Gregory DAVIS

​Work Experience

 

AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES, Cambridge, MA (remote)                                                                            02/2015 – 07/2023

Principal Lead, User Experience (07/2020 – 07/2023)

Manager, User Experience; Sr. UX Designer (02/2015 – 07/2020)

Defined and implemented UX strategy; managed a team of four to nine designers.

• Well versed in product development process. Streamlined IDM processes with program management, product management and product development to significantly increase the success and quality of data.

• Collaborated with product management and engineering management to directly add value to the product roadmap. Created information architecture using strong problem-solving skills, design thinking, and user testing for complex use cases. Drove design development for collaboration and communication. Storytelling and subject matter expert to explain design rationale and explain complex design concepts. Continuously strived for process improvement.

• Held quality of craft execution to high standards. Worked with team on cosmetics and polishing the design system.

• Created UX deliverables hands-on by using research data science data analysis and data analytics tools, and strategic research to determine user needs and customer requirements. Streamlined workflows for login, registration, administrator settings, API client creation, use permissions, second-factor authentication, and many more. Tools used include Figma for document design decisions. Figma prototype proof of concept and user testing.

• Mentored and coached direct reports, prioritized projects, and created career development plans. Bi-weekly check-in. Provided direction, leadership, motivation, and feedback. All direct reports were promoted at least once.

• Led the product design team working on the B2B Akamai Control Center (cloud infrastructure) customer-facing portal product portfolio, delivery applications (IaaS service design software used for configuration integration and publishing on the Akamai CDN), and developer tools. Led design reviews, provided feedback on design trends, scalability, product innovation, product sense, systems thinking, and user interface standards.

• Collaborated using Cisco Webex, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and similar tools.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

• Member of team using agile development methodologies for agile software development.

 

UPLAND SOFTWARE, Cambridge, MA (hybrid)                                                                                    01/2012 – 12/2014

UX/UI Designer

User Experience Design, Senior Interaction Designer, Prototyping.

• Designed Project Portfolio Management (PPM) software (IT, Lean Six Sigma, Project management).

• Led User Interface (UI) refresh of cloud-based software product.

• Collaborated with offshore Product Development teams in Russia and Paraguay

 

Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), (Contract) Boston, MA                                                      08/2011 – 01/2012

UX Designer

Designed feature workflows and interaction design of Windchill Product Lifecycle Management Software.

 

CONSTANT CONTACT, (Contract) Waltham, MA                                                                                 06/2010 – 03/2011

Visual Designer UX

Usability studies, Wireframes and interactive prototypes for SaaS applications eLearning courses created in Captivate/Articulate Presenter.

 

MICROSOFT, Redmond, WA                                                                                                                12/1991 – 2/2009

Graphic Design Lead – Macintosh Business Unit

Shipped 20+ product versions. Lead designer for all User Assistance content including in-product and online application Help, typography, design patterns, product research, storyboards, online video training, contributing designer to Mactopia Website, internal team newsletter, and online books.

• Created all art files for all in-product Help in the following products:

  • Microsoft Office for Mac v. 2001, X, 2004, and 2008

  • Microsoft Messenger for Mac v. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

  • Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Client v. 1, 2

  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac v. 6, 7

• Conversion of online Help systems from HTML to XML. Using a content model and reusable content the project resulted in a significant reduction of words and cost and an increase in consistency due to the restrictive content model.

• Released software updates to the Mactopia Web site, including code signing software bits for 11 languages, and the corresponding download detail text-based pages.

• Technical support and training for writing and editing staff: Authoring environment Content Management Systems (Microsoft DocStudio, Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, Microsoft Product Studio); XML authoring in XMetaL, Publishing to Microsoft.com Web site and Microsoft Assistance Platform 1.0 Web site; File server and permission administration.

 

PRIOR EXPERIENCE

 

Earlier positions at MICROSOFT included shipping 100+ product versions, human-computer interaction (HCI), managing art creation, visual design, and workflow of all art pieces for Microsoft Office suite and Office Family HTML Help systems (Art Lead – Office for Windows User Assistance) as well as hardware and software training and troubleshooting for a group of 129 marketing professionals (Operations Systems Coordinator, Creative Services).

 

Education

 

Bachelor of Science, Visual Communication, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Internal training – Akamai Leadership Academy graduate

Internal training – Microsoft Interviewer training