forecasting IT Needs
Conceived and designed an AI-fueled Asset Insights tool to forecast IT needs based on real-time data ingestion and historical patterns.
Forecasting IT Needs
Conceived and designed an AI-fueled Asset Insights tool to forecast IT needs based on real-time data ingestion and historical patterns.
Forecasting IT Needs
Conceived and designed an AI-fueled Asset Insights tool to forecast IT needs based on real-time data ingestion and historical patterns.
Intelligent Dashboards Bring Data to Life
Developed intelligent dashboards that surface critical actions and roadmap blockers in real time.
Intelligent Dashboards Bring Data to Life
Developed intelligent dashboards that surface critical actions and roadmap blockers in real time.
Intelligent Dashboards Bring Data to Life
Developed intelligent dashboards that surface critical actions and roadmap blockers in real time.
Intelligent Dashboards Bring Data to Life
Developed intelligent dashboards that surface critical actions and roadmap blockers in real time.
Helping Internal Teams Fill Missing Data
Boosted operational efficiency and client data accuracy by writing prompts & instructions for an AI-based tool that completes missing IT data.
Helping Internal Teams Fill Missing Data
Boosted operational efficiency and client data accuracy by writing prompts & instructions for an AI-based tool that completes missing IT data.
Helping Internal Teams Fill Missing Data
Boosted operational efficiency and client data accuracy by writing prompts & instructions for an AI-based tool that completes missing IT data.
Helping Internal Teams Fill Missing Data
Boosted operational efficiency and client data accuracy by writing prompts & instructions for an AI-based tool that completes missing IT data.
CHANGING CULTURE
Turning siloed efforts into a rhythm of continuous collaboration
In addition to the design process issues, I noticed the design team lacked regular, structured time to grow, connect, and collaborate across functions. I addressed this by introducing new weekly and bi-weekly rituals that brought momentum, mentorship, and alignment to the team.
CHANGING CULTURE
Turning siloed efforts into a rhythm of continuous collaboration
In addition to the design process issues, I noticed the design team lacked regular, structured time to grow, connect, and collaborate across functions. I addressed this by introducing new weekly and bi-weekly rituals that brought momentum, mentorship, and alignment to the team.
CHANGING CULTURE
Turning siloed efforts into a rhythm of continuous collaboration
In addition to the design process issues, I noticed the design team lacked regular, structured time to grow, connect, and collaborate across functions. I addressed this by introducing new weekly and bi-weekly rituals that brought momentum, mentorship, and alignment to the team.
CHANGING CULTURE
Turning siloed efforts into a rhythm of continuous collaboration
In addition to the design process issues, I noticed the design team lacked regular, structured time to grow, connect, and collaborate across functions. I addressed this by introducing new weekly and bi-weekly rituals that brought momentum, mentorship, and alignment to the team.
Weekly Design x Engineering Syncs
Weekly Design x Engineering Syncs
I launched a recurring meeting where designers and developers come together to align on our design system. We now discuss how to use MCP servers to connect our Figma design library directly to our codebase (Windsurf), ensuring consistency and speeding up delivery.
I launched a recurring meeting where designers and developers come together to align on our design system. We now discuss how to use MCP servers to connect our Figma design library directly to our codebase (Windsurf), ensuring consistency and speeding up delivery.
I launched a recurring meeting where designers and developers come together to align on our design system. We now discuss how to use MCP servers to connect our Figma design library directly to our codebase (Windsurf), ensuring consistency and speeding up delivery.
Weekly Design Team Support Sessions
Weekly Design Team Support Sessions
The product design team didn’t have a regular cadence to share work or support each other. I established weekly design sessions as a space for mentorship, skill building, and process improvement. These meetings foster a stronger team culture and raise the quality of everything we put into the world.
The product design team didn’t have a regular cadence to share work or support each other. I established weekly design sessions as a space for mentorship, skill building, and process improvement. These meetings foster a stronger team culture and raise the quality of everything we put into the world.
The product design team didn’t have a regular cadence to share work or support each other. I established weekly design sessions as a space for mentorship, skill building, and process improvement. These meetings foster a stronger team culture and raise the quality of everything we put into the world.
Bi-Weekly Customer Success Check-Ins
Bi-Weekly Customer Success Check-Ins
To keep our work grounded in real customer needs, I initiated a standing bi-weekly meeting with the Customer Success team. We use this time to hear directly from those closest to the users—discussing feedback, surfacing new opportunities, and reviewing upcoming design ideas before they go too far.
To keep our work grounded in real customer needs, I initiated a standing bi-weekly meeting with the Customer Success team. We use this time to hear directly from those closest to the users—discussing feedback, surfacing new opportunities, and reviewing upcoming design ideas before they go too far.
To keep our work grounded in real customer needs, I initiated a standing bi-weekly meeting with the Customer Success team. We use this time to hear directly from those closest to the users—discussing feedback, surfacing new opportunities, and reviewing upcoming design ideas before they go too far.
L'Oréal Paris
Up Next:
IMPACT
Measurable impact across the business and the team
These results show how cross-functional co-creation and consistent, integrated design practices can drive measurable improvements in speed, alignment, and customer value.
IMPACT
Measurable impact across the business and the team
These results show how cross-functional co-creation and consistent, integrated design practices can drive measurable improvements in speed, alignment, and customer value.
IMPACT
Measurable impact across the business and the team
These results show how cross-functional co-creation and consistent, integrated design practices can drive measurable improvements in speed, alignment, and customer value.
IMPACT
Measurable impact across the business and the team
These results show how cross-functional co-creation and consistent, integrated design practices can drive measurable improvements in speed, alignment, and customer value.
50%
50%
Faster design
& prototyping
Faster design
& prototyping
Unifed
Unifed
Design Systems
across 2 products
Design Systems
across 2 products
27%
27%
Reduction in
design-related tickets
Reduction in
design-related tickets
3
3
AI-Driven
experiences delivered
AI-Driven
experiences delivered
50%
Faster design & prototyping
Unified
Design Systems for two products
27%
Reduction in design-related tickets
3
AI-driven experiences delivered
50%
Faster design & prototyping
Unified
Design Systems for two products
27%
Reduction in design-related tickets
3
AI-driven experiences delivered
2x
Loyalty Signup goal
+35%
Site Sessions
+65%
Screens Views Per Session
3
Teams Aligned
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved by Steven Shay
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved by Steven Shay
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved by Steven Shay
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved by Steven Shay