# Dylan K. > Senior UX Designer at Pulumi, designer, programmer. Location: Elko, Nevada, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/dylank1 Driven and passionate front-end web developer and engineer offering 20+ years leading key design engineering initiatives. Known as an expert in delivering innovative, reliable, cost-saving solutions and strategies that streamline processes and drive business growth in a fast-paced environment. Adaptable, analytical, and highly self-motivated with a proven track record reflecting strong leadership experience that builds and leads collaborative product innovation teams. Highly praised for problem-solving, excellent communication skills, and intuitive user experience design ability. I write code every day. …and yes, I use AI. At the moment I primarily use Claude. ## Work Experience ### Senior User Experience Designer @ Pulumi Jan 2024 – Present | Seattle, Washington, United States ### Graphic Designer @ beneficialmedia Jan 2008 – Present Beneficialmedia, llc. is a small design studio. ### Lead UX Engineer @ Eightfold Jan 2022 – Jan 2024 | United States Creator, core contributor, Octuple component library. Managed a consistently changing v-team of engineers using agile scrum methodology, Jira and Kanban. Drafted a UX migration plan to move away from local and third-party components to use Eightfold’s Octuple design system. Increased usage of Octuple component library and systems design via extensive design and developer documentation and support from 0 to over 10,000 implementation points in Eightfold production apps within 8 months. Implemented Quality Assurance checks and balances to ensure risk mitigation by holistic regression test methodologies. Winner, Eightfold Innovation Award 2022 ### Design Engineer 2 @ Microsoft Jan 2017 – Jan 2022 | redmond, washington Drive success within architecture of OneNote web application accessibility features, achieving SLA attainment of level-C accessibility standards. Lead UX/UI prototyping for Reading Assignments and Immersive Reader, strongly focusing on process, production, and engineering, and contributing critical code to 3 winning (best overall, best in category) Microsoft Hackathon projects. Support Immersive Reader scaling from zero to 46M MAU across multiple platforms by creating React prototype, scaling directly to production, and improving portability and designing for use by any web experience. Drive process and creation of quick-cadence executive presentations representing Microsoft Education product vision, iterating quickly as products evolved keeping internal stakeholders informed of UX progress. Coordinate longitudinal research studies culminating into extensible features originating from Microsoft Classroom to Microsoft Teams Assignments and OneNote class notebooks. ### Design Developer 2 @ Microsoft Jan 2016 – Jan 2017 | Redmond, Washington Transitioned to leading engineering and front-end development for Microsoft Classroom and School Data Sync. Managed on-call engineer rotation and live site incident mitigation, successfully completing resolution tasks, telemetry implementation, and continuous delivery-focused devops. Innovated Immersive Reader web application concept, taking app from zero users to a fully formed reality. ### Senior User Experience Designer @ Microsoft Jan 2014 – Jan 2016 | Redmond, Washington Achieved transition of Microsoft Classroom and School Data Sync SaaS APIs to Microsoft Teams assignments by creating innovative conceptual UX, design integration, and full-stack engineering. Secured funding for Microsoft Education, successfully driving formal product group creation. Created code for Fresh Paint’s final release, an application still available on Windows 10 devices 7 years later. Collaborated with design and engineering to implement Mix Gallery, enabling unlimited user sharing capabilities through front end Office Mix code development. Moved Microsoft apps to the cloud by authoring web applications, including the Immersive Reader. Responsible for the creation of Microsoft Education products by creating the assignments schema in 2014 ### Design Integrator @ Aquent Jan 2014 – Jan 2014 | Redmond, Washington Designed engaging and interactive UX capacity throughout Office Mix application and website, producing high quality visual design. Authored additional Fresh Paint UI for final release, delivering continued visionary UX capabilities and updating to Windows 10 as necessary. ### Visual Designer, Creative Technologist @ Amazon Advertising @ Aquent Jan 2013 – Jan 2014 | Seattle Implemented innovative, IAB-compliant web-based ads, actively contributing as a visual designer and front-end developer from conceptual design through production code. Shifted Amazon from Flash to HTML via hero advertisement for Cover Girl Hunger Games: Catching Fire campaign. Designed ad campaigns from concept to delivery for clients including Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Clorox, Kimberly Clark, and Beiersdorf. ### Design Integrator | Prototyper @ Aquent Jan 2012 – Jan 2013 | Microsoft Redmond Campus West Single-handedly created Windows 8 Fresh Paint application UI end-to-end using XAML and C# with a C++ back-end integration to DirectX for 3D paint effects, achieving in-box status and reaching 1B MAU. ### Interactive Designer @ Metia Jan 2011 – Jan 2012 | Kirkland, Washington Owned Microsoft Dynamics creative platform, innovating multi-channel design system based on Windows brand for video, web, and presentations. Created Microsoft Case Studies app for Windows Phone 7.5, facilitating key channel to demonstrate value to potential partners. Wrote prototype for Excel UWP application within Microsoft Office Labs. ### Media Author | Design Integrator @ Aquent Jan 2008 – Jan 2011 | Microsoft Redmond Campus West Defined UI variable scope of Windows 8 by authoring types and interfaces in C++ to be interpreted by C# and XAML using Splash, supporting internal engineers and contributing to Windows metro design success. Attended weekly sync meetings, supporting bug curve management and analyzing goals and projections. Created complex now playing and about features UI, implementing transition animations throughout the product using new pattern known as forward and backward hide/show. Invented BoundsType property, allowing developers to strip insets around blocks of type, giving designers high quality grid control. ### Archivist @ AIGA Seattle Jan 2007 – Jan 2010 Recorder of board and chapter events and responsible for maintaining an ongoing record of events for the AIGA Seattle year (August through June) Recorded events photographically Worked with writing director to compile simple summary descriptions of events Gathered event promotion materials Maintained an organized and efficient filing system of all event collateral Coordinated chapter materials (invitation samples, newsletters, posters, t-shirts, etc.) with National Leadership Retreat attendees to take to retreat Organized and led a committee to assist with duties and responsibilities ### Graphic Designer @ Burkhart Dental Jan 2006 – Jan 2008 Produced graphic design from concept to completion for a wide variety of print media including marketing collateral, magazines, event materials, product packaging, environmental graphics, etc., and enjoyed total ownership of assigned projects. Observed and applied established brand standards to design projects as necessary and created standards when not already defined Defined project specifications for estimating and request appropriate paper samples, dummies, ink draw-downs, etc., for internal client review and approval Prepared mockups Completed graphics on demand request assignments as necessary Conducted press checks as applicable Worked within given scope of project (conceptually and budgetary) Resolved design and visual communication problems Prepared pre-press files for final output Provided design recommendations as necessary Completed corporate projects and focus promotions in collaboration with other department associates as assigned ### Combat Motion Photographer @ Marine Corps Recruiting Jan 1998 – Jan 2006 Used industry standard video cameras, broadcasting and editing equipment in a variety of environments and in support of a wide range of events to ensure media deliveries that included information operations, operational imagery, civil affairs, intelligence imagery, investigations and recruiting. Performed video engineering equipment inspections, preventive maintenance, visual and statistical quality control, captioning, archive accessioning, and video dubbing Drafted reports, official correspondence and budgets Supervised and instructed his team in the operation of all equipment and software, as well as supervised and organized all aspects of video operations ## Education ### Master's degree in Computer Software Engineering Harvard Extension School ### BFA in Graphic Design the Art Institute of Seattle ### Diploma in Digital Video Production and Documentation The Defense Information School ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/beneficialmedia - Portfolio: http://www.beneficialmedia.com --- Source: https://flows.cv/dylank1 JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/dylank1/resume.json Last updated: 2026-03-31