Zach Thomas

Hi there 👋 I’m Zach Thomas. I've been designing experiences and digital products for enterprises and startups since 2006. Specializing in operations, interaction, and community, I help people understand complex systems and scale global programs that help businesses grow.

I’m currently leading civic CX strategy for Skylight. Past missions include co-founding the District Innovation Lab, leading design at General Assembly, and advising social impact initiatives with MIT’s SOLVE, Harvard’s Nieman Lab, Halcyon, and SEEDSpot.

Ushering in a New Era of Design Operations and Innovation for International Monetary Fund

International monetary Fund

DesignOps, Service Design—As consultant to IMF's Creative, Technology, and People leaders, I helped evolve a marketing-heavy creative study into an award-winning innovation lab.

I worked with stakeholders to standup UX and service design work, scoped projects, trained and led design teams deliver work IMF wasn’t capable of supporting, as a model for operations for their transitioning design practice. We championed UX and workplace experience projects for their IHQ campus in DC, enhancing overall efficiency and communication.

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General Assembly

Learning Management System Consolidation and Redesign

Consolidating our LMS apps meant a unified design system that matched various use cases across the enterprise.

Data Visualization of the Entire Learner Experience

Tens of thousands of survey responses over recent years were processed using Tableau and ChatGPT to capture experience over time.

Reviewing Instructor Grading and Classroom Tools

Existing student-facing and instructor apps were reviewed and compared against UX research. To scale course enrollment, grading efficiency was a key priority.

Wireframe Development for Custom Grading Solution

Design conventions within grading left a final design with familiar features that enabled intuitive and quick grade book management.

LMS Layout Template Auditing and Development

Dozens of one-off templates across multiple vendor and in-house LMS apps were reviewed; before redesign, a baseline template was established to maintain consistency moving forward. Read more about the LMS modernization process

Mapping the Delivery Learner System Tools

Course delivery required various primary use cases between instructors, student support, operations, and multiple teams across the B2B organization; each were mapped and used in the development of a unified design system

Introducing a Single Global Navigation App Across the Enterprise

More than two dozen customer and internal apps represented on more than four continents presented a challenge—how to streamline navigation. Working with our engineers, a revamped nav app was constructed. Read more about the Global Nav process

Study Finds Course Preparedness is single-most important variable

One of the first projects of my UX research was understanding student success. A pilot instance that focused on prerequisites highlighted what the data suggested: there’s no replacing preparation. Students that didn’t complete the standard pre-work were likely to withdraw.

Data-based Learner Personas provided to instructors

After significant data analysis and interviews with students and instructors, a series of updated Tech Personas were provided to instructor managers along with scenarios and common support cases for preparation in the weeks before course start.

First State of UX Report Published

After the completion of a six-month research study on the state of UX, including delivery teams and students, 10 key themes emerged. And for the new Blended Learning line we were launching, the results were ‘life-changing.” Read the report

Introducing the Voice of the Consumer

For the first time, the consumer business facilitated in-depth user research and interviews beyond individual campuses. For our new blended learning experience, here’s what we heard.

Record-breaking Product Launch of Blended Model

A winning production—83 NPS average for the course, our new course would become the model for product launches moving forward and is now the standard for all remote offerings.

Rethinking Blended Learning with Rapid Prototyping and UX Research, for Product at General Assembly

General Assembly

Design Systems, Product Management—As Design Principal at General Assembly, I led UX research and product development to create new learning tools and a design system during the global campus closures. My role involved overseeing multiple high-impact projects, ensuring a seamless transition to digital learning solutions through rapid prototyping and user testing.

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Postcards from Outer Space: Award-Winning Campaign to Inspire Exploration

NASA Jet propulsion laboratory

Program Marketing—In celebration of Asteroid Autumn, an email campaign 'Postcards from Outer Space' was sent as a personal invitation from the cosmos in advocacy for STEM and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's work. Using Midjourney, JPL’s Small-body Database and Mailchimp, I launched an out-of-this-world campaign. The campaign was recipient of Mailchimp and Fast Company’s inaugural Forward Awards for Outstanding Personalization.

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Trade Show Sales with a Custom No-Code App

aero

Mobile App Design—I designed and built a series of interactive product catalogs for Aero, replacing print brochures with dynamic mobile solutions. These catalogs enabled Aero's sales and business development teams to effectively engage trade show attendees and savvy purchasers.

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Apprenticeships that Transform Orgs through Design

District Innovation Lab

Program Management, Business Design, Founder—At the District Innovation Lab, we guided recent graduates and employers through comprehensive design programs. Our studio facilitated client projects for mission-driven NGOs and startups, empowering them to handle work they couldn't manage alone. By bridging the gap between academic learning and practical application, we ensured that both the talent and the organizations thrived, leading to successful project outcomes and stronger, more capable teams.

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Inventory & Fulfillment Made Quick and Easy with Lister by Upright Labs

Upright Labs

Product Design, HCD, Interaction Design—Lister by Upright Labs, used by merchants like Goodwill and Salvation Army for their local store fulfillment, manages diverse inventories, and the bulk of the product is navigated with a handheld scanner.

The system was fit for inventory, but needed support warehouse management and fulfillment. And because efficiency is important, the new Lister needed to let workers keep pace and be super easy.

I optimized the workflow through user testing and contextual inquiry, collaborating with engineers to create an efficient, scalable design system. This streamlined operations and significantly improved client satisfaction and sales processes. Upright Labs has since been acquired by Cordance.

Lister

Dashboard, Orders, and Product Layouts

Wireframes were crafted and tested alongside engineers and existing customers

Single Box Order

The existing Lister app didn’t support multiple boxes, easy order management, or quick access to key shipping actions

Lister Fulfillment Dashboard

An updated dashboard supporting new components and custom views for clients

Comparative research examples

Most inventory and fulfillment systems utilized standard dashboards, but depended on limited SKUs or extende staff—key constraints for Lister

Wire Flow for Order Processing

Contextual inquiry and robust understanding of user challenges, such as replacing single-run/unique merchandise were key to informing flow

Piloting Service Design for DC Government

City Government of DC

Service Design, ResearchOps—In partnership with the DC Mayor's Office and FuseCorps, I led CX, program management, and product design initiatives. Our projects aimed to create services that reflect human needs, enhancing user experience and operational efficiency across the IHQ campus in DC.

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Tech Enablement and Digital Equity Research for DC’s CTO

DC Office of the CTO

IT Modernization, ResearchOps—I consulted and oversaw projects to support the DC’s resident-facing products, services, and community support. I led design teams to build and optimize digital platforms, and advise on their development and delivery. Additionally, I advised a team of consultants as SME to address a critical digital equity gap, reconnecting 20% of DC's disconnected residents and guiding employee skilling during the pandemic.

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Preserving A Legacy of Canning for Ball

Ball

Product Management, Product Design—After 37 successful editions of their printed Guide to Preserving, Ball needed to honor its legacy and transition to digital. I designed an app and eBook to breathe new life into this kitchen staple, ensuring its recipes and techniques remained accessible for future generations.

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