lead product designer
My name is Bryan, and my secret sauce combines having produced my product(s) and experience leading UX teams, iterating with customers, motivating stakeholders, and designing and shipping UX/I that delivers on the big picture.
Bryan Dorsey
Take creative risks.
3 min read
1991
In art school, I had an idea that sparked a multidisciplinary design team across three majors: graphics, photography, and product design. We shipped an interactive kiosk that redefined ArtCenter's Unique Selling Proposition and won the first-ever Clio award for Interactive Media. The installation raised half a million dollars in sponsored projects from the LA County Museum of Art and Silicon Graphics. It was my first side hustle.
ArtCenter College of Design (1993)
BFA Graphics & Packaging Design
1999
We started an interactive firm, landed some vast accounts, and tallied 25 interactive design awards. Over five years, I managed five design teams and spoke at prominent design conferences nationwide.
Being a founder allowed me to follow my instincts without restraint, which led to a pivotal experience early in my design career. I resold an award-winning interface I designed and shipped for the launch of the Next Generation E-Class to Disney Consumer Products. I had shipped my first UI product. I’d learned a ton about service; I wanted more product.
Clients: Disney, Florida Department of Health, Imagine Television, IOC, Káhlua, Mercedes-Benz, Motorola, Pioneer, Tetra-Pak, USC, and the US Senior Open (to name a few)
2003-2014
When I started consulting, I kept my finger on the pulse of what my clients sought and fine-tuned how I recruited, worked with, and managed designers and developers. At this time, I discovered the fine art of managing stakeholders' expectations.
I also cut my teeth self-funding two software products and have a new respect for what it's like to be the client/business.
Servicing: Alpinestars, Boeing Business Jets, Decore, Oldcastle Glass, Pioneer, and the Natural Gourmet Institute (Manhattan)
2015-2020
I decided to gain more experience working in larger organizations and spent time as a Senior UX designer at a fintech and utility company. There, I learned agile environments, component libraries, corporate style guides, working with outside consultancies, and customer success platforms like Salesforce. I also taught Lean UX, mentored other UX Designers, and influenced product road maps with Product Management.
I wanted to better understand CX and customers' perceptions of brands, so in 2017, I launched my confectionery product, Danger Snacks. The experience has been an ongoing graduate program in Customer Lifetime Value and product management.
Senior UX Designer at Green Dot (2015-18), and UX Designer at Southern California Edison (2020-21)
I founded my own confectionery product Danger Snacks
May 2021 - February 2024
I recently contracted for American Family Insurance, leading UX for two business initiatives where I could apply my eCommerce experience.
The first product I worked on was their cross-sell/up-sell assistant/API. I conducted UX research and expanded the UI from serving only call center reps to including external AmFam insurance agents.
Amfam processes 20,000 payments per month. On my second agile team, I led UX for Android, iOS, and responsive web, guiding the product roadmap in improving their billing and payment flows to increase conversions and reduce call center volume.
Moving forward, I'd like to join a like-minded team working with products I believe in and a culture that aligns with my core values.
Lead UX Designer at American Family Insurance (2021-2024) focused on conversions.
I recently assembled a team to develop a React Native project called Due Due App.
I’m proud of my past, including taking creative risks, servicing big clients, collaborating with massive corporate teams, and producing self-funded products. It has given me a unique perspective on customer brand perception that many designers have yet to experience.
Moving forward, I'd like to join a like-minded team working with products I believe in and a culture that aligns with my core values.
PS. A recent article I wrote going behind the scenes of my story.
Many typographers and text enthusiasts insist that words are recognized by the outline around their shape. So, I took the challenge further using Figma and spelled Bryan with ten instances of a triangle component. #wireframing #figma
People ask me what the name Bryan means. I always tell them it means the lead singer of the Beach Boys. (Brian Wilson)