Who am I?
I am Austin Shull. I am a senior product designer, leader, husband, and much more. I currently am a design lead over J.B. Hunt's internal application for drivers called DRIVE, which has an active user base of 26,000. When I started working on the DRIVE app 4 years ago, it had a star rating of 2.2. It now has an average star rating of 4.04 for the past 6 months, and an overall average of 3.86 for the past 2 years.
I have worked really hard to collaborate with DRIVE's product team to increase the consistency and excellence in the features that get implemented into DRIVE.
I actively lead design workshops with Business Analysts, Product Owners, Developers, Researchers, and Stakeholders. I love facilitating a large group by directing everyone to create unified solutions that truly solve the user's needs.
Skills
Below is just a short list of some of my key skills as a product designer.
Figma
From creating simple components to creating complex libraries, I have a strong foundation and understanding of how to best utilize Figma.
User Testing
I have facilitated in person and virtual user testing for every new feature design I have created over the past 3.5 years.
Adobe Creative Suite
I have been using adobe creative cloud applications for over 10 years. I have used every application to some capacity.
Research
I have experience gathering early research for our projects to better inform our solutions. See the Rail Integration work for an example.
Facilitation
I am constantly leading large product teams through various workshops and presentations to create in-depth solutions for our users.
Leading a Team
I have experience leading product teams, mentoring, and leading a small team of designers and researchers.
What others say about me
EVP & CIO
"Congratulations on the Leader 301 win and contributions. Great way to connect our UX resources to business operators to bring innovation to life."
Sr. Director
"The DRIVE UX work that I have seen so far this year, and there has been quite a bit of it, has been really complete! It's been tough to find potential edge gaps or cracks in the design and in my mind that's showing that Austin, in particular, has really developed a strong understanding of that app and more importantly it's user's workflows. Really appreciative of the work you guys are doing in that space and the consistent results."
Sr. Product Manager
"First and foremost, Austin has displayed remarkable leadership qualities. He has consistently shown the ability to take charge and guide cross-functional teams toward achieving product outcomes. His leadership style is collaborative and inclusive, creating an environment where team members feel motivated and supported. Austin actively listens to and empathizes with others, ensuring that everyone's ideas are heard and respected."
Product Manager
“Austin's passion for user experience design is truly commendable. He stays up-to-date with the latest industry trends and actively seeks opportunities to enhance his knowledge and skills. Austin's creativity and innovative thinking consistently result in design solutions that not only meet user needs but also exceed their expectations. This is obviously evident with DRIVE attaining over a 4 star rating for the first time in its product lifecycle while under his design leadership."
Sr. Manager
“One of Austin’s most impressive qualities is his ability to work cross functionally with the product team and collaborate highly. He leads with empathy and has a natural gift for connecting with others and meeting them where they are, which has been a major factor in his success as a leader and UX designer. He is highly skilled at considering multiple perspectives and navigating task-conflict with ease.”
Sr. Business Analyst
"Austin has proven to be an exceptional collaborator from the first day I began working with him. He has made certain to take full advantage of every opportunity to spend in-person time with our drivers as end users. Austin has proven to be an invaluable asset when he accompanies myself on field visits, be it to research an upcoming project or during the proof-of-concept of an initially completed project. His ability and willingness to travel into the field and gather as much detail and perspective from our drivers consistently puts our whole team in great positions for success."
Product Design Manager
"Austin went above and beyond outside of his day-to-day project work to create this incredibly useful tool for his team. No one asked him to do this. I'm just now discovering the level of effort he's been putting into this on his own initiative and I'm seriously impressed. He saw an opportunity to add value and did it. Wanna set yourself apart? This is how you do it."
Development Manager
“DRIVE as a whole are extremely fortunate to have him as a designer. He gives updates without ask or fail, and has on multiple occasions delivered on last minute asks without hesitation or anyone considering his capacity. And he does so with grace and patience! He brings these qualities into every meeting as he LISTENS with intention to feedback without defense. All the while moderating and guiding the conversation and moving the epics towards next steps.”
Sr. Manager
“Austin is a next-generation leader who always goes above and beyond. He leverages his creativity and curiosity to leave no problem unsolved. He has a high degree of self-awareness, which enables him to work effectively with others and build strong relationships. He is also known for his wit and sense of humor, which add value to any team!”
Education
2021
NNg
I worked to get my Neilson Norman Group certification in the fall of 2020. I did this as part of my emphasis in college. JBU did not provide all of the UX courses that I needed, so I took the NNg course to further my knowledge.
2017 - 2021
John Brown University
I got my Bachelors degree in Graphic Design with an emphasis in User Experience Design.