Tom Nielsen : 184 Kirkstall Road, Newton MA : 617.519.5228 : tomnielsen@comcast.net
Overview
Overview
Top level user experience leader with demonstrated success leading all phases of the UX/CX design process.
- Identifying customer challenges/jobs to be done and opportunities through research, data and discovery.
- Utilizing a User Centered Design approach leveraging research, design thinking and rapid prototyping to
bring products to market quickly.
bring products to market quickly.
- Delivering user experiences through increments and sprints for multiple platforms.
Deep experience building and managing design teams including UX & UI Design, User Research, Product Design, Content Strategy and Accessibility within Agile environments.
Work with Product, Architecture, Engineering and Marketing teams to identify requirements and lead double diamond design approach (discover, define, develop and deliver) to develop and manage product roadmaps and deliver simple and elegant customer-centric digital experiences and solutions.
Experience
9/2018 – Present
CVS/Aetna Digital : User Experience Director
CVS/Aetna Digital : User Experience Director
Part of the CVS/Aetna Digital senior leadership team.
- Worked with peers and leaders to launch and establish our business unit within the enterprise, from start-up mode to launching product MVPs to (now) maturing products in market.
- Worked with peers and leaders to launch and establish our business unit within the enterprise, from start-up mode to launching product MVPs to (now) maturing products in market.
- Responsible for the overall user experience of two chronic condition products, a kidney disease nurse portal and our enterprise v virtual medicine solution.
- Work with peers and leaders to set the product vision/mission and help to translate these into core values, working agreements and processes and then socialize and implement across the teams.
- Mange partnerships with various business units as well as mange stakeholder relationships.
- Work with CVS/Aetna design leadership (in our post-merger world) to reduce silos, create cross-team collaboration, ensure consistency and move the Aetna and CVS design teams to one unified team.
- Work with peers and leaders to set the product vision/mission and help to translate these into core values, working agreements and processes and then socialize and implement across the teams.
- Mange partnerships with various business units as well as mange stakeholder relationships.
- Work with CVS/Aetna design leadership (in our post-merger world) to reduce silos, create cross-team collaboration, ensure consistency and move the Aetna and CVS design teams to one unified team.
Provided design leadership to bring two consumer-facing healthcare products to market and one product to production.
- Instituted a User Centered Design approach which leverages research, design thinking and rapid prototyping to bring products and features from an opportunity to market.
- Instituted a User Centered Design approach which leverages research, design thinking and rapid prototyping to bring products and features from an opportunity to market.
- Manage multi-disciplinary design teams through the four phased (discover, define, develop and deliver) double diamond design process.
- Provided thought leadership to gain adaption of the UCD process to partners, potential partners and across the organization.
- Worked with Product and Engineering to incorporate a UCD process within the SAFe Agile framework.
- Now working in the second phase of our organizations evolution to transition from launching product MVPs into market and now optimizing, maturing and scaling these products.
- Provided thought leadership to gain adaption of the UCD process to partners, potential partners and across the organization.
- Worked with Product and Engineering to incorporate a UCD process within the SAFe Agile framework.
- Now working in the second phase of our organizations evolution to transition from launching product MVPs into market and now optimizing, maturing and scaling these products.
Built a multi-disciplinary design practice from the ground up.
- Set the vision for a cross-functional design team.
- Set the vision for a cross-functional design team.
- Helped grow a multi-disciplinary team from first hire to 40+ including UX/UI, Research, Content Strategy, Accessibility and Operations.
- Built and manage a design (UX/UI) team of 22 (includes 2021 growth plans).
- Provide servant leader management style to empower individuals and teams fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.
- Inspire team to greatness through training, exposure to the latest trends, best practices, new technologies, tools and processes.
- Continually evaluate process, teams and partner relationships to improve our process, solutions and optimize effectiveness.
- Led the creation of a career framework and provide professional and personal development through ongoing feedback conversations, goal setting and career path planning.
Health Cloud, which is a part of CVS/Aetna Digital group, is building a modern, scalable platform to support bringing member and non-member healthcare products to market.
- Built and manage a design (UX/UI) team of 22 (includes 2021 growth plans).
- Provide servant leader management style to empower individuals and teams fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.
- Inspire team to greatness through training, exposure to the latest trends, best practices, new technologies, tools and processes.
- Continually evaluate process, teams and partner relationships to improve our process, solutions and optimize effectiveness.
- Led the creation of a career framework and provide professional and personal development through ongoing feedback conversations, goal setting and career path planning.
Health Cloud, which is a part of CVS/Aetna Digital group, is building a modern, scalable platform to support bringing member and non-member healthcare products to market.
10/2012 – 11/2017
Vistaprint : Creative/User Experience Director
Vistaprint : Creative/User Experience Director
Part of the senior leadership team responsible for the global creative direction, overall user experience and brand standards/guidelines for Vistaprint.com:
- Leverage customer insights, user testing feedback and data to drive design decisions.
- Developed a UI components and features library to standardize and maintain user experience consistency.
- Consult with internal partners to story map, create customer user flows and build product and website roadmaps.
- Part of the leadership team defining our mobile strategy and delivering the desktop, mobile and touch experiences through responsive design.
- Leverage AGILE, Design Thinking, RAPID methodologies to foster innovation and bring ideas to market faster.
- Leverage customer insights, user testing feedback and data to drive design decisions.
- Developed a UI components and features library to standardize and maintain user experience consistency.
- Consult with internal partners to story map, create customer user flows and build product and website roadmaps.
- Part of the leadership team defining our mobile strategy and delivering the desktop, mobile and touch experiences through responsive design.
- Leverage AGILE, Design Thinking, RAPID methodologies to foster innovation and bring ideas to market faster.
Collaborate with global business partners to scope, develop and execute large scale creative and strategic projects:
- Part of the leadership team responsible for translating our brand strategy into a new identity system and website re-brand.
- Re-imagined the entire product model and customer flow and created a scale-able responsive customer experience from homepage to checkout to support the new product model.
- Part of the leadership team developing Vistaprint’s first social media platform.
- Led the creative team to launch Vistaprint’s first mobile site experience.
- Led the UX/UI teams in the redesign of Vistaprint’s next generation customization studio.
- Support global go-to-market campaigns through ideation and execution including various forms of website merchandising and landing pages.
- Part of the leadership team responsible for translating our brand strategy into a new identity system and website re-brand.
- Re-imagined the entire product model and customer flow and created a scale-able responsive customer experience from homepage to checkout to support the new product model.
- Part of the leadership team developing Vistaprint’s first social media platform.
- Led the creative team to launch Vistaprint’s first mobile site experience.
- Led the UX/UI teams in the redesign of Vistaprint’s next generation customization studio.
- Support global go-to-market campaigns through ideation and execution including various forms of website merchandising and landing pages.
Manage web creative team as well as manage relationships with outside consultants:
- Mange a global team of 20+ consisting of UI, UX and product designers.
- Provide servant leader management style to empower individuals and teams fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.
- Inspire team to greatness through exposure to the latest trends, best practices, technology, tools and creative processes through brainstorm sessions, show & tells, lunch & learns, training and conferences.
- Continually evaluate process, teams and partner relationships to improve our creative solutions and optimize effectiveness.
- Provide professional and personal development through ongoing feedback conversations, goal setting and career path planning.
- Mange a global team of 20+ consisting of UI, UX and product designers.
- Provide servant leader management style to empower individuals and teams fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.
- Inspire team to greatness through exposure to the latest trends, best practices, technology, tools and creative processes through brainstorm sessions, show & tells, lunch & learns, training and conferences.
- Continually evaluate process, teams and partner relationships to improve our creative solutions and optimize effectiveness.
- Provide professional and personal development through ongoing feedback conversations, goal setting and career path planning.
Vistaprint, a publicly traded company with sales over $1B, is an online supplier of printed and promotional marketing material and services to micro businesses.
2/2012 – 10/2012
Fidelity Communications and Advertising : Contract
Provided creative direction and execution for various projects including website design, video animation direction and other digital marketing collateral.
FCA is the full service internal advertising agency within Fidelity Investments.
Fidelity Communications and Advertising : Contract
Provided creative direction and execution for various projects including website design, video animation direction and other digital marketing collateral.
FCA is the full service internal advertising agency within Fidelity Investments.
2/2008 – 11/ 2011
Everest Gaming : Director of Creative Services
Everest Gaming : Director of Creative Services
Responsible for the creative vision, direction, overall user experience, execution and brand standards/guidelines for the entire suite of Everest Gaming products in 16 languages across all channels and customer touch points.
Managed the creative user experience and localization teams for all marketing and product initiatives including:
- Re-brand and redesign of five unique web based brands.
- Re-brand and redesign of the product user experience including the registration and sales funnel process, the lobby and game play design.
- Usability and design validation.
- All creative and integrated marketing support (digital and print) for branded global events and promotions.
- Affiliate partnership support including banners, landing pages, co-branded experiences, etc.
- Customer segmented email marketing including promotional campaigns, triggered and transactional emails
- SEO/SEM and social media programs.
- German, Dutch and Hungarian television advertising.
- Re-brand and redesign of five unique web based brands.
- Re-brand and redesign of the product user experience including the registration and sales funnel process, the lobby and game play design.
- Usability and design validation.
- All creative and integrated marketing support (digital and print) for branded global events and promotions.
- Affiliate partnership support including banners, landing pages, co-branded experiences, etc.
- Customer segmented email marketing including promotional campaigns, triggered and transactional emails
- SEO/SEM and social media programs.
- German, Dutch and Hungarian television advertising.
Grew the creative services team to 15+ in the US and France consisting of Art Directors, Designers, UX Designers, Localization Coordinators, Copywriters and Traffic Manager:
- Mentored and fostered growth and development of direct reports and team.
- Educated the team on design fundamentals and current trends.
- Assigned projects, managed creative budgets, reviewed schedules and work progress.
- Conducted staff meetings and annual performance reviews.
- Provided quarterly creative road-map for team and senior management.
- Scaled team’s capabilities and adjusted processes to support company’s growth.
- Mentored and fostered growth and development of direct reports and team.
- Educated the team on design fundamentals and current trends.
- Assigned projects, managed creative budgets, reviewed schedules and work progress.
- Conducted staff meetings and annual performance reviews.
- Provided quarterly creative road-map for team and senior management.
- Scaled team’s capabilities and adjusted processes to support company’s growth.
Managed budgets and relationships with European creative agencies, vendors and consultants.
Assumed an integral role in the ongoing development and direction of the Everest brands as a member of the senior management team.
Everest Gaming/CIDC is a global online gaming company with leading European brands Everest Poker and Everest Casino. During my tenure, Everest Poker achieved a top 3 market share in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
8/2001 – 2/ 2008
Rue La La, SmartBargains : Creative Director
Rue La La, SmartBargains : Creative Director
Part of the executive team responsible for the conception and launch of RueLaLa.com.
Re-brand and redesign of SmartBargains.com.
Defined, created and implemented the user experience and brand guidelines across all channels and customer touch points including:
- The overall shopping experience.
- Creative direction for photo shoots with in-house and freelance photographers and stylists.
- All seasonal and promotional campaigns and features.
- The user account and help sections.
- The shopping cart and checkout process.
- The overall shopping experience.
- Creative direction for photo shoots with in-house and freelance photographers and stylists.
- All seasonal and promotional campaigns and features.
- The user account and help sections.
- The shopping cart and checkout process.
Provided creative strategy, direction and design solutions for all of marketing initiatives including:
- Retention programs including multiple daily customer segmented email campaigns, triggered and transactional emails.
- Affiliate marketing special jump and landing pages, emails and banners.
- Direct mail campaigns, brochures, catalogs and package inserts
- Partners include or have included AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Netscape and multiple shopping portals and affiliate sites.
- Retention programs including multiple daily customer segmented email campaigns, triggered and transactional emails.
- Affiliate marketing special jump and landing pages, emails and banners.
- Direct mail campaigns, brochures, catalogs and package inserts
- Partners include or have included AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Netscape and multiple shopping portals and affiliate sites.
Managed creative team that included Art Directors, Designers, Copywriters, Imagers, Photographer and Stylist as well as manage relationships with outside vendors and consultants:
- Mentored and fostered growth and development of direct reports and team.
- Educated the team on design fundamentals and current trends.
- Assigned projects, reviewed schedules and work progress.
- Conducted staff meetings and annual performance reviews.
- Mentored and fostered growth and development of direct reports and team.
- Educated the team on design fundamentals and current trends.
- Assigned projects, reviewed schedules and work progress.
- Conducted staff meetings and annual performance reviews.
Worked closely and consulted with executive management on a daily basis including Department Vice-President, Marketing and Merchandising Vice-Presidents, COO and CEO. Worked closely with Marketing, Programming, Merchandising and IT teams.
Retail Convergence is an Internet Retailer Top 50 e-commerce company. During my tenure Retail Convergence launched RueLaLa.com, an exclusive invitation only flash sale shopping experience.
Education
The Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA
Diploma Program, Graphic Design, 1986
The Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA
Diploma Program, Graphic Design, 1986
Achievements
Awards and Nominations: MIMC, Broadcast Designers Association, Creative Club of Boston Show
Published: Communication Arts Annual, Computer Graphics: The Best of Computer Art and Design, Letterhead & Logo Design: 2
Awards and Nominations: MIMC, Broadcast Designers Association, Creative Club of Boston Show
Published: Communication Arts Annual, Computer Graphics: The Best of Computer Art and Design, Letterhead & Logo Design: 2