Brett Combs
Senior Product Designer
bcombs@usableco.comlinkedin/usableProfile
Now a Senior Product Designer, my design journey began in the early ‘90s, rooted in a BFA program where I embraced foundational principles of visual communication design. Over 24 years, I’ve evolved from mastering print and packaging to shaping interactive experiences and leading user-centered design in enterprise environments. With dual terminal degrees in visual and experience design, and a bachelors in philosophy, I’ve developed a unique approach that blends creative intuition with analytical rigor. This foundation helps me uncover the deeper context of human behavior and craft digital experiences that resonate with how users naturally engage with the world.
Strategically rendered visual language, informed by an understanding of intentionality and the nature of skillful coping, can reduce user anxiety, enhance health and well-being, boost confidence, and improve efficiency. My work leverages this philosophy to deliver intuitive, human-centered solutions that drive meaningful change and elevate digital experiences. I aim to continue pushing the boundaries of design, creating products that not only meet user needs but also positively impact their daily lives.
Credentials
MS UXD, Kent State University 2020
MFA, California College of The Arts 2004
BA Philosophy, San Francisco State University 2000
Master of Science, User Experience Design, Kent State University 2018-2020
Master of Fine Arts, Design, California College of The Arts 2002-2004
Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy, San Francisco State University 1999-2001
Bachelor of Arts Program, Design , Kent State University 90-94
Skills
MS UXD, Kent State University 2020
MFA, California College of The Arts 2004
BA Philosophy, San Francisco State University 2000
Core Competencies
UX Design (user-centered experiences) | Interaction Design (designing user workflows and task flows) | User Research & Analysis (qualitative and quantitative insights) | Data Science Integration (leveraging data for UX design and decision-making) | Design Systems (creating reusable components for consistent design language) | Prototyping (building interactive models for design testing) | UX Strategy & Vision (aligning design goals with business objectives) | Information Architecture (organizing and structuring content for usability) | Accessibility (ensuring compliance with WCAG guidelines for inclusive design) | Usability Testing (evaluating design performance with real users) | Systems Thinking (designing for interconnected processes and environments) | Agile Methodologies (applying iterative design processes within Agile frameworks) | Visual Design (creating visual elements for effective communication) | Product Design (from concept development to final production) | Mobile Design (designing for iOS and Android platforms) | Backend (understanding backend architecture for effective collaboration in full-stack projects) | User Empathy (advocating for user needs and perspectives throughout the design process)
Design & Prototyping Tools
Figma (UI/UX design and prototyping) | Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator for custom visuals) | WebFlow (lo-code design platform for animated mobile-first web)
User Research & Testing Tools
Optimal Workshop (card sorting, tree testing) | Lookback.io (remote user testing) | UsabilityHub (preference and first-click tests) | UserTesting (remote usability tests) | Hotjar (heatmaps and session recordings) | Typeform (survey tool for feedback)
Collaboration & White-boarding Tools
Miro (brainstorming, wireframing, journey mapping) | FigJam (whiteboarding for team collaboration) | Jira (Agile project management) | Confluence (project documentation) | Trello (task management for smaller teams)
Development & Handoff Tools
Zeplin (design handoff with assets) | HTML5 & CSS3 (basic front-end knowledge) | WebFlow (web design with minimal coding) | GitHub (version control)
AI & Generative Tools
GPT-4 (AI-assisted design and problem solving) | Midjourney (AI-generated illustrations for journey maps) | Perplexity (AI-powered research and citations)
Soft Skills
Leadership | Cross-Functional Team Collaboration (partnering with engineers, product managers, and business analysts) | Client Communication | Stakeholder Engagement | Adaptability & Flexibility | Complex Problem Solving | Strategic Thinking | Storytelling in Design
Experience
CVS
Senior UX Product Designer
5/22 — Present
Responsible for leading the design and research on initiatives that improve and provide healthcare access to patients. Solving complex business problems within the eCommerce/Pharmacy website related to customer loyalty programs and other convenience functions.
Sherwin Williams
Senior User Experience Designer
8/2023 — 10/2024
Served as the design lead for several high-impact initiatives, including the modernization of Sherwin Williams’ pricing, sales interaction planning and management, order management, and point of sale applications. These efforts focused on improving operational efficiency, communication, and customer service across the organization, with designs grounded in user research and cross-functional collaboration.
- Research Leadership: Conducted discovery research with district managers responsible for regions generating millions in revenue. This included task-based interviews and video recordings, leading to key insights that shaped the development of new, high-fidelity UI designs.
- Outcome: Improved communication between district managers and sales reps, reducing the need for recreating and resubmitting price change requests. This time-saving solution directly addressed a major pain point in their workflow.
- Order Management Solution: Designed a modern, consistent UI for Sherwin Williams’ order management system. The solution emphasized fast keyboard operation, default cursor locations, and pre-configured account settings to enable efficient order creation.
- Outcome: Increased ease of adoption for new employees, reducing training costs and improving customer service quality by ensuring fast and flexible order processing.
- Sales Platform Project: Developed a sales meeting planner based on research into the actual working habits of sales reps. This new tool replaced the inefficient calendar system with a flexible weekly planner that better aligned with how sales reps plan and prioritize meetings.
- Outcome: Reduced the time sales reps spent using the tool, allowing them to plan more effectively. The planner was well-received as a solution that saved time and better reflected their real-world needs, improving engagement in the planning process.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Worked closely with Deloitte UX/UI designers, project managers, and business stakeholders to bridge the gap between Jira-based business analysis and design implementation. Facilitated workshops, including sails and anchors, to gather input and refine the user experience.
- Systems Design: Created system maps and high-level user journey maps to build a shared understanding of project goals across teams, ensuring alignment between design and business requirements.
CVS
Senior Product Designer
5/22 — 7/23
Led key initiatives at CVS Health, driving the development of innovative solutions that optimized user experiences across iOS and Android platforms. My work involved leading the design of shopping list functionality, revising in-progress applications, and contributing to the development of a company-wide design system. Through cross-functional collaboration and a proactive design process, I consistently delivered high-fidelity design solutions that aligned with business goals and enhanced user engagement.
- Shop-able Lists Initiative: Led the UX process for shop-able lists on iOS and Android (aOS) platforms, conducting competitive analysis, medium-fidelity functionality mapping in Miro, and producing high-fidelity screens in Figma. Designed screens for week-over-week presentation to design leads and stakeholders, driving continuous refinement and iteration of the experience.
- Outcome: Enabled rapid redesign iterations, improving the user shopping experience and increasing efficiency in stakeholder feedback cycles.
- Healthcare Services App: Revised an iOS and Android application allowing CVS shoppers to purchase items with health plan funds. Improved clarity of the product offering and functionality by applying BJ Fogg’s behaviors and triggers methodology.
- Outcome: Enhanced user engagement and comprehension of the healthcare services app, improving the overall shopping experience for users managing health plan funds.
- Design System Initiative: Proposed and contributed to the creation of a federated design system at CVS, tasking designers across the organization with submitting components. Collaborated with another designer to transform submissions into final components available in Figma.
- Outcome: Standardized design components across teams, improving collaboration, consistency, and scalability of design solutions across CVS’s digital platforms.
nimbl digital
Product Designer
09/2021 — 2/2022
At Nimbl, I contributed to the design of a specialized fintech platform used by financial managers and wealth advisors. The platform enhanced communication, optimized data presentation, and streamlined processes for managing funds and client accounts by leveraging a cohesive, component-based design system.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Partnered closely with business analysts and senior engineers to translate complex business requirements into a consistent set of high-fidelity user interfaces. I worked in iterative cycles, using tools like Miro and Sketch, to design components that supported business goals while maintaining design consistency across the platform.
- Design Consistency Across the Platform: A large part of my role involved ensuring the consistent use of UI components throughout the application. By implementing a unified design language, I helped standardize the visual and functional elements of the platform, improving user experience and ensuring scalability as new features were added.
- Domain Learning & Design Alignment: I quickly adapted to the platform’s complex technical and business requirements. Regular meetings with stakeholders allowed me to deepen my understanding of the financial domain, ensuring that the components I designed were aligned with both user needs and broader business objectives.
- Component Design & Development: Conducted research to identify, refine, and implement reusable UI components that could be applied across various contexts. This approach improved platform consistency, reduced development time, and made it easier to scale the design as the platform evolved.
- Prototype & User Testing: Created pixel-perfect prototypes in InVision, presenting them to product owners and stakeholders for validation. These prototypes served as a key tool for gathering feedback and ensuring alignment across teams, enabling successful handoff to developers.
Toptal
Interactive Designer
10/2021 — 2/2022
As part of a highly selective group of designers at Toptal, I collaborated with small and medium-sized businesses across various industries to design and deliver fully customized websites. Leveraging platforms like Webflow and WordPress, I provided interactive digital solutions tailored to each business’s unique needs. My role also included creating cohesive branding and marketing designs to support the clients’ digital presence. I worked closely with clients to define content strategies, site architecture, and design elements that enhanced the user experience and aligned with their business objectives.
Independant
Interactive Designer
6/2006 — 10/2017
Delivered comprehensive print and digital design services for a diverse range of small and medium-sized brands, including Beyond the Dog, 9606 Capital, Nulase, Matcha Tea, Monkey Moto, C&C Real Estate, and Golden State Apothecary. Each project was customized to align with the brand’s identity and specific business goals.
- Led the full project lifecycle from concept development to final execution, ensuring timely delivery, adherence to scope, and client satisfaction. Managed all aspects of project planning, design, and production, maintaining a hands-on approach.
- Produced visually compelling and brand-aligned assets, including logos, brochures, websites, social media graphics, and packaging, leveraging Adobe Creative Suite and other design tools to bring creative concepts to life.
- Cultivated strong client relationships through clear communication, timely updates, and a collaborative approach. Integrated client feedback into the design process to ensure final deliverables were closely aligned with their vision and objectives.
- Conducted research to identify, refine, and implement reusable UI components that could be applied across various contexts. This approach improved platform consistency, reduced development time, and made it easier to scale the design as the platform evolved.
- Applied UX/UI best practices in the design of user-friendly websites and digital platforms, enhancing user engagement, improving user journeys, and optimizing conversion paths for increased customer interaction and conversion rates.
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously, consistently maintaining high standards of creativity, service quality, and timely delivery while handling the day-to-day operations of a freelance practice.
Early Work
Print, Packaging, and Interactive Design
1999 — 2004
- Interactive Designer, CMG Design, 2007: Provided on-site Flash and print design services on contract basis for a small design studio in South Pasadena, CA, contributing to various creative projects for Dole with a focus on delivering visually compelling and brand-aligned assets.
- Creative Service Department manager, CIBC Bank, 2002: Contract work through a placement agency. Managed a team of ten who worked closely with CIBC bankers producing various print and presentation materials.
- Design instructor, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, 2001-2002: Developed curriculum and led instruction for courses including Intro to Typography, Design Studio, and Final Portfolio, equipping students with foundational design skills and guiding them through the process of creating polished, professional portfolios.
- UI Designer, Homegain.com, 2001: FTE, Designed and produced web graphics for a real estate startup in Emeryville, CA, ensuring the visuals were optimized for both functionality and aesthetics, driving user engagement and brand recognition.
- Packaging Designer, StoneTech Pro, 2000: Contract work through a placement agency designing and producing packaging for two lines of stone treatment products, transforming their visual identity from industrial to consumer-focused, effectively repositioning the products for broader market appeal.
- Packaging Designer, Monster Cable, 2000: Contract work through a placement agency designing and producing packaging design for products bound for store shelves. Producing professional files for handoff to printers.