Design for complex, high-stakes products.
I design for defense, healthcare, and enterprise software, with deep Product Design fundamentals across discovery, systems thinking, and 0 → 1 execution. My specialty is unconventional tech: taking messy, unprecedented, or long-broken problems and detangling them into clarity and buildable blueprints. I build with AI-augmentation as part of the process, agents onboard, not bolted on after.
My craft spans 2D, 3D, and time-based motion design, the same sensibility behind the original Windows Media Player ‘Headspace’ UI skin, still circulating on social media two decades later. That craft serves the strategy. It doesn’t replace it.
My foundation is eight years embedded at Microsoft, working at global scale, where I learned how to create and deliver despite ambiguity, on a daily basis. I’ve applied that invaluable skill on every project since. It informs my entire approach, from first conversation through final product launch.
I’m often brought in early to define direction from scratch. I also join teams midstream when a product feels misaligned or stalled, find what’s in the way, and build the path forward.
What it’s like to work with me
A few quotes from my recent co-workers, managers, peers and clients.
“Carolyn is the unexpected, the non-traditional. She is my secret weapon. She is beyond skilled at breaking down complex projects into user-centered experiences. She is a master at architecting systems and flows that reduce friction while increasing efficiency and productivity. She stands out from the crowd with her rare ability to think futuristically and outside the box to really push boundaries. She’s reliable, creative and a joy to work with. She knows her stuff like no other.”
“I’ve seen her take the most convoluted and complicated projects and create documentation that is not only understandable, but actionable by every member of the team. She is always open to collaboration and always willing to listen, but also comes to the table with a plan. She’s not someone who will meekly accept your thoughts but will challenge ALL your assumptions on a project, making the end product not just good, but excellent. I count Carolyn as a mentor and colleague who is reliable and professional. She is one of the most skilled UX professionals I’ve ever encountered.”
“I had the pleasure of working with Carolyn in the early days of Meta Co. She helped us conceive of a whole new way of interacting with technology through augmented reality. She is great at synthesizing input from stakeholders into a UX strategy, and she is one of a small number of people who understand 3D user interfaces and how the digital and physical worlds meet in AR. I’d love to work with her again.”
“I’ve worked with Carolyn at a few places now [Blitz, NcSoft, Meta Co.], and it’s always a pleasure. She’s a consummate pro with a laser-focus on users and their needs. If you have a complex problem to solve, Carolyn has the skill and experience to find the solution. Quickly, and correctly. Lots of people can throw together some polished wireframes, but what’s far more important is the subtle thinking that goes into the experience. You need deep focus on the complexities to make the overall experience simple. She is hard-wired to think through every problem with that kind of nuance. The UX mindset is something you can’t train into someone. It’s just there or it’s not. So if you have a chance to hire Carolyn, you should close your browser right now and go do just that. Highest recommendation.”
“I worked with Carolyn for more than a year at Meta Co. HQ. We conducted many HCI-UX research projects together. Carolyn is an incredible blend of unleashed creativity and analytical, detail-oriented UX expertise. During the period we worked together she immediately mastered the uncharted territory of AR-UX and designed incredible experiences. I couldn’t have had better luck in finding a colleague whose expert advice, always delivered with a smile, got me on board at twice the speed I would ever have expected.”
“Carolyn’s work is meticulous, and her designs are innovative. She not only takes the time to understand the product she is producing for, but she obviously understands the technology and innovations that go into making it work effectively. Working with Carolyn on a day to day basis couldn’t be easier. She is very in tune with the needs of end users, and delivers a product and design that makes final implementation exceptionally easy. I look forward to working with Carolyn again in the future.”