Hey! I’m Steve.
User-centered designer with 10+ years of experience in design, research, strategy, accessibility and team leadership. I have extensive experience with leading complex design projects from ideation to iteration. I’ve built and managed a comprehensive digital accessibility program from the ground up. I have a track record of building productive, innovative team culture and leading through mentorship. I pride myself on being a dependable team player with excellent cross-functional collaboration, communication and presentation skills. While earning my Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, I honed my analytical, critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities – and became comfortable with planning and executing complex projects in an ambiguous environment without supervision.
Outside of work, I’m equally passionate about road and gravel cycling, cooking and eating good food, learning pottery, traveling and trying to improve my Spanish.
Some things I’ve designed
Use the password on my resume and cover letter to access case studies (or contact me at steve@stevekurzman.com).
Some other things I’m really good at
Strategic Problem Solving
I can very quickly absorb and analyze large amounts of information, such as user research findings, subject matter expertise, analytics data, competitive landscapes, and background research on industries. More importantly, I can put this expertise into action by defining problems, identifying user needs and business opportunities, and presenting a compelling, strategic vision for user experience and product design.
Customer Focus
I am passionate about user-centered design. My background in cultural anthropology and years of experience doing user research helps me to empathize with users, understand their needs and goals in a broader context, and advocate for them. I can do my own design research or work with dedicated user researchers when available.
Digital Accessibility
Accessible products are good for users and business. If anyone can use your product, everyone can use your product. I have broad experience, including strategy and securing buy-in, creating trainings and resources, building process for remediation, and shifting left so design teams support shipping accessible code. Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC).
Collaborative Leadership
As a highly collaborative team player, I know how to advocate for design with cross-functional partners, and when to be pragmatic so we can ship on time. I prefer to lead other designers by sharing context, asking questions and mentoring them on how to solve problems on their own, rather than dictating solutions. I am curious, welcome constructive criticism and strive to always be learning and improving my craft.
