Dan Kalafus

I believe that creating great products requires a strategy that is firmly based in reality, not opinions or assumptions. I believe that “user experience” needs to be more than a role in a design department: it must be a shared understanding that aligns an entire organization with the needs of its end users. I've been practicing product design and strategy for over 15 years, both in-house and agency side. My role has often gone beyond that of designer, frequently taking on aspects of product manager, business analyst, and workshop facilitator. My work has spanned the full product life cycle – from defining product concepts and experience strategies, to prototyping and user-testing designs, to collaborating with developers in Agile teams to produce working software. My projects have spanned a range of industries, from financial services and insurance to healthcare and entertainment. The systems I have worked on include: * Enterprise social networks and collaboration systems * Financial advisory and client management platforms * Data visualization and analysis tools I enjoy tackling complex problem spaces – whether it’s designing for complicated workflows and data sets, or finding ways to use technology to address organizational challenges.