About me
As a UX designer, I develop innovative, high-quality products. I guide applications from 0→1 or take established brands to the next level. Thanks to my extensive professional experience, I can apply my skills flexibly in nearly any context while continuously gaining new insights. My deep understanding of user needs across diverse industries allows me, for example, to develop strategies for AI applications that integrate seamlessly into existing processes while simultaneously increasing productivity and user control.
P R O F E S S I O N A L E X P E R I E N C E
Self-Employed, San Jose, CA, USA — Strategic Design Consultant, Feb. 2024 – Present
I develop solutions that are intuitive for people and strategically groundbreaking for businesses, driven by my curiosity for AI technologies, a structured design process, and a clear focus on what matters.
Palo Alto Networks, Santa Clara, CA, USA — Senior Principal Designer, April 2022 – January 2024
Working at the intersection of design systems, product design, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. I established cross-functional AI capabilities and integrated them into the Palo Design System. In doing so, we identified recurring user tasks, real-time data visualization, and dynamic dashboard creation as central themes. We accelerated the onboarding of acquired startups by 40% while simultaneously harmonizing the user experience across six widely distributed applications.
Illumina, Foster City, CA, USA — Principal Designer, January 2020 – April 2022
I translated Illumina's complex data and workflows in genomic sequencing, from the wet lab to mathematical analysis, into intuitive experiences. Through our newly created system, users were able to achieve qualitatively superior results during their most critical work phases. Cross-platform consistency and accessibility adaptations significantly improved usability and led to an 18% reduction in error rates.
ServiceNow, Santa Clara, CA, USA — Principal, Design Systems, June 2018 – January 2020
Through cross-functional collaboration, I developed a data visualization framework that became an integral part of ServiceNow's redesign initiative. My internationally distributed team of three designers and four developers solved core challenges in business, accessibility, and usability by creating a standardized code library of 32 charts.
General Electric, San Ramon, CA, USA — Senior Staff UX Visual Designer, April 2013 – June 2018
Led a design team of three designers in cooperation with 8 developers to build Predix UI, GE's first design system. We designed and implemented approximately 100 components focused on the most critical applications across our eight business units. We reduced implementation time by half while improving usability and achieved voluntary consistency across GE's diverse industrial applications through rigor and a strong focus on customer needs in the design system.
Yahoo!, Sunnyvale, CA, USA — Creative Director, January 2012 – March 2013
As creative director for the design system, I coordinated a new design language for verticals serving 700 million users during a period of profound organizational change.
Plantronics, Santa Cruz, CA — Principal User Interface Designer, October 2009 – January 2012
I led the integration of Plantronics' fragmented communications software. Through a cross-departmental working group and rapid design prototypes, I succeeded in uniting the team and realigning the product roadmap.
Cisco, San Jose, CA — User Interface Designer, June 2007 – October 2009
Development of a new IP phone family and design of a vision for integrated collaboration tools. Extensive work on corporate branding: icon language, Cisco typeface (with Erik Spiekermann).
Kyte, San Francisco, CA — Principal Designer, November 2006 – June 2007
Start-up in interactive television with audience participation.
Apple, Cupertino, CA — User Interface Designer, May 2005 – November 2006
The design of iWeb (iLife '06) involves a rigorous iterative process to achieve brand-typical usability and simplicity. The high standard of quality that characterizes my work at Apple is a consistent theme throughout all my endeavors.
University of Lübeck, ISNM, Lübeck — Professor of Design, October 2003 – August 2005
Master of Science Education. Teaching in User-Centered Design. I contributed to research and organized a conference regarding "Cognitive Design."
Philips Design, Eindhoven, Netherlands — Art Director, June 2001 – October 2004
Led the transformative redesign of Philips.com as well as UI design for "iPronto," an early interactive consumer electronics solution.
Studio Archetype/Sapient, San Francisco & Munich — Design Director, April 1998 – June 2001
I was in charge of designing eCommerce solutions for various websites such as Xerox.com, Virginmobile.co.uk, Walmart.com, and the Yello Strom web tablet.
Frog Design, Sunnyvale, CA — Graphic Designer, March 1995 – January 1998
Led a next-generation Citibank ATM project that redefined the mental model of automated banking.
E D U C A T I O N
Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe, Germany, Diploma in Graphic Design (M.A.), 1994
Studied under Gunter Rambow, Martin Kippenberger, Kurt Weidemann, and Hartmut Esslinger.
P A T E N T S & A W A R D S
Patent 10805189 (2020) – ServiceNow: Shared Visualization Library
Patent 20170221011 (2017, Pending) – GE: Management of Networked Assets
Patent 8091033 (2012) – Cisco: Timeline-Based Search Results
Patent 8311188 (2012) – Cisco: User Interface for Summaries
Red Dot Award (2016) – Plantronics, Voyager 5200
CES Best of Innovations (2012) – Plantronics, Callisto 800
Macworld Best of Show (2006) – Apple, iLife '06
iF Design Award (2003) – Philips Design, iPronto
Patent D401231 (1997) – Frog Design, Citibank ATM
E X P E R T I S E
Systems: Architecture, implementation, and maintenance of enterprise-grade design systems.
Methodology: Evidence-based design, user-centered design, cognitive load optimization.
Tools: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Google Gemini, ImageFX, Midjourney.
Languages: German (native), English (fluent).