MATT BERDAHL
UX Designer & Researcher
Minneapolis, MN
As a goal-driven UX Designer and Researcher with a passion for project management, I am known for my positive and team-oriented approach, dedicating over a decade to practicing UX fundamentals. I thrive on uncovering empathetic and authentic solutions, bringing a caring and open-minded attitude to every challenge, fostering creativity, and collaboration. When leading teams I set up the project and team for success by providing support for individuals to tackle independent tasks, nurture a recognition-rich environment, and eliminate obstacles before issues could arise.
Experience
UI/UX Designer
U.S. Bank | February 2024 – Present
Spearheading UX design as a UX/UI Designer within a dynamic cross-functional team at US Bank, I collaborate closely with developers, a product owner, and a scrum master throughout every phase of the UX process. Our mission is to modernize a commercial leasing desktop application into a revamped internal web app, emphasizing brand alignment while exploring innovative solutions.
Employing robust research methodologies including user and stakeholder interviews, competitive analysis, and secondary research, I adeptly identify opportunities to elevate user interaction, drive impactful business metrics, and foster satisfaction among our diverse user base.
Implementing a user-centered design ethos, I tailor solutions to meet the specific needs of different teams within the department, prioritizing productivity and design integrity to streamline intricate business processes. This includes establishing a universal workflow accessible to over 500 users, ensuring seamless task execution for all abilities.
Utilizing my strong product management skills, I facilitate and evangelize stakeholders throughout projects, guiding both user and team engagement through strategic on-site and remote-work sessions. This approach ensures timely project milestones and sprint deadlines are met, fostering a collaborative environment and driving project success.
The positive feedback received from stakeholders, users, and the cross-functional team underscores the significant impact of my contributions, leading to enhanced team morale and an evolution in our development processes. Further results and metrics will undoubtedly emerge as the project progresses through UAT testing and beyond.
UX Designer
Trinity Church of Austin | August 2023 – January 2024
Serving as the primary UX Designer for a 6-month period, I led a cross-functional team, including designers, researchers, and developers, through all stages of the UX life cycle. Our objective was to redesign and launch the website for Trinity Church's non-profit organization, ensuring it reflects their LGBTQ inclusive values and is WCAG/ADA compliant.
Utilizing research methodologies like client interviews, competitive analysis, and secondary research, our team was able to identify opportunities for enhancing user engagement, ensuring inclusivity, and achieving WCAG/ADA compliance.
Implemented an inclusive and user-centered design approach, aligning tasks with accessibility and design principles to address complex challenges such as ensuring a seamless browsing experience for diverse users with varying abilities, fostering engagement through intuitive navigation, and accommodating the specific content and functionality requirements necessary to reflect Trinity's LGBTQ inclusive values.
My proficient product management skills, including goal setting and efficient resource and timeline management, were key in organizing and aligning stakeholders during the project, meeting deadlines successfully, and facilitating a rigorous testing process to address assumptions and biases, ensuring inclusivity.
Commitment to accessibility was reflected in the positive accessibility score and stakeholder satisfaction. User feedback, notably from a person who is blind using a screen reader, ultimately contributed to our second-place ranking in Knowbility.org’s global Accessibility Internet Rally.
UX Researcher
UX San Antonio (UXSA) | August 2023 – January 2024
As the Lead UX Researcher, I directed a 6-month team research project. The objective was to develop a critical data report and a 15-minute presentation for the staff and board of directors at UX San Antonio, a non-profit organization. This initiative aimed to facilitate a smooth leadership transition at UXSA by overseeing the transfer of vital institutional knowledge.
The project involved a thorough analysis covering various aspects such as member engagement, website performance, event participation, social media metrics, Slack engagement, member demographics, competitive landscape, stakeholder perspectives, in-depth member interviews, and updated feedback surveys.
Created a 15 minute presentation we delivered to the board of directors and UXSA staff along with the critical data report that provided strategic insights based on the analysis of the 10 datasets. It gave a holistic understanding of the experiences of over 1,200 UXSA members highlighting findings and recommendations.
My product management abilities played a pivotal role in orchestrating and aligning stakeholders throughout the project. While orchestrating, motivating, and steering team involvement, I guided strategic remote-work sessions, fostering seamless collaboration and ensuring the project milestones and deadlines were met promptly.
Our success was reflected in the positive stakeholder feedback, UXSA member appreciation, and notably from the outgoing president voicing this report will directly lead to improvements and organizational success.
Featured Clients: U.S. Bank | UX San Antonio | Eleyo CCA | Trinity Church of Austin | 245D Consulting | HomesRunner | Pipe Dream Academy | Family Footprints | You Betcha! Box
UX Designer & Researcher
Beehive Theatre | November 2016 – December 2022
Oversaw UX design for website and digital platforms, actively collaborating effectively with designers and developers to create intuitive and user-friendly LOB interfaces for seamless and easy navigation.
Prioritized mobile-friendly experience using responsive design principles, ensuring seamless adaptation to different devices for accessing information and purchasing tickets flawlessly.
Streamlined ticketing and reservation systems collaboratively, meticulously designing intuitive interfaces to ensure quick transactions and consistently hassle-free experiences for users throughout the process.
Developed interactive activities for children, including workshops and exhibits, consciously incorporating UX design principles to create intuitive and highly educational content for enhanced engagement and enjoyment.
Worked closely with educators to design curriculum-aligned resources—study guides, lesson plans, and interactive materials—supporting educational programming with user-friendly & effective learning experiences.
Senior Coach / Head Coach / Fitness Coach
Orangtheory Fitness | July 2016 – May 2021
Senior Coach: Coordinated and collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to integrate fitness programs and workshops into holistic wellness offerings, ensuring cohesive user experiences.
Head Coach: Led diverse fitness sessions, fostering safe and inclusive spaces through effective management. Engaged in active listening and collaboration with clients, aiding them in achieving personalized objectives.
Fitness Coach: Applied OTF Certification and continuous education to empathically address client motivations and barriers, aligning fitness solutions and strategies with user needs and requirements.
Professional Actor/ Director
Freelance | September 2009 – June 2016
Storytelling Expertise: Participated in over 200 productions as a stage actor, demonstrating a profound ability to convey narratives and engage audiences—a skill seamlessly transferable to creating compelling user experiences as a UX Designer.
Educational Direction: Successfully directed several educational children's theatre productions, applying instructional design techniques to engage young audiences. This experience translates to your ability to craft intuitive, educational UX strategies.
National Tour Involvement: Participated in 3 national tours with The National Theatre for Children, exhibiting adaptability and collaboration skills—essential traits for a project manager, product designer, and UX strategist.
User-Centric Approach: Leveraged audience feedback and user research to enhance upcoming shows, mirroring the user-focused approach in UX design. Emphasizing positive impact on the community through storytelling aligns with the community-building aspect of project management and UX.
Education
Prime Digital Academy
User Experience Design Certificate
Holistic UX Curriculum: Completed specialized coursework in UX design and research, encompassing visual and interaction design, supplemented with hands-on real client projects and collaborative team experiences.
Comprehensive Skill Set: Gained proficiency in user research, wireframing, prototyping, and evaluation techniques, fostering a robust toolkit for crafting user-centric solutions.
Immersive Learning Environment: Successfully completed a +1,000 hour in-person training program, honing practical skills while emphasizing public speaking, presentation delivery, professional development, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion while engaging local clients.
Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM)
Bachelor of Arts
Art and Design Background: Initiated my education with an Art and Design Major for the first 2 years, cultivating a visual mindset that complements my user-centered approach in design and strategic roles.
Performance and Interdisciplinary Studies: Specialized in Performance, emphasizing Directing, Acting, and Musical Theatre, honing skills in communication, teamwork, and creative problem-solving. Complimented theater studies with minors in Women's Studies and Dance, enhancing my capacity to grasp diverse perspectives and integrate interdisciplinary concepts.
National Personal Training Institute (NPTI)
Personal Training Diploma
Comprehensive Health & Practical Solutions: Proficient in Nutritional Consulting, Diet Analysis, Anatomy, Biomechanics, Fitness Testing, and Program Design. Combined holistic user insights with scientific data analysis. Enhanced by a 500-hour hands-on training program, prioritizing user-centric tailored solutions.
Continued Education
Various Topics
Deque University - “Designing an Accessible User Experience” and more.
LinkedIn Learning - Agile at Work
Product School - Product Roadmapping
Skills / Methods
Excellent Communication
UX/ UI Design & Wireframing
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Storytelling Expertise
Stakeholder Management
User-Centric Mindset
Risk Assessment/ Mitigation
Research Methodologies
Creative Problem-Solving
Strong Time Management
Adaptability/ Flexibility
Mentorship/ Coaching
Data Driven Decision Making
Team Leadership
Documentation & Reporting
Tools
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Premiere Pro
Figma/ Figjam
Basecamp
Miro
Trello
Notion
Zoom
Google Suite/ Workspace
Slack
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Office
Power Point
Excel
Dropbox
Volunteering
User Experience Professional Association (Minnesota)
Elected to the Board of Directors for UXPA - MN for 2024 and 2025.
Assisting in the non-profits financial leadership, strategy, and management as Treasurer.
User Experience San Antonio (UXSA)
Offered Project Manager, Product Designer, and UX assistance.
Assisted in transition leadership, managed & analyzed data.
Lead UX design team, improved processes, & fostered innovation.
Beehive Theatre Board of Directors
Non-profit organization monthly meetings
Active volunteer board in addition to organizational oversight
Continued develop of leadership skills while supporting a cause
Recreational Center Theatre Workshops
Encouraging artistic expression in youth
Foster community engagement and bring people together
Providing access to the arts while building skills and confidence
Contact Information
(612-367-6499) mattberdahlux@gmail.com www.mattberdahl.com
linkedin.com/in/mattberdahl/