Hello! 👋🏻
Available for new projects or full-time work
I design clear, trusted products for complex, high-stakes industries.
Senior product designer and design leader with 13+ years of experience across healthcare, utilities, SaaS, finance, and defense.
I lead product design from strategy and research through design and launch, using research insights and AI-assisted prototyping to bring clarity to messy design problems.
Selected work
About
Designing and improving messy products and complex systems for 13+ years.
Today I lead product design and human factors work at HF Designworks and support BombBomb as an independent product designer. Previously, I spent more than a decade at Blink UX, advancing from interaction designer to design director while leading interdisciplinary teams and design strategy for clients including NASA, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and Avangrid.
I’m seeking a senior or lead product design role, either remote or hybrid in the Denver metro area.
MS, Human Centered Design & Engineering, University of Washington
Expertise
01
Product design for complex workflows
Information architecture, interaction design, and product strategy for workflows where clarity and trust matter.
02
Systems thinking
Connecting people, processes, policies, data, and technology to improve the end-to-end experience, not just the interface.
03
Research and human factors
Customer research, concept and usability testing, and human factors assessments that ground decisions in evidence.
04
Design leadership
Aligning teams and stakeholders around ambiguous problems and guiding the work through delivery.
05
Design systems
Reusable components, patterns, and documentation that help teams design and build consistently.
06
Rapid prototyping
High-fidelity and AI-assisted prototypes that clarify ideas, reduce ambiguity, and accelerate decisions.
Clients
Testimonials
“Tristan is a strategic Design leader and his knack for identifying opportunities and navigating complex challenges is second to none. He knows how to work effectively with executives and not only understands their unique needs and priorities but also has the finesse to influence change at the highest levels of an organization. Tristan’s insights and recommendations have consistently made a significant impact on our clients strategic design decisions.”
Brett C.
VP of Revenue Growth
1/10
“Tristan is one of the most talented and thoughtful designers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. From the moment he joined our account, I felt reassured that our redesign work was in good hands. Tristan knows how to handle a room filled with stakeholders and subject matter experts at various levels and he has a delicate approach to challenging existing processes and addressing opportunities for improvement. He organized the team to ensure that the full, end-to-end, and behind-the-scenes journey was designed to truly deliver the best customer experience.”
Samantha S.
Head of Marketing & Customer Journey
2/10
“Tristan led our team effortlessly in our work to redesign a complex, technical title search product. He aligned a team of stakeholders on a vision and helped define a product strategy that went hand-in-hand with streamlined, user-centric designs. As a designer, I felt supported and empowered to do my best work as Tristan guided the project through twists and turns. He is calm under pressure, can read situations well, and knows how to be an advocate for design that respects clients’ processes while pushing them in forward-thinking directions”
Alex P.
UX Designer
3/10
“I had the pleasure of working with Tristan as part of a multi-year initiative to reimagine our flagship product. Tristan keenly understands the balance of time and resources when determining which UX / UI activities and deliverables will provide the most value. He has a remarkable aptitude to quickly assimilate information and new concepts, and synthesize those into efficient workflows. On top of providing next-level design, he is extremely personable and fun, and my team thoroughly enjoyed our collaboration with him.”
Chris N.
Director, Solution Management
4/10
“Tristan was an invaluable resource on a very complex healthcare project where we required UI/UX resources to assist in the design of a new and innovative approach to our platforms. Not only did Tristan bring a level of professionalism and standard methodology in the realm of UI/UX to our team, he became a large contributor in innovating our platform overall. His approach also created a level of loyalty and trust on the team that is rarely experienced with a third party consultant.”
Kim C.
Chief of Product
5/10
“Tristan was the first employee I hired for my then-fledgling company back in 2008. To this day, no other candidate has done the research on the company, the products, or the customers like he did. This innate skillset and attention to detail carries over to everything he does. Tristan is my go-to designer but also my thought partner when working with a variety of clients across industries. He can initiate a project, plan it out and maintain time and budget, create brilliant designs that meet both client and user needs, and most of all he builds wonderful relationships with clients and team members. Tristan has been an instrumental part of my company and our projects for years and I am proud to have his support professionally and personally.”
Scott S.
Founder and CEO
6/10
“Working alongside Tristan it was evident how thoughtful, detail-oriented, and professional he is. In addition to his drive to deliver high-quality, evidence-based designs, he brings an exceptional level of partnership to all of his projects. That relationship building is critical to the success he brings to every project. For me personally, Tristan was a designer I always looked up to and a key person that sparked my journey to becoming a UX Researcher.”
Tim B.
Senior UX Researcher
7/10
“Tristan brought a unique collection of skills to our organization. Certainly, he’s a great designer, but his ability to communicate product vision and empathy for the customer to executive stakeholders and delivery teams alike made him a very valuable part of our team. Working with Tristan never felt like working with a third party, it felt like working with a fellow team member, collaborator and friend. He always checked pride of ownership at the door on his ideas and took feedback willingly to influence his decisions.”
Daniel B.
Vice President of Enterprise Applications
8/10
“Working with Tristan was a delight from start to finish. His expertise in design thinking made him an excellent partner when working on redesigning a highly complex user journey that impacted a variety of both internal stakeholders and end customers. Tristan approached each day of the project and it’s challenges with equal parts professionalism and inspiration — always able to think critically, creatively and innovate whenever pivoting was required. He led workshops with executives and traveled for stakeholder interviews, always willing to do what was needed to accomplish the goals for his client and the project.”
Meyrav L.
Senior Project Manager, Customer Journey
9/10
“I had a great experience as a researcher working under Tristan’s design direction. I appreciated his knowledge and understanding of the research process, where it best fit, and what questions it best helped answer throughout the human-centered design project we partnered together on. His expertise in design, navigating client communication and project management made an impression not just on the clients themselves but certainly on me – I’d love an opportunity to work with Tristan again!”
Angie M.
Principal Researcher
10/10
“Tristan is a strategic Design leader and his knack for identifying opportunities and navigating complex challenges is second to none. He knows how to work effectively with executives and not only understands their unique needs and priorities but also has the finesse to influence change at the highest levels of an organization. Tristan’s insights and recommendations have consistently made a significant impact on our clients strategic design decisions.”
Brett C.
VP of Revenue Growth
1/10
“Tristan is one of the most talented and thoughtful designers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. From the moment he joined our account, I felt reassured that our redesign work was in good hands. Tristan knows how to handle a room filled with stakeholders and subject matter experts at various levels and he has a delicate approach to challenging existing processes and addressing opportunities for improvement. He organized the team to ensure that the full, end-to-end, and behind-the-scenes journey was designed to truly deliver the best customer experience.”
Samantha S.
Head of Marketing & Customer Journey
2/10
“Tristan led our team effortlessly in our work to redesign a complex, technical title search product. He aligned a team of stakeholders on a vision and helped define a product strategy that went hand-in-hand with streamlined, user-centric designs. As a designer, I felt supported and empowered to do my best work as Tristan guided the project through twists and turns. He is calm under pressure, can read situations well, and knows how to be an advocate for design that respects clients’ processes while pushing them in forward-thinking directions”
Alex P.
UX Designer
3/10
“I had the pleasure of working with Tristan as part of a multi-year initiative to reimagine our flagship product. Tristan keenly understands the balance of time and resources when determining which UX / UI activities and deliverables will provide the most value. He has a remarkable aptitude to quickly assimilate information and new concepts, and synthesize those into efficient workflows. On top of providing next-level design, he is extremely personable and fun, and my team thoroughly enjoyed our collaboration with him.”
Chris N.
Director, Solution Management
4/10
“Tristan was an invaluable resource on a very complex healthcare project where we required UI/UX resources to assist in the design of a new and innovative approach to our platforms. Not only did Tristan bring a level of professionalism and standard methodology in the realm of UI/UX to our team, he became a large contributor in innovating our platform overall. His approach also created a level of loyalty and trust on the team that is rarely experienced with a third party consultant.”
Kim C.
Chief of Product
5/10
“Tristan was the first employee I hired for my then-fledgling company back in 2008. To this day, no other candidate has done the research on the company, the products, or the customers like he did. This innate skillset and attention to detail carries over to everything he does. Tristan is my go-to designer but also my thought partner when working with a variety of clients across industries. He can initiate a project, plan it out and maintain time and budget, create brilliant designs that meet both client and user needs, and most of all he builds wonderful relationships with clients and team members. Tristan has been an instrumental part of my company and our projects for years and I am proud to have his support professionally and personally.”
Scott S.
Founder and CEO
6/10
“Working alongside Tristan it was evident how thoughtful, detail-oriented, and professional he is. In addition to his drive to deliver high-quality, evidence-based designs, he brings an exceptional level of partnership to all of his projects. That relationship building is critical to the success he brings to every project. For me personally, Tristan was a designer I always looked up to and a key person that sparked my journey to becoming a UX Researcher.”
Tim B.
Senior UX Researcher
7/10
“Tristan brought a unique collection of skills to our organization. Certainly, he’s a great designer, but his ability to communicate product vision and empathy for the customer to executive stakeholders and delivery teams alike made him a very valuable part of our team. Working with Tristan never felt like working with a third party, it felt like working with a fellow team member, collaborator and friend. He always checked pride of ownership at the door on his ideas and took feedback willingly to influence his decisions.”
Daniel B.
Vice President of Enterprise Applications
8/10
“Working with Tristan was a delight from start to finish. His expertise in design thinking made him an excellent partner when working on redesigning a highly complex user journey that impacted a variety of both internal stakeholders and end customers. Tristan approached each day of the project and it’s challenges with equal parts professionalism and inspiration — always able to think critically, creatively and innovate whenever pivoting was required. He led workshops with executives and traveled for stakeholder interviews, always willing to do what was needed to accomplish the goals for his client and the project.”
Meyrav L.
Senior Project Manager, Customer Journey
9/10
“I had a great experience as a researcher working under Tristan’s design direction. I appreciated his knowledge and understanding of the research process, where it best fit, and what questions it best helped answer throughout the human-centered design project we partnered together on. His expertise in design, navigating client communication and project management made an impression not just on the clients themselves but certainly on me – I’d love an opportunity to work with Tristan again!”
Angie M.
Principal Researcher
10/10
“Tristan is a strategic Design leader and his knack for identifying opportunities and navigating complex challenges is second to none. He knows how to work effectively with executives and not only understands their unique needs and priorities but also has the finesse to influence change at the highest levels of an organization. Tristan’s insights and recommendations have consistently made a significant impact on our clients strategic design decisions.”
Brett C.
VP of Revenue Growth
1/10
“Tristan is one of the most talented and thoughtful designers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. From the moment he joined our account, I felt reassured that our redesign work was in good hands. Tristan knows how to handle a room filled with stakeholders and subject matter experts at various levels and he has a delicate approach to challenging existing processes and addressing opportunities for improvement. He organized the team to ensure that the full, end-to-end, and behind-the-scenes journey was designed to truly deliver the best customer experience.”
Samantha S.
Head of Marketing & Customer Journey
2/10
“Tristan led our team effortlessly in our work to redesign a complex, technical title search product. He aligned a team of stakeholders on a vision and helped define a product strategy that went hand-in-hand with streamlined, user-centric designs. As a designer, I felt supported and empowered to do my best work as Tristan guided the project through twists and turns. He is calm under pressure, can read situations well, and knows how to be an advocate for design that respects clients’ processes while pushing them in forward-thinking directions”
Alex P.
UX Designer
3/10
“I had the pleasure of working with Tristan as part of a multi-year initiative to reimagine our flagship product. Tristan keenly understands the balance of time and resources when determining which UX / UI activities and deliverables will provide the most value. He has a remarkable aptitude to quickly assimilate information and new concepts, and synthesize those into efficient workflows. On top of providing next-level design, he is extremely personable and fun, and my team thoroughly enjoyed our collaboration with him.”
Chris N.
Director, Solution Management
4/10
“Tristan was an invaluable resource on a very complex healthcare project where we required UI/UX resources to assist in the design of a new and innovative approach to our platforms. Not only did Tristan bring a level of professionalism and standard methodology in the realm of UI/UX to our team, he became a large contributor in innovating our platform overall. His approach also created a level of loyalty and trust on the team that is rarely experienced with a third party consultant.”
Kim C.
Chief of Product
5/10
“Tristan was the first employee I hired for my then-fledgling company back in 2008. To this day, no other candidate has done the research on the company, the products, or the customers like he did. This innate skillset and attention to detail carries over to everything he does. Tristan is my go-to designer but also my thought partner when working with a variety of clients across industries. He can initiate a project, plan it out and maintain time and budget, create brilliant designs that meet both client and user needs, and most of all he builds wonderful relationships with clients and team members. Tristan has been an instrumental part of my company and our projects for years and I am proud to have his support professionally and personally.”
Scott S.
Founder and CEO
6/10
“Working alongside Tristan it was evident how thoughtful, detail-oriented, and professional he is. In addition to his drive to deliver high-quality, evidence-based designs, he brings an exceptional level of partnership to all of his projects. That relationship building is critical to the success he brings to every project. For me personally, Tristan was a designer I always looked up to and a key person that sparked my journey to becoming a UX Researcher.”
Tim B.
Senior UX Researcher
7/10
“Tristan brought a unique collection of skills to our organization. Certainly, he’s a great designer, but his ability to communicate product vision and empathy for the customer to executive stakeholders and delivery teams alike made him a very valuable part of our team. Working with Tristan never felt like working with a third party, it felt like working with a fellow team member, collaborator and friend. He always checked pride of ownership at the door on his ideas and took feedback willingly to influence his decisions.”
Daniel B.
Vice President of Enterprise Applications
8/10
“Working with Tristan was a delight from start to finish. His expertise in design thinking made him an excellent partner when working on redesigning a highly complex user journey that impacted a variety of both internal stakeholders and end customers. Tristan approached each day of the project and it’s challenges with equal parts professionalism and inspiration — always able to think critically, creatively and innovate whenever pivoting was required. He led workshops with executives and traveled for stakeholder interviews, always willing to do what was needed to accomplish the goals for his client and the project.”
Meyrav L.
Senior Project Manager, Customer Journey
9/10
“I had a great experience as a researcher working under Tristan’s design direction. I appreciated his knowledge and understanding of the research process, where it best fit, and what questions it best helped answer throughout the human-centered design project we partnered together on. His expertise in design, navigating client communication and project management made an impression not just on the clients themselves but certainly on me – I’d love an opportunity to work with Tristan again!”
Angie M.
Principal Researcher
10/10