# Jason Sonderman — Professional Experience

Canonical URL: https://jason.sonderman.info/experience/

Two decades of UX leadership have taught me that the gap between great design and shipped product usually lives in the system… or the absence of one. I build AI-native design infrastructure: token, component, and MCP-enabled documentation layers that treat AI coding agents as first-class consumers alongside human designers and engineers. Deep practice in DTCG token architecture, Figma Variables, Code Connect, Dev Mode, and design-to-code pipelines, grounded in WCAG accessibility throughout.

I design systems where the best choice is the obvious one — whether the hand reaching for it is human or artificial.

## Head of UX
### Arcos, Inc
#### Oct 2024 – July 2026

Arcos builds SaaS and mobile workforce management platforms for utilities and critical infrastructure.

- **Built and scaled an international design team across Poland and Mexico** — grew from one designer and two consultants to three Senior Designers and a consultant, establishing UX values, research methodology, and cross-functional working agreements from the ground up.
- **Pioneered an AI-accelerated delivery model** — moved from discovery through UX design to draft front-end code entirely within the design function, cutting kickoff and handoff from a two-week investigation sprint to three days, reducing time to market by ~30%, and compressing a testable coded concept from 40 hours to 12.
- **Led 2.5 months of embedded field research** across 14 customer sites with 120+ emergency workers — reframing product direction for the Control Tower platform and delivering UX strategy up to 9 weeks ahead of planning sessions through close collaboration with Product Leadership.
- **Shipped the Control Tower MVP on schedule (August 2025)** despite two scope reductions, carving out 2–4 weeks of structured UX discovery within each Milestone definition and Shaping phase to validate feature value with utility users before development began.
- **Strengthened partnerships with legacy Arcos products** — infused modern UX methodology and interaction principles into established product offerings, extending design system consistency across the full platform portfolio.
- **Implemented an AI-enabled design system npm package and Figma MCP integration** — enabling designers to build Higher Order Components directly against the production front-end codebase, near-eliminating revision cycles.

**Skills:** Team Building & Org Design, AI-Accelerated Design Operations, Figma MCP Integration, Research-Backed Product Vision, Cross-functional Strategy, Design Systems, Accessibility Strategy & Compliance

## Director of UX (Global UX Lead)
### TVH Parts, Co
#### Apr 2023 – Oct 2024

- **Led strategic redesign** of the global e-commerce platform using UCD, Double-Diamond, and Design Sprint methodologies — increasing user engagement by 20% through a research-grounded, iterative process.
- **Built and scaled a team of 8 UX Designers** across Belgium, the US, and India — establishing UX values, working principles, and a design culture that operated cohesively across time zones.
- **Implemented enterprise-level discovery infrastructure**: live customer sessions for pre-release validation, session recordings, and behavior metrics to drive evidence-based design decisions.
- **Architected design system strategy** — refined the Figma component library and developed a CSS token system, reducing development time by 35% across two major platforms.

**Skills:** UX Strategy & Vision, Global Team Leadership, Design System Architecture, Discovery & Research Operations, Cross-functional Stakeholder Management, Budget Management

## Lead Product Designer
### BetterCloud
#### Mar 2022 – Mar 2023

- **Designed complex enterprise features** through low and high-fidelity prototypes, increasing feature adoption by 32%
- **Led platform experience strategy** and **mentored a team of three product designers**, establishing career development frameworks and design excellence standards
- **Implemented enterprise-grade design system**, streamlining UI consistency across multiple product tools
- **Reduced time to market by 20%** through cross-functional collaboration with product, engineering, and marketing teams

**Skills:** Enterprise Product Strategy, Team Leadership & Mentoring, Design System Implementation, Cross-functional Collaboration, Discovery Workshop Facilitation, Accessibility Strategy, Data-Driven Design Decisions

## Lead UX Designer
### Archer Education
#### Jul 2018 – Mar 2022

- Improved online higher education engagement by 35% through user-centered design strategies
- Enhanced information architecture and experience design through high-fidelity prototypes for partner microsites, leading to a 23% increase in lead conversion
- Established and documented WCAG AA compliance across online properties

**Skills:** Wireframing, Information Architecture, User Research, Accessibility & Usability Testing, Multivariate & A/B Testing, HTML/CSS, React.js

## Lead Product Design Strategist
### Cerner Corporation
#### Dec 2015 – Jul 2018

- **Managed a team of 4 product designers** — mentoring on craft and career, establishing goal-setting frameworks, and growing the team's leadership capabilities
- Implemented design strategy for healthcare technology products, focusing on in-app coaching and compliance learning systems
- Led the design and implementation of learning management systems for hospital administration

**Skills:** Wireframing, Information Architecture, User Research, Accessibility & Usability Testing, Internationalization, Team Leadership, Business Management

## Principal UX Designer & Web Developer
### blue148, inc
#### Jan 2003 – Dec 2015

- Led the design and development of web and UI projects, consistently exceeding client expectations.
- Developed a customizable CMS, streamlining workflow and enhancing efficiency for client website management.
- Managed a diverse client portfolio, including international manufacturers and start-ups, delivering B2B e-commerce sites, email campaigns, and digital content transformation.
- Adapted UX strategies across various industries, demonstrating versatility and strong problem-solving skills.

**Skills:** Wireframing, Information Architecture, User Research, Accessibility & Usability Testing, Internationalization, Team Leadership, Business Management, Front-end Coding (Javascript), Back-end Coding (PHP, MySQL)