# Matthew Hadick > Product Designer | UX Research, Service Design, and Systems Thinking Location: San Francisco Bay Area, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/matthewhadick I focus on how people interpret systems, build intuition, and engage meaningfully with complex experiences. My background spans product design, UX research, and service design, with experience in game communities, accessibility-focused platforms, and AI-driven tools. With a master’s in Human–Computer Interaction and hands-on work in prototyping (including Figma, Claude Code, and Unity), I approach problems through systems thinking, mixed-methods research, and iterative testing. My work centers on onboarding, cognitive accessibility, XR interaction, and understanding behavior in complex environments. I’m drawn to roles that sit at the intersection of design, research, and strategy, where I can help teams create clearer, more intentional, and more inclusive experiences. ## Work Experience ### AI Programs & Product Design Consultant @ Screen Peak Jan 2024 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area Screen Peak is my independent design and research practice. I help small teams, startups, and mission-driven organizations figure out how people actually work with technology, turning those insights into systems, workflows, and tools that make sense. My work sits at the intersection of qualitative research, product strategy, and systems design. I'm especially interested in where AI genuinely helps people do better work and where it just gets in the way. What I do: I partner with teams exploring AI tools to understand what's actually working and what isn't, then help them design around those realities via prototypes, system designs, and practical guidance. I run qualitative research -- interviews, observation, stakeholder conversations -- to get a clear picture of how people use technology in context, not just how they're supposed to use it. I turn that into recommendations teams can act on. I facilitate workshops and working sessions with product, ops, and leadership teams to map out processes, find where things break down, and design clearer ways forward. I build quick prototypes and design artifacts to help teams test ideas without overcommitting -- things like AI-assisted tools, interactive knowledge systems, and workflow concepts. I translate technical and design ideas into language that actually lands with different audiences, so teams can move from exploring to building. All of this grows out of my background in HCI and education, and a long-standing interest in how emerging technology changes the way people think, collaborate, and build things together. ### Graduate Student - Human Computer Interaction @ Iowa State University - College of Engineering Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 As a graduate student in Human–Computer Interaction, I’ve focused on designing and evaluating systems that support learning, reduce cognitive friction, and create meaningful interactive experiences. My work spans UX research, accessibility, cognitive psychology, game onboarding, spatial interaction (XR), and the ethical integration of AI into digital environments. - Led research and design of game-inspired learning systems, AI-supported interfaces, and speculative interaction models - Prototyped Unity-based XR experiences exploring spatial audio, embodied cognition, and immersive interaction - Conducted mixed-methods user research, usability testing, behavioral analysis, and heuristic evaluations across projects - Investigated inclusive onboarding, cognitive accessibility, and flow-supporting interaction patterns - Applied systems thinking to understand how feedback, challenge, clarity, and pacing shape user experience Winner of the 2025 Usabilathon UX Innovation Challenge. My graduate work bridges theory and application, emphasizing systems thinking, player experience, interaction clarity, and human-centered design. ### Product Design Lead (Special Projects Lead - Products & Technology) @ Alo Consultation Jan 2022 – Jan 2024 | California, United States Worked with Alo Consultation, a training and consulting organization serving the disability community, to help service providers strengthen person-centered programs within the framework of California’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) requirements. Worked closely with program leaders, direct support staff, and families to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical workflows, documentation practices, and training systems that better reflected the lived experiences and goals of people receiving services. Key Contributions • Program Implementation & Operational Support — Collaborated with service providers to align day-to-day practices with HCBS principles, helping organizations design systems that supported individualized services, community integration, and meaningful person-centered outcomes. • Training & Facilitation — Delivered workshops and coaching sessions for staff and leadership teams on topics including person-centered planning, supportive communication, and culturally affirming practices. • Documentation & Workflow Design — Helped organizations redesign documentation practices so that required reports, service plans, and compliance materials accurately reflected the human-centered work happening in programs. • Cross-Stakeholder Collaboration — Worked with service providers, families, and self-advocates to ensure that programs centered the voices and lived experiences of people with developmental disabilities. • Policy Translation — Interpreted regulatory frameworks such as Title 17, Title 22, and Regional Center requirements, helping teams operationalize compliance in ways that strengthened services rather than burdened staff. This work reinforced my broader focus on designing systems that align human experience, organizational workflows, and institutional requirements—a perspective that continues to shape my approach to technology, AI systems, and product development. ### Elementary Teacher (Learning Experience Design & EdTech Lead) @ Oakwood School, Benicia Unified School District, Magnolia Science Academy Jan 2016 – Jan 2022 | California, United States - Designed structured learning systems using progressive challenge, feedback loops, and pacing models to support diverse cognitive profiles. - Conducted iterative observation cycles to identify confusion points and refine sequencing, flow, and task clarity using structured evaluation heuristics. - Developed multimodal materials—visual anchors, interaction supports, and rapid feedback mechanisms—that reduced cognitive load and improved comprehension. - Used performance data and behavioral trends to adjust progression, strengthen user retention, and enhance engagement across varying skill levels. ### Senior Community Development Specialist / Content Designer @ Fandom Jan 2013 – Jan 2016 | San Francisco, CA - Supported large-scale game communities (Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Battlefield), analyzing behavior and restructuring information architecture to improve navigation, mastery, and contributor retention. - Authored 100+ video game guides and systems-oriented frameworks, including editorial analyses of gameplay mechanics, progression models, and conceptual structures. - Conducted mixed-methods research across high-volume user groups to identify knowledge gaps and refine content structures around player reasoning patterns. - Collaborated with PM, Design, and Engineering to implement clarity-focused content models that improved wayfinding and understanding for new and returning users. ### Freelance Writer/Content Producer @ Self Employed Jan 2008 – Jan 2013 | SF Bay Area ### Marketing Communications Specialist @ Rakuten LinkShare Corporation Jan 2011 – Jan 2012 - Designed and A/B tested affiliate email campaigns for Fortune 500 brands including Walmart.com, Sephora, and GameStop. - Increased average campaign CTR from ~7.5% to ~10.2% (+36%) over a 6-month period through iterative design and copy refinements. - Implemented segmentation strategies that improved open rates from ~18% to ~23%, aligning campaigns with user shopping behavior. - Collaborated with marketing managers and engineers to optimize template performance, reducing email load times by ~20%. ### Senior Computer Room Consultant - Media Specialist @ Computer Lab Management Jan 2009 – Jan 2011 ### Research Assistant @ UC Davis Communication Department Jan 2010 – Jan 2011 | Davis, CA ### Legislative/PR Intern @ American Cancer Society Jan 2010 – Jan 2010 ### Senior Lifeguard @ City of Benicia Jan 2005 – Jan 2009 ## Education ### Master of HCI in Human Computer Interaction Iowa State University ### Bachelor of Arts - BA in Political Science and Communication University of California, Davis ### Teaching Credential - English in Education UCLA ### Multiple Subject Teaching Credential in Education California State University, Monterey Bay ### Philosophy Lake Forest College ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/matthewhadick - Portfolio: https://matthewhadick.com --- Source: https://flows.cv/matthewhadick JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/matthewhadick/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13