# Deborah Howell > Staff Product Designer/Agentic AI/Interactive Design Location: Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/deborahhowell I’m a Senior UX/Product Designer obsessed with making agentic AI feel like a trusted teammate and not a mysterious box. I pour my days into designing systems at Indeed Flex where transparency and guardrails let users truly rely on AI, because I’ve seen firsthand how that trust transforms work. MY PASSION FOR UI TRUST What lights me up? Peeling back the curtain on AI thinking. I love crafting real-time decision traces and reasoning paths so users can follow along. At Indeed Flex, I’m shaping Alma, our staffing AI co-pilot: it spots gaps (say, unfulfilled workers), vets compliant candidates, and preps one-click approvals—always showing its work so managers feel in control. GUARDRILS THAT FEEL HUMAN I build in smart safeguards because errors happen, and that’s where trust shines. Think “Approve/Override” buttons at every turn, human handoffs for one-off cases, and starting simple (assisted mode) before going full autonomous. In Alma, we pre-check compliance rules upfront, so it’s reliable without babysitting, freeing me (and users) for the big-picture stuff I love. From healthcare handoffs to finance flows, that's my passion, boosting self-serve joy while cutting grunt work. Austin-based (hiking trails and Lovable or Cursor flows), I mentor juniors, and geek out on human-AI vibes. Coffee chat on trustworthy design? Hit me up! ## Work Experience ### Designer @ Mercor Intelligence Jan 2026 – Present Providing expertise and feedback in Visual Design for models for a top AI lab. ### Senior/Staff Product Designer @ Indeed Flex Jan 2025 – Jan 2026 | Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area • Architect and deploy agentic AI assistants for staffing workflows, integrating multi-agent orchestration, job posting, and operational escalation via conversational AI. • Designed AI observability and evaluation workflows to monitor model drift, hallucination rates, and latency—translating complex system data into clear, actionable dashboards that improve model transparency and learning feedback loops. • Partnered with engineers to visualize embeddings, evaluation data, and inference metrics, providing transparency and trust in assistant behavior and performance. • Ran continuous discovery through user interviews, journey mapping, and usability testing to identify failure modes and guide improvements in conversational accuracy and task success rates. • Designed conversation flows and fallback scenarios prioritizing clarity, empathy, and accessibility so that users could confidently complete tasks or be routed to live support when needed. • Collaborated cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and CX to identify and simplify high-friction employer workflows. • Helped craft the assistant’s visual and personality design to align with brand tone across U.S. and UK markets. • Ensured AI use cases and business objectives remained aligned, refining chatbot capabilities to support key staffing metrics and deliver tangible operational value. ### UI/UX Mentor/Career Coach @ Springboard Jan 2019 – Jan 2026 • Mentor a cohort of UI/UX design students, offering guidance and feedback to help them achieve their learning objectives. • Conduct regular one-on-one and group mentoring sessions to provide personalized support and address individual learning needs. • Assist students in developing their design portfolios, providing constructive critique and suggestions for improvement. • Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in UI/UX design and share industry insights with students. • Provide career guidance and assist students in job placement by sharing job search strategies, interview preparation, and resume building tips. ### Senior Product Designer @ Google Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 | Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area • Lead UX team for revenue mapping and ad tech solutions to enhance the delivery and targeting of Ads. Spearheaded AI-driven user research initiatives using AI/LLMs and cloud-based analytics to validate design decisions • Balanced enterprise UX (internal/partner-facing tools) with consumer UX (global mapping and ad products), ensuring cohesive user experience using Figma • Collaborate with engineers designing workflows that integrate with large-scale cloud infrastructure (GCP) to improve ad relevance and system performance. • Design and optimize user-focused workflows in Salesforce, improving usability and efficiency. Collaborated with teams to align designs with user and business needs, leveraging Salesforce tools to enhance processes and engagement ### User Experience Consultant @ MiTek, Loreal Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 Mitek • Lead the design direction for key software, services, and engineered products within the building industry. Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams to understand user needs, define design strategies, and create user experiences • Spearheaded the redesign of a 3D software platform, enhancing collaboration between contractors, builders, and HVAC professionals to identify and address specification misalignments in the schematics. • Worked on refining UX for spec validation and real-time 3D rendering integrating with backend engineering logic. ------------ L'Oréal Dec 2023 - Feb 2024 (Contract) • Redesigned a native app and web-based e-commerce platform for L’Oréal, focusing on enhancing the user experience through intuitive interfaces, seamless navigation, and visually compelling design. • These improvements led to increased customer satisfaction, higher conversion rates, and a more engaging shopping experience, driving overall business growth and reinforcing L'Oréal's position as a leader in the beauty tech space. ### Senior Product Designer/UX Researcher/Lead Designer Buyer Login @ AvidXchange, Inc. Jan 2023 – Jan 2023 • Designed the next-gen accounts payable automation system, integrating AI-driven insights for financial data processing. • Developed a story map detailing internal workflows for specialists setting up business accounts and guiding external customers through payment invoicing. Used AI-driven analysis to optimize user flows and resolve existing pain points. • Worked closely with designers, developers, and PMs to ensure Design System aligns with product requirements and user needs - Lead design projects - managing timelines and deliverables to simultaneously meet multiple project goals and deadlines. • Worked with developers to align the UX with backend logic, API-driven workflows, and enterprise security protocols. Skills: Storymapping - User Research - Product Design - Cross-collaboration - Design-System Development ### Senior Product Designer/User Research @ Buildertrend Jan 2022 – Jan 2023 • Led design strategy for a construction management SaaS platform, collaborating closely with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to develop and integrate a new invoice and log-in feature within specified timelines and budget constraints. Partnered with the engineering team to ensure seamless UX integration into the development process, aligning designs with technical feasibility and system architecture. • Worked alongside front-end and back-end developers to define API requirements for the invoicing feature, ensuring a smooth flow between the user interface and payment processing systems. • Defined and standardized new design patterns and components for a scalable Design System, working with both developers and marketing teams to ensure consistency between product design and new branding guidelines. • Led user interviews with current customers to understand key pain points in the invoicing process—lack of email confirmations and payment history visibility—translating insights into UI/UX improvements for both the web platform and native iOS mobile app. Skills: User Research - User Interviews - Story Mapping - Design System Expertise - User-Centered Design - Branding/Marketing Alignment - Data Analysis ### Senior UX Designer/Researcher @ iOFFICE, LP Jan 2021 – Jan 2022 | Houston, Texas, United States • Collaborate with stakeholders, product owners, and developers to clearly define user experience requirements, user scenarios, and journey maps • Conduct whiteboard sessions to produce high-quality solutions and customized experiences for the end user • Contribute to ideation and sketching sessions, story mapping, prototyping and usability testing to create comprehensive wireframe systems • Plan and execute diverse in-depth user interviews with users – develop interview protocols for consistent data collection and align them with specific research objectives • Systematically record and analyze interview findings, identifying recurring themes that helped directly shape product features Skills: Usability Testing & Research - Data Analysis - User Journey Mapping - Story Mapping ### Senior UX Analyst @ AIG Jan 2020 – Jan 2021 | Houston, Texas Area • Create and document information design concepts and solutions by various means, including wireframes, prototypes, and task flow diagrams • Work with Data Scientists to drive strategic interpretation of digital activities and develop insights that positively impact (CX) customer experience • Using Adobe Analytics to boost conversions by making it easier for users to achieve their goals on website or mobile app Skills: Information Design • Data Analysis • Usability Optimization • User Strategy • CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) • User-Centered Design ### Lead UI/UX Mobile App Designer/2d Animation for Mobile app @ LivaNova Jan 2019 – Jan 2020 | Houston, Texas Area • Lead the design of an MVP medical device mobile app for patients with epilepsy • Create engaging on boarding and tutorial animations that guide users through the app's setup and usage processes. Animations simplify complex procedures and enhance user comprehension. • Address complex usability challenges, such as the risk of inadvertently activating the pacemaker-like device through the app's button upon first use. Devise intuitive solutions that help users understand the button's intended function and mitigate potential risks. • Develop a user-centered design that caters to the unique needs and preferences of individuals with epilepsy and healthcare professionals. Ensure visual consistency in colors, typography, and design elements. • Design with accessibility in mind to accommodate users with diverse needs, including color contrast, text size, and readability. • Conduct usability testing to evaluate the effectiveness of visual elements, including illustrations, in enhancing user comprehension. • Ensure the design translates seamlessly across various mobile devices and operating systems. • Adhere to regulatory and compliance requirements relevant to medical device apps in terms of user interfaces and information presentation. ### Senior Designer @ LyondellBasell Jan 2019 – Jan 2019 | Houston, Texas Area • Lead the design and development of a cohesive and brand-consistent visual identity for a variety of in-house marketing collateral. • Crafting engaging PowerPoint presentations, designing informative technical newsletters, and producing eye-catching brochures that align with the established brand standards. ### Senior UI/UX Designer @ HP Jan 2019 – Jan 2019 | Spring, Texas • Conceptualize and design diverse user-centric layouts, intuitive workflows, and interactive mockups for HP's web, desktop, and mobile applications • Collaborate extensively across departments, including product, marketing, and development, to ensure the user-centered design approach is integrated effectively. • Uphold a cohesive visual identity that aligns with brand standards across all platforms, fostering a harmonious and engaging user experience. • Actively engage in UX workshops to uncover user pain points and innovate solutions within the application interfaces. • Work closely with product managers and engineers to gather and interpret user requirements, ensuring a design that resonates with user needs and preferences. Skills: User Research • User-Centered Design • User Interface Design • Visual Design ### 3D Designer @ Wood Jan 2018 – Jan 2019 | Katy, Texas • Provides designs and drawings for P&IDs (Piping and Instrument Diagrams) and PFD’s (Process Flow Diagrams) for complex engineering projects • Creation of 3d illustrations/graphics from P&IDs ### Senior Designer @ Chevron Jan 2016 – Jan 2018 | Houston • Support web developers by creating illustrations for online learning courses and modules • Create interactive graphics and animations for computer-based trainings and web applications • Design of various in-house marketing material including posters, technical newsletters ### Senior User Experience Designer @ AdvisorShares Jan 2014 – Jan 2018 | Pearland, Texas • Conversion of excel financial graphs into compelling Illustrator graphs for online financial PDF reports of ETFs • Monthly updates of online financial reports of various ETFs Exchange Traded Funds ### Contract/Freelance @ Freelance Jan 2007 – Jan 2014 | Germany UX Designer (Human-Machine Interaction Design) • Create workflows of user experience between driver and automotive panel icon • Create user flows for choosing music on mobile phone to panel • Gather and evaluate user requirements in collaboration with researchers, engineers, and PMs Vodafone, Germany Lead Designer Mobile App • Using Illustrator created mobile app screens based upon user flows of graphical touch • points from Solution Architect's wireframes - test mock-ups on sample phone GROUP M, Dusseldorf, Germany UI/UX Designer • Employ a user-centered design approach by creating interactive apps inside of Facebook for brands such as Colgate and Elmex • Work with developers rapidly testing app prototypes ### 2d/3d Animation and Interactive Design Instructor @ Westwood College - Denver North Jan 2004 – Jan 2006 • Instructor for college courses in Adobe Photoshop, DreamWeaver, Flash, 3d Studio MAX ### 3d Instructor/University of Lapland - Lapland Animaton Studio/3d Workshop Leader @ University of Lapland Jan 2005 – Jan 2005 | Rovaniemi, Finland • Worked at Lapland Animation Studios in Finland • 3d workshops/lectures on 2d character design, layout and pipeline in 3d animated features for Lapland Studios, worked on various in house student projects • Taught 3d animation as an Invited Guest Lecturer at the University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland - became part of an International group of 3d animators at Lapland Studios working on their various projects for 3 months, sharing ideas, culture and 3d experience ### 3d Animation/Layout Artist @ DNA Productions Jan 2000 – Jan 2001 3d Animation/Motion Graphics/3d Workshop Leader • Oscar nominated movie Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius Feature Film, Layout Artist, using LightWave prepared and built 3D environments bringing in characters, models, and sets • Set up multiple cameras with Creative Director to determine best angle, which kept each scene transitioning smoothly from cut to cut • Created preliminary animation using Lightwave Messiah by positioning character’s poses/movements from pre-existing 2d storyboards - kept shots consistent from scene to scene by troubleshooting what may appear inconsistent ## Education ### Associate Degree in Visual Communications and 3d Animation Art Institute of Dallas ### BBA in Finance University of Houston ### Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA in Finance, General University of Houston ### Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA in Finance, General University of Houston ### Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA in Finance, General University of Houston ### Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA in Finance, General University of Houston ### Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA in finane University of Houston ### Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA in Finance, General University of Houston ### Bachelor's Degree in Finance, General University of Houston ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/deborah-howell-096467b - Portfolio: https://uxfol.io/debnovak2014%20password:%20Creative2024 --- Source: https://flows.cv/deborahhowell JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/deborahhowell/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-16