Top Talent like Skipper Chong are on Pangea

Pangea, a YC company, connects companies with fractional talent. Fractional hiring allows companies to move faster and work with more specialized talent, while giving talent more flexibility and independence. If you are talent open to fractional work, apply here. If you’re a company looking for high-quality fractional talent, learn more here.

Skipper Chong Warson

Product Designer
UX Designer
Raleigh, NC, US
User-Centered Design
Customer Experience
UX Strategy
Available for hire fromNegotiable
Contracts
Product strategy and design expert, workshop facilitator, coach, podcaster, and Six Sigma black belt certified
I’m an award-winning service/product designer, facilitator, and coach with 10+ years of experience creating human-centered solutions that drive business outcomes. I specialize in taking ideas from 0 to 1, aligning design with business goals, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. I've led teams through growth and acquisition phases, cultivating safe, inclusive environments while balancing hands-on execution with strategic vision. My focus is on designing impactful user experiences tied to measurable results. Since 2021, I’ve also hosted the *How This Works* podcast, exploring stories of innovation and success.

Projects

Sprints, proofs of concept (POCs) for a regional energy co

For 18 months, I led SoftServe’s collaboration with a regional energy company’s R&D group, tackling operational challenges, streamlining workflows, and highlighting the group’s strategic value, all while contributing hands-on where additive. The team of 11 core members and multiple contributors managed over 70 projects, necessitating improved visibility and efficiency. Engagement phases: • Assessment workshops: Identified operational gaps and user frustrations. • Discovery sessions: Uncovered core needs and developed user stories. • Technical evaluation: Assessed workflows and identified improvement opportunities. • Deliverables: Created a comprehensive research report and multiple proofs of concept (PoCs), including the core energy control center. Process: • Conducted workshops, surveys, and interviews with 14 team members to assess processes and challenges. • Used a modified Design Sprint 2.0 (4 days) to develop the core PoC, leveraging design systems for streamlined workflows. • Collaborated with 40 cross-functional experts (not at one time), including designers, project managers, and technology specialists, to develop actionable solutions. Key insights: • Fragmented workflows: Lack of integration for innovations hindered efficiency. • Collaborative methods: Open approaches drove effective prototyping and solutions. • Centralized information: A single source of truth was critical for communicating contributions. • Storytelling and metrics: Showcasing measurable outcomes reinforced the group’s strategic importance. Outcomes: • Increased collaboration and organizational buy-in. • Enhanced recognition of the R&D group as a leader in innovation. • Accelerated advancements critical to a cleaner, more resilient power grid.See More

Work History

H

Podcast Producer & Host

How This Works showProduced and hosted podcast episodes, engaging with guests and audiences to explore various topics and insights.
S

Regional Design Director, Americas

SoftServeJan 2021 - Jul 2024 • 3 yrs 7 mosLed a 12-person distributed team across the Americas within the larger center of excellence, specializing in product and service design with an emphasis on GenAI-powered and facilitated innovation. Drove over $2M annually in billable work by: • Overhauling key DesignOps processes, including skill development and project assignment logic, boosting operational efficiency and resource utilization • Implementing refined UX and service design career ladders, improving team satisfaction and retention through clear growth opportunities • Cultivating cross-functional collaboration across design, product, and engineering teams, reducing project churn and accelerating timelines • Scaling U.S. operations into nearshore regions (Mexico, Colombia, and Chile), increasing design capacity and expanding hiring pipelines to meet demand
T

Studio design director

thoughtbotFull-time EmployeeAug 2019 - May 2020 • 10 mosLed product/UX design and strategy for a 20-person studio. Focused on cross-functional collaboration, team dynamics, hiring, and client engagement while: • Upskilling/mentoring/growth through one-on-ones, pairing sessions, work critiques, weekly lightning talks, retros, and other group sessions • De-risking client ideas by developing proofs of concept (PoCs) and minimum viable products (MVPs), ensuring successful project outcomes • Collaborating with a distributed team to enhance diversity/inclusion practices
S

Product design director - founding

ShepContract EmployeeApr 2017 - Dec 2021 • 4 yrs 9 mosDesign direction/management to a mid-stage travel startup in Austin, TX, focusing on product, UX, and branding. Pivoted from SMB to enterprise, acquired by Flight Centre — one of a number of partners and investors — in 2021.
S

Product design director - founding

SesameFull-time EmployeeSep 2018 - Aug 2019 • 1 yrFirst designer, led the 0 to 1 development of a two-sided healthcare marketplace with more than 5K monthly active users (MAU). Created Figma design system with Storybook repository and conducted biweekly guerrilla research sprints. Managed creative/brand development and QA testing across Austin, Berlin, and NYC teams.
F

Senior service designer

FjordFull-time EmployeeAug 2013 - Sep 2018 • 5 yrs 2 mosHands-on lead in product design, expanding expertise to include service design, workshop facilitation, and user research for Fortune 100 companies. With others from the design group, self organized into a guild for career growth and self-development. Also proposed and developed the Design Voices series and co-hosted Fjord Fika, our group's flagship podcast.
B

Director UX design

BrabbleFull-time EmployeeNov 2012 - Aug 2013 • 10 mos
M

Design director

MediabistroFull-time EmployeeSep 2011 - Nov 2012 • 1 yr 3 mos
S

Freelance graphic web designer

scw creativeFreelancerJan 2005 - Sep 2011 • 6 yrs 9 mosClients included PBS FRONTLINE, Keller Williams HQ, and Rx.com, working through GSD&M, T3, and Aquent among others. Recognized with Silver Addy Award (2008) and How Magazine Merit Award (2006).

Education

A

AJ&Smart facilitation

Certificate, Design sprint masterclass2021 - 2022
A

altMBA

2016 - 2024
V

Various activities

Learnings related to product/UX design, service design, team management2008 - 2024
T

The University of Texas at El Paso

Bachelor of Arts, Double major: Playwriting and English Literature

How Pangea Works

Effortlessly discover top talent

We've distilled the candidate search from endless hours down to just a few minutes. Using Pangea's AI-powered search tools, you can find top fractional talent able to take on your next project. Our system looks at your company's niche and your needs to find the perfect match faster than any traditional hiring platform.

Start working with talent today

The top talent on Pangea is ready to get started with you right now. You can message or hire a candidate right from their profile page and start assigning work as soon as they respond. And the best part? Pangea's fractional contract structure lets you start small and ramp up as your needs change, keeping your costs manageable and your team's capabliities flexible.

Track work and invoices in one place

Assign tasks, track progress, and complete invoices all on Pangea. We've combined every part of the hiring process into one platform to eliminate the miscommunication that's unavoidable on other freelance platforms. We even send out 1099s to your contractors at the end of the year!

Talk with a Talent Expert

Members of our team are available to help you speed through the hiring process.
Available Now
Book a Call
Product strategy and design expert, workshop facilitator, coach, podcaster, and Six Sigma black belt certified
I’m an award-winning service/product designer, facilitator, and coach with 10+ years of experience creating human-centered solutions that drive business outcomes. I specialize in taking ideas from 0 to 1, aligning design with business goals, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. I've led teams through growth and acquisition phases, cultivating safe, inclusive environments while balancing hands-on execution with strategic vision. My focus is on designing impactful user experiences tied to measurable results. Since 2021, I’ve also hosted the *How This Works* podcast, exploring stories of innovation and success.

Talk with a Talent Expert

Members of our team are available to help you speed through the hiring process.
Available Now
Book a Call

Top Talent like Skipper Chong are on Pangea

Pangea, a YC company, connects companies with fractional talent. Fractional hiring allows companies to move faster and work with more specialized talent, while giving talent more flexibility and independence. If you are talent open to fractional work, apply here. If you’re a company looking for high-quality fractional talent, learn more here.

Skipper Chong Warson

Product Designer
UX Designer
Raleigh, NC, US
User-Centered Design
Customer Experience
UX Strategy
Available for hire fromNegotiable
Contracts

Projects

Sprints, proofs of concept (POCs) for a regional energy co

For 18 months, I led SoftServe’s collaboration with a regional energy company’s R&D group, tackling operational challenges, streamlining workflows, and highlighting the group’s strategic value, all while contributing hands-on where additive. The team of 11 core members and multiple contributors managed over 70 projects, necessitating improved visibility and efficiency. Engagement phases: • Assessment workshops: Identified operational gaps and user frustrations. • Discovery sessions: Uncovered core needs and developed user stories. • Technical evaluation: Assessed workflows and identified improvement opportunities. • Deliverables: Created a comprehensive research report and multiple proofs of concept (PoCs), including the core energy control center. Process: • Conducted workshops, surveys, and interviews with 14 team members to assess processes and challenges. • Used a modified Design Sprint 2.0 (4 days) to develop the core PoC, leveraging design systems for streamlined workflows. • Collaborated with 40 cross-functional experts (not at one time), including designers, project managers, and technology specialists, to develop actionable solutions. Key insights: • Fragmented workflows: Lack of integration for innovations hindered efficiency. • Collaborative methods: Open approaches drove effective prototyping and solutions. • Centralized information: A single source of truth was critical for communicating contributions. • Storytelling and metrics: Showcasing measurable outcomes reinforced the group’s strategic importance. Outcomes: • Increased collaboration and organizational buy-in. • Enhanced recognition of the R&D group as a leader in innovation. • Accelerated advancements critical to a cleaner, more resilient power grid.

Work History

H

Podcast Producer & Host

How This Works showProduced and hosted podcast episodes, engaging with guests and audiences to explore various topics and insights.
S

Regional Design Director, Americas

SoftServeJan 2021 - Jul 2024 • 3 yrs 7 mosLed a 12-person distributed team across the Americas within the larger center of excellence, specializing in product and service design with an emphasis on GenAI-powered and facilitated innovation. Drove over $2M annually in billable work by: • Overhauling key DesignOps processes, including skill development and project assignment logic, boosting operational efficiency and resource utilization • Implementing refined UX and service design career ladders, improving team satisfaction and retention through clear growth opportunities • Cultivating cross-functional collaboration across design, product, and engineering teams, reducing project churn and accelerating timelines • Scaling U.S. operations into nearshore regions (Mexico, Colombia, and Chile), increasing design capacity and expanding hiring pipelines to meet demand
T

Studio design director

thoughtbotFull-time EmployeeAug 2019 - May 2020 • 10 mosLed product/UX design and strategy for a 20-person studio. Focused on cross-functional collaboration, team dynamics, hiring, and client engagement while: • Upskilling/mentoring/growth through one-on-ones, pairing sessions, work critiques, weekly lightning talks, retros, and other group sessions • De-risking client ideas by developing proofs of concept (PoCs) and minimum viable products (MVPs), ensuring successful project outcomes • Collaborating with a distributed team to enhance diversity/inclusion practices
S

Product design director - founding

ShepContract EmployeeApr 2017 - Dec 2021 • 4 yrs 9 mosDesign direction/management to a mid-stage travel startup in Austin, TX, focusing on product, UX, and branding. Pivoted from SMB to enterprise, acquired by Flight Centre — one of a number of partners and investors — in 2021.
S

Product design director - founding

SesameFull-time EmployeeSep 2018 - Aug 2019 • 1 yrFirst designer, led the 0 to 1 development of a two-sided healthcare marketplace with more than 5K monthly active users (MAU). Created Figma design system with Storybook repository and conducted biweekly guerrilla research sprints. Managed creative/brand development and QA testing across Austin, Berlin, and NYC teams.
F

Senior service designer

FjordFull-time EmployeeAug 2013 - Sep 2018 • 5 yrs 2 mosHands-on lead in product design, expanding expertise to include service design, workshop facilitation, and user research for Fortune 100 companies. With others from the design group, self organized into a guild for career growth and self-development. Also proposed and developed the Design Voices series and co-hosted Fjord Fika, our group's flagship podcast.
B

Director UX design

BrabbleFull-time EmployeeNov 2012 - Aug 2013 • 10 mos
M

Design director

MediabistroFull-time EmployeeSep 2011 - Nov 2012 • 1 yr 3 mos
S

Freelance graphic web designer

scw creativeFreelancerJan 2005 - Sep 2011 • 6 yrs 9 mosClients included PBS FRONTLINE, Keller Williams HQ, and Rx.com, working through GSD&M, T3, and Aquent among others. Recognized with Silver Addy Award (2008) and How Magazine Merit Award (2006).

Education

A

AJ&Smart facilitation

Certificate, Design sprint masterclass2021 - 2022
A

altMBA

2016 - 2024
V

Various activities

Learnings related to product/UX design, service design, team management2008 - 2024
T

The University of Texas at El Paso

Bachelor of Arts, Double major: Playwriting and English Literature

How Pangea Works

Effortlessly discover top talent

We've distilled the candidate search from endless hours down to just a few minutes. Using Pangea's AI-powered search tools, you can find top fractional talent able to take on your next project. Our system looks at your company's niche and your needs to find the perfect match faster than any traditional hiring platform.

Start working with talent today

The top talent on Pangea is ready to get started with you right now. You can message or hire a candidate right from their profile page and start assigning work as soon as they respond. And the best part? Pangea's fractional contract structure lets you start small and ramp up as your needs change, keeping your costs manageable and your team's capabliities flexible.

Track work and invoices in one place

Assign tasks, track progress, and complete invoices all on Pangea. We've combined every part of the hiring process into one platform to eliminate the miscommunication that's unavoidable on other freelance platforms. We even send out 1099s to your contractors at the end of the year!

Talk with a Talent Expert

Members of our team are available to help you speed through the hiring process.
Available Now
Book a Call
Pangea empowers fractional work across the world for marketing and design roles.