Hello I'm Andy

I'm a Design Leader specializing in user-intuitive experiences for large, complex platforms, focusing particularly on Developer Experiences, Application Security, Compliance, DevOps, and Infrastructure applications. My work involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams, simplifying intricate challenges into intuitive, effective solutions that genuinely enhance users' workflows.

With over 13 years in Design, Information Architecture, and User Research, I've successfully navigated complex platforms in areas such as Developer Experience, Application Security, Compliance, DevOps, and Infrastructure. My passion lies in simplifying complexity, clarifying product goals, and creating user-centric solutions. As an experienced mentor, I deeply value close collaboration with team members to enhance the overall quality of the design.

I specialize in tackling complex design challenges by creating clear and effective solutions for large-scale platforms. My collaborative approach involves working closely with diverse teams to define and achieve clear objectives. I value mentoring designers, fostering team growth, and ensuring each solution provides a tangible, meaningful impact on user experiences.

I've spent my career collaborating closely with product designers on complex projects, emphasizing clear objectives, shared understanding, and high-quality outcomes. I believe deeply in the power of simplicity and work diligently to translate complex requirements into intuitive and practical user experiences while mentoring and learning alongside fellow designers.

I greatly value collaborating with UX researchers and consistently integrate research insights into my design process. Although I have extensive experience conducting user research, the most impactful results come from close partnerships with researchers, enabling us to transform complex findings into straightforward, actionable design improvements.

Experience

Manager, Product Design | Developer Experiences

GitLab • 2023 - 2025

Led the Developer Experience design team at GitLab, overseeing code review, source control, and developer collaboration tools.

  • Led and developed a team of product designers, providing structured career development, coaching, and feedback to foster critical thinking, leadership, and strategic problem-solving.
  • Defined long-term design direction for GitLab's developer tools, aligning design with product and engineering roadmaps to improve efficiency, usability, and reliability.
  • Partnered with Product, Engineering, and Research teams to prioritize UX initiatives, balancing short-term needs with long-term design excellence.
  • Integrated JTBD & ODI methodologies into team workflows to ensure roadmap decisions were rooted in real developer needs, improving adoption of underserved outcomes.
  • Introduced task completion, usability friction, and flow efficiency metrics, going beyond CSAT and SUS to measure developer productivity & design impact.
  • Led design critiques, cross-functional UX reviews, and process improvements, ensuring that research-driven insights shaped design decisions.
  • Worked closely with engineers on technical constraints, responsiveness, and component reuse, ensuring scalable, maintainable design solutions.

Staff Product Designer | Security & Compliance

GitLab • 2021 - 2023

Led the design and implementation of GitLab's Application Security capabilities within the world's first end-to-end DevSecOps platform.

  • Designed security experiences that balanced usability and risk mitigation, helping enterprise teams secure their software supply chain without slowing development.
  • Partnered with security engineers, product managers, and compliance leaders to embed security into CI/CD pipelines, cloud-native environments, and automation workflows.
  • Developed UX frameworks for vulnerability management, compliance enforcement, and security policy automation, enabling scalable security solutions for large development teams.

Product & Sr. Product Designer | Security & Compliance

GitLab • 2018 - 2021

Designed enterprise-grade security experiences for threat detection, risk assessment, and proactive security enforcement.

  • Created intuitive workflows that balanced security enforcement with developer velocity, reducing friction in security scanning and compliance automation.
  • Led UX strategy for vulnerability management, risk mitigation, and secure code review, ensuring security best practices were embedded without disrupting developer productivity.
  • Developed security automation and compliance tools, making it easier for teams to scale security operations efficiently.

Sr. Product Designer | Innovation & New Ventures

American Greetings • 2017 - 2018

Drove the design and development of innovative digital products using Lean Startup methodologies.

  • Designed and prototyped new digital products, creating wireframes and interactive prototypes for rapid iteration and testing.
  • Conducted qualitative product analysis using multiple evaluation methodologies to refine user experiences and improve adoption.
  • Led market and competitor research, identifying consumer needs and industry trends to inform product strategy and innovation.
  • Developed product roadmaps and go-to-market strategies, ensuring alignment between business goals and user expectations.
  • Collaborated with engineering, marketing, and business stakeholders to launch and scale new digital ventures.
  • Applied Lean Startup principles to validate concepts, drive innovation, and create scalable, user-centric digital experiences.

Education

Master’s Degree | User Experience Design

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY 2012 - 2014

Bachelor of Fine Arts | Human-Centered Design

NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY 2005 - 2010

Outside of work…

I’m happily married with two young daughters, who keep me on my toes and add plenty of joy to everyday life. I’m also an ex-college hockey player (goalie) from Northern Michigan University, and while I’ve hung up the skates, I’ve traded the rink for the golf course whenever I get a chance.

In my free time, I love reading historical fiction and sci-fi—I’m always on the lookout for the next page-turner. One of my long-term goals is to earn my private pilot’s license, and I’ve got a soft spot for F1 and GT3 racing (though I secretly find GT3 to be better racing). I also enjoy tinkering with my home server and self-managed applications, feeding my curiosity for technology and hands-on experimentation.