I’m Thomas
Applying UX Research & Design where the stakes are high and the systems are complex
20+
Years of Experience
MS
Human Factors Psychology
10+
Years in Leadership
Active
Government Clearance
// MY POINT OF VIEW
I don't just design interfaces. I design systems that hold up when people are under pressure or distracted.
The through-line across my work isn't an industry. It's a problem type: multi-step, regulation-constrained, high-consequence systems where design determines whether users succeed or fail.
// SELECTED WORK
My approach in action.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR · UX RESEARCH LEAD
Federal IT Procurement: Right Solution, Right Timeline, Lasting Impact
CHALLENGE
A federal agency needed to improve IT procurement before its next fiscal year-end surge. Leadership had a long-term vision of a TurboTax-style guided interface but faced immediate constraints: a limited budget, a tight timeline, and no clear sense of where to start.
APPROACH & RESULTS
Rather than building to assumptions, I ran user research to surface the problems that actually needed solving.
The forms' complexity played a part, but the research showed the primary issues were elsewhere: staff didn't know which documents they needed, outdated templates were being submitted, and guidance on applying complex federal regulations was inconsistent.
These insights pointed to a knowledge resource we could deliver in months, not years.
Today, Contracting Officers (COs) cut their workload by pointing staff to the tool, which provides consistent guidance, up-to-date templates, and direction on what documents are needed for a procurement scenario. Usage spikes during every acquisition surge show that it has become an authoritative resource people return to.
Now in its third year, the tool is still growing from that initial MVP, and we're exploring AI integration that could go further than the TurboTax-style tool originally envisioned.
“All of our solutions should be like this.”
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
“This saves me weeks of work.”
Contracting Officer (CO)
// WHAT SETS MY WORK APART
Formal training. Real-world experience.
The credential grounds my work. Two decades of applying it is what delivers demonstrable impact.
Human Factors
I have an MS in Human Factors Psychology. That training gives my work a grounding in methodology and an analytical lens that produces reliable results.
Designing for Business
I design with business impact in mind. Whether B2B or B2C, I start by understanding the business objectives so the product delivers what the organization needs.
Building & Leading
I stand up UX practices where UX hasn’t been part of the product life cycle. I lead multidisciplinary teams and mentor practitioners while still doing the work, not just directing it.
// HOW I WORK
Evidence over pitches. Clarity when it matters the most.
Formative user research — reframing the problem before anyone designs a solution.
Usability research — structured evaluations grounded in valid, reliable methodology whether remote, in-person, moderated, or unmoderated.
Embedded field research — observing real performance in high-stakes environments to reliably inform design decisions.
Alignment workshops — structured sessions that bring stakeholders together to agree on core business objectives, surface risks early, and set a clear path forward.
Experience Across Digital and Physical Domains.
Domains where I’ve conducted research & design
Enterprise Systems (B2B & B2C)
DIGITAL
Mobile Apps (Native & Responsive)
DIGITAL
Command & Control Operations
DIGITAL + PHYSICAL
Performance in the Field
DIGITAL + PHYSICAL
User Safety
PHYSICAL
// WHERE MY WORK HAS LIVED
Commercial products. Critical environments.
My experience spans fast-moving commercial teams and regulated, high-consequence environments.
Commercial Products
Fast-paced integration of human-centered design (HCD)
Microsoft
ESRI
LexisNexis
Environments where rapid usability evaluations and design recommendations are a must. Experience embedding HCD methods into product life cycles.
Regulated / High Stakes
Where errors carry high consequences
Defense
Federal
Healthcare
Energy
Port security, emergency response, command-and-control systems, and more. Experience implementing enterprise SaaS in these environments.
// THIS BACKGROUND TRAVELS
The context is different. The design problems are not.
Complex workflows, high cognitive load, zero tolerance for error. That’s the DNA of the industries I’ve served, and is shared with:
Healthtech
Healthcare
Legal Tech
Fintech / Regtech
Cybersecurity
Govtech / Defense