Leadership
Every day I discover something new as the design world is an ever-moving target.
However, best practices remain unchanged: good design can't compensate for poor usability; simplicity takes work; and it doesn’t matter how great the product is if no one wants to use it.
I'm a design leader and innovator with particular strengths in building vibrant, diverse, and trusting teams while creating needle-moving strategies for the company and its clients or products.
Inclusivity
I ensure that everything from hiring practices to meeting etiquette is rooted in the inclusion of people with different backgrounds, abilities, and personalities.
Transparency
I nurture open, honest collaboration and communication. Always. That applies to employees, co-workers, and clients alike.
Collaboration
I encourage communication where everyone’s viewpoint is elicited and respected. There’s no room for ego or power struggles—best idea in the room wins!
Designers with principles
These are the principles I foster in the design teams I lead.
For the team
Wear different shoes
Check your biases, lead with empathy
Own your sh*t
Your work, your decisions, your mistakes, your success
Share, collaborate, listen
Learn from other’s strengths, wins, failures, and experiences
Be the ball
Bounce back from disappointment, failure, struggle, disagreement
Wash the windows
Look for ways to be more transparent and clear with each other
Dare to be different
There is no one way to solve a problem or be a designer
For the work
Design for all
Inclusive design makes products better for everyone
Outcomes, not outputs
Prioritize what you’re trying to accomplish, not what you need to create
Understand the “why”
Dig below the surface to uncover real user needs and solve for root causes
Predictability isn’t boring
Focus on solving unique challenges, don’t reinvent the wheel
Clarify the complex, streamline the simple
Forgo “fancy” in favor of easy to understand, explain, and use
Flexible process, not principles
Process changes with timelines, but quality is never compromised
Thought leadership
I’ve been fortunate to be able to share some of my experiences and expertise through these conference talks, podcasts, and blog posts.
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Conscious uncoupling: Ways to separate user habits from user needs
CONFERENCES
UX Camp, Remote - June 2021
Government UX Summit - June 2021
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Total procurement makeover: Key insights for running federal digital service procurements
CONFERENCES
FedHealthIT Podcast - Jan. 2021
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The partnership of agile and UX
CONFERENCES
Agile Government Leadership Conference, Washington, DC - Dec. 2019
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Vocal exercises: finding your voice
CONFERENCES
UX Camp, Chicago, IL - April 2016
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The unwitting content strategist
CONFERENCES
18F Speaker Series, DC - Oct. 2015
UX Camp, Chicago, IL - May 2015
edUi Conference, Richmond, VA - Oct. 2014
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Building Trust and Providing Solutions: Postlight’s Senior Leadership Team on What Makes a Great Leader List Item
PODCAST
What Postlight’s senior leadership has learned about leading through their own mistakes
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The Customer Pays the Price: On Fixing Your Internal Systems
PODCAST
I make the case that by helping internal teams, you can reduce turnover, reduce inefficiencies, and ultimately improve your customer experience.
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Reduce the Risk of Getting It Wrong
BLOG
Lessons from fridge failures.
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Reduce the Risk of Getting It Wrong: On Solving the Right Problem
PODCAST
Sometimes one small detail can make or break a product’s usability. We break down how to effectively research so you can pinpoint the right problem to solve and avoid a future disaster.
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No One Wants to Waste Time on Rework
BLOG
But what if it’s not actually a waste?
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Lightbulb Moment: On Why Rework Isn’t a Waste
PODCAST
On how to transform rework from a pain point into an opportunity.
Here’s what colleagues and clients are saying!
“Working with Natalie changed the way I approach design projects and the world. She was a guiding light for both the team and myself as a growing UX designer, helping me to learn how to ask the right questions at the right time to make trustworthy, intentional design decisions. She was also growing the UX and striving to put a human-centered design focus in an otherwise engineer heavy organization. Her efforts, tireless at times, helped the organization to grow in their understanding of what “UX” can and should mean.”
“Three words that come to mind are: dependable, intelligent, and compassionate. We talk about trust in leaders being built by the “say/do” ratio — it’s 100% with Natalie. If she says she’ll do it, there’s never any doubt she’ll follow through. She has deep experience in so many aspects of product and UX leadership. And there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for her team, whether it’s a shoulder to cry on, ‘tough love’ when needed, or words of inspiration and encouragement. Did I mention I worked for her once and followed her to another company to work for her again? 10/10 would recommend!”
“Natalie was known for her patience, kindness, and quick action. She was a poised, exceptional manager and an excellent coach who truly cared about the well-being and growth of her team. Her ability to create a positive and supportive work environment was a major factor in our success. I reported directly to Natalie and was consistently impressed by her leadership skills. I can’t recommend her enough for any role and am confident that she will continue to excel in her future endeavors.”
“As the Product Owner on the U.S. Tax Court’s new case management system build, I worked very closed with Natalie on a daily basis. She was the UX lead on our project and, in addition to leading several junior designers, she was involved in all aspects of the dev cycle: conducting user research, presenting findings to stakeholders, creating wireframes / prototypes, pairing with engineers, conducting usability testing, etc. She always had fresh and creative ideas on how to solve our user’s problems, and the project was a success largely due to Natalie’s leadership and vision.”
“Natalie is one of the most outstanding User Experience gurus I’ve ever worked with. She has a vast knowledge of what it takes to design and deliver. She knows the right questions to ask a client and has a very professional demeanor. She’s also one of the hardest working, most diligent, and crazy intelligent employees. And to top it off, she has the inherent ability to take UX theory and turn it into practical application, making it look easy. She’s a 5-star, top-of-her-game ROCKSTAR.”
“I had the pleasure of working with Natalie on a mobile development project for which her leadership was unparalleled. She knows how to manage a project and knows how to manage people. She kicked my butt all the way to the finish line, and I thank her for it. She works tirelessly to make sure the project stays on track and genuinely cares for the people working with her.”