For six years, I was the Head of Design for Jetpack (WordPress); I led a fully remote, global team that designed SaaS, AI-driven, B2B, and B2C subscription-based products.
For six years, I was the Head of Design for Jetpack (WordPress); I led a fully remote, global team that designed SaaS, AI-driven, B2B, and B2C subscription-based products.
Impact Numbers
↑58%
Team Productivity
↑8%
CVR
↑15%
User Engagement
Impact Numbers
↑58%
Team Productivity
↑8%
CVR
↑15%
User Engagement
Impact Numbers
↑58%
Team Productivity
↑8%
CVR
↑15%
User Engagement
My team supported seven engineering squads. Through close cross-functional collaboration, we took 14 products from zero to 1, delivering high-quality, user-focused solutions aligned with business goals.
Led a global design team for 7 engineering squads, delivering user-focused products. Developed a system that boosted productivity, met deadlines, and enhanced team engagement.
Snapshots of Impact
Snapshots of Impact
AI products for WordPress
My product design team led five flagship initiatives at Automattic, including designing the AI tools now featured in the WordPress Editor. These include an AI writing assistant to enhance content creation, an AI logo generator, content suggestions, voice-to-text functionality, image generation, and more.
HOW I THINK:
Diving into unknown territory can be thrilling, but also daunting when it's a huge company initiative like AI was. I took a night course on Product Design for AI to ensure I could give my team the best chance of succeeding.
My design team led five flagship initiatives at Automattic, including AI tools for the WordPress Editor like a writing assistant, logo generator, content suggestions, voice-to-text, and image generation.
Voice to text
Logo generator
Key results
~3M
Active Users
~5
New AI Tools Built
Key results
~3M
Active Users
~5
New AI Tools Built
Key results
~ 3M
Active Users
~5
New AI Tools Built
Jetpack Backups
Jetpack VaultPress Backups is a stand-alone WordPress plugin offering real-time, automatic backups. As the lead IA/UX architect, I took this feature from concept to launch.
This project was part of a larger initiative that included two key efforts:
Integrating VaultPress Backups into Jetpack Backups – Streamlining product offerings, improving reliability, and enhancing user experience.
Creating a stand-alone Jetpack Backups plugin – Designing an independent backup solution with a new cloud infrastructure built from the ground up.
HOW I THINK:
I tackle large projects by working closely with engineering to move quickly in parallel—I'm allergic to waterfall processes! I join daily standups, attend planning sessions, and involve engineering leads in design brainstorming and wireframing.
Key results
5M
Active Installs
270M
backups to date
↑18%
User Satisfaction
PRoblems to solve
VaultPress, part of the Jetpack ecosystem, required speed, reliability, and real-time backup improvements to stay competitive.
A separate brand caused user confusion, reduced trust, and a disjointed product experience within Jetpack.
VaultPress’s legacy infrastructure lacked speed and integration, requiring a new cloud-based backup system for future Jetpack products.
Design handled requests from eight development teams, balancing priorities across sales, marketing, and global design.
Objectives
Create a cloud-based platform that could become home for all Jetpack services.
Optimize Backup speeds.
Enhance Backup offering.
Create a stand-alone Backup plugin.
PROCESS DETAILS
The Process
Defining, Aligning, Lean research (~3 days)
Identify KPIs and led cross-functional scoping discussions. Analyzed user satisfaction metrics and other existing VaultPress data to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Workflow refinement (~1 day)
Our bias for action sometimes impacted efficiency. I partnered with engineering to pilot a small but effective process tweak (I've implemented with past teams) on this project, which was later scaled across the division.
Working in parallel with engineering ( Zero -1 : 3months)
Identified structures and features that would be ported over as is. Helped structure short-term sprints and the long-term roadmap.
Use Case Mapping & Task-Based Journeys (~2 days)
Documented key user journeys and task flows to ensure seamless functionality in the new Jetpack Cloud environment.
Experience mapping (~2-3 days)
Ensure the app provides accurate, consistent feedback at all key touchpoints. Detail how every user action triggers a system response. Deep-dive into micro-interactions, ensuring each interaction provides clear, intuitive feedback.
Bare bones design system (~ 2 days)
Developed a Jetpack-aligned backup brand guide with core components, ensuring visual consistency and providing engineering with reusable UI elements before final designs were completed.
Rapid Wireframing & Iterative Testing ( Zero -1 : 3months)
Quickly prototyped new features for validation to feed smaller, research-driven iterations
to engineering.
Before and after
Complex tasks and workflows
Introducing a New Mental Model: Real-Time Backups
Users needed to understand and adopt the shift from manual/scheduled backups to an always-on, real-time backup system within Jetpack.
2. Multi-Host Credential Management
Users had to securely add and manage server credentials across up to 20 different hosting providers, each with unique authentication processes.
3. Seamless Password Reset in a Jetpack-Branded Experience
The password reset flow had to align with WordPress branding while maintaining a consistent Jetpack experience, preventing user confusion.
4. Balancing Depth & Simplicity in Backup Error Messaging
IT professionals needed access to detailed technical error logs for troubleshooting.
Non-technical users required a simplified, digestible version to avoid overwhelming complexity.
Cross-Environment Compatibility
The UI needed to be flexible and modular to support four different WordPress environments without requiring
major design overhauls.
Jetpack Backups
Jetpack VaultPress Backups is a stand-alone WordPress plugin offering real-time, automatic backups. As the lead IA/UX architect, I took this feature from concept to launch.
This project was part of a larger initiative that included two key efforts:
Integrating VaultPress Backups into Jetpack Backups – Streamlining product offerings, improving reliability, and enhancing user experience.
Creating a stand-alone Jetpack Backups plugin – Designing an independent backup solution with a new cloud infrastructure built from the ground up.
HOW I THINK:
I tackle large projects by working closely with engineering to move quickly in parallel—I'm allergic to waterfall processes! I join daily standups, attend planning sessions, and involve engineering leads in design brainstorming and wireframing.
Key results
5M
Active Installs
270M
backups to date
↑18%
User Satisfaction
PRoblems to solve
VaultPress, part of the Jetpack ecosystem, required speed, reliability, and real-time backup improvements to stay competitive.
A separate brand caused user confusion, reduced trust, and a disjointed product experience within Jetpack.
VaultPress’s legacy infrastructure lacked speed and integration, requiring a new cloud-based backup system for future Jetpack products.
Design handled requests from eight development teams, balancing priorities across sales, marketing, and global design.
Objectives
Create a cloud-based platform that could become home for all Jetpack services.
Optimize Backup speeds.
Enhance Backup offering.
Create a stand-alone Backup plugin.
PROCESS DETAILS
The Process
Defining, Aligning, Lean research (~3 days)
Identify KPIs and led cross-functional scoping discussions. Analyzed user satisfaction metrics and other existing VaultPress data to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Workflow refinement (~1 day)
Our bias for action sometimes impacted efficiency. I partnered with engineering to pilot a small but effective process tweak (I've implemented with past teams) on this project, which was later scaled across the division.
Working in parallel with engineering ( Zero -1 : 3months)
Identified structures and features that would be ported over as is. Helped structure short-term sprints and the long-term roadmap.
Use Case Mapping & Task-Based Journeys (~2 days)
Documented key user journeys and task flows to ensure seamless functionality in the new Jetpack Cloud environment.
Experience mapping (~2-3 days)
Ensure the app provides accurate, consistent feedback at all key touchpoints. Detail how every user action triggers a system response. Deep-dive into micro-interactions, ensuring each interaction provides clear, intuitive feedback.
Bare bones design system (~ 2 days)
Developed a Jetpack-aligned backup brand guide with core components, ensuring visual consistency and providing engineering with reusable UI elements before final designs were completed.
Rapid Wireframing & Iterative Testing ( Zero -1 : 3months)
Quickly prototyped new features for validation to feed smaller, research-driven iterations
to engineering.
Before and after
Complex tasks and workflows
Introducing a New Mental Model: Real-Time Backups
Users needed to understand and adopt the shift from manual/scheduled backups to an always-on, real-time backup system within Jetpack.
2. Multi-Host Credential Management
Users had to securely add and manage server credentials across up to 20 different hosting providers, each with unique authentication processes.
3. Seamless Password Reset in a Jetpack-Branded Experience
The password reset flow had to align with WordPress branding while maintaining a consistent Jetpack experience, preventing user confusion.
4. Balancing Depth & Simplicity in Backup Error Messaging
IT professionals needed access to detailed technical error logs for troubleshooting.
Non-technical users required a simplified, digestible version to avoid overwhelming complexity.
Cross-Environment Compatibility
The UI needed to be flexible and modular to support four different WordPress environments without requiring
major design overhauls.
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing delivered a strong beta with minimal usability issues.
Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.
Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts seamlessly placed at key moments to increase CVR.are
Want to really dig in?
View Full Backups Case study
Jetpack Backups
Jetpack Backups is a WordPress stand-alone plugin that offers real-time, automatic backups. I was this feature's primary AI/UX architect, taking it from concept to launch.
Key results
100k
Active Installs
270 M
backups to date
Key results
100k
Active Installs
270 M
backups to date
The Problem
Users had to download an 80+ feature plugin to get backups, raising site performance concerns. The backup process was cumbersome, and third-party storage eroded confidence in accessibility during outages, undermining reliability and usability.
WIREFRAMING & Prototyping
Provided the engineering team with iterative, user-tested, low-fidelity prototypes to enable continuous feedback and development, maintaining momentum and avoiding a waterfall approach.
Key results
5M
Active Installs
270M
backups to date
↑18%
User Satisfaction
Key results
5M
Active Installs
270M
backups to date
↑18%
User Satisfaction
Enterprise agency dashboard
My team designed and launched a B2C multi-site dashboard enabling agencies to manage thousands of client sites. Through research, prototyping, and collaboration, we delivered an intuitive tool for streamlined multi-site management.
Meeting users where they are
Custom dashboard that puts core tasks at the fingertips of busy IT professionals, enabling them to triage issues on the fly.
User Driven features
I led a generative and evaluative research project to create a user-centered roadmap.
We mapped out an enterprise referral system that delivered measurable value to customers while meeting business goals.
Key results
↑40%
User Growth YOY
~ 17
Bulk Mgmt Features
✓ UX
User Acceptance
Key results
↑40%
User Growth YOY
~ 17
Bulk Mgmt Features
✓ UX
User Acceptance
Enterprise backups (concept)
Jetpack Backups Enterprise is a scalable, AI-powered backup solution for IT professionals managing high-volume content and multi-site data. It offers real-time or scheduled backups without performance impact. A proposed AI predictive engine helps anticipate performance issues and prevent downtime.
The Problem
As enterprises scale, IT teams struggle to manage numerous backup sites and vast data volumes. Traditional solutions lack real-time insights, predictive analytics, and automation, leading to downtime, data loss, and higher costs.
Research & Planning
I led a full research study with this audience that informed our roadmap for this project. We conducted surveys and qualitative interviews to understan the issues IT professionals face when managing large numbers of sites (in the thousands) with high-volume content (such as online stores with many products.)
Key findings
Sites are managed in clusters depending on the stage of development, the type of site and the level of customer. One size does not fit all.
IT professionals must minimize downtime and proactively address potential issues.
We recommend leveraging an LLM that analyzes a site's historical data, the broader ecosystem of managed sites, external data sources, and manually inputted technical requirements to predict and prevent failures.
WIREFRAMING & Prototyping
This project was in its early stages at the time of my departure. Included are the technical flow maps created to guide AI engineers in defining the LLM’s required functionality, along with an initial set of wireframes that capture most, but not all, key features.
Technical flow map
I create rough technical flowmaps to conceptualize how AI features could function. This AI-driven backup management system is designed from a user-centered perspective, focusing on system interactions and IT needs. The goal is to facilitate clear, effective discussions with engineering teams.
I attempt to map how historical site data, ecosystem insights, external sources, and manual inputs feed into the LLM. The AI processes this data to predict issues, generate alerts, and recommend actions, helping IT professionals proactively prevent downtime. The system continuously refines its accuracy, ensuring a seamless, user-centered backup management experience.
Rough wireframe v.1
This V.1 wireframe is a rough early concept to kickstart discussions with engineering. It maps out an enterprise backup dashboard with key metrics, site details, and predictive AI insights. Designed to help engineering begin backend work, it prioritizes functionality and data structure while the design team continues refining UX and researching user needs.
PREV
NEXT
Meeting the user where they are
Custom dashboard that puts core tasks at the fingertips of busy IT professionals, enabling them to triage issues on the fly.
User Driven features
I led a generative and evaluative research project to create a user-centered roadmap.
We mapped out an enterprise referral system that delivered measurable value to customers while meeting business goals.
PREV
NEXT
PREV
NEXT
prototypes
Early and frequent prototype testing, delivering a strong experience with minimal
usability issues.Just in time messaging
Upgrade prompts are seamlessly placed at key moments to
increase CVR.Mitigating failures
Extensively tested failure messaging to maintain user trust.