# Rob Ashcom > Lecturer, San Jose State University Location: San Jose, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/robashcom I am a User Experience and Product Design leader taking ideas from research through design and prototyping, shipping products that fit the market and their intended users. See my recently patented SQL AI Assistant: Couchbase iQ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldVRElRSswU I'm an empathetic leader with an extensive knowledge of application design & development. My products raise stock value and are at the heart of valuations like Couchbase's recent acquisition by Haveli for $1.5 billion. In my next role, I am excited about eliminating complexity for real people. ## Work Experience ### Faculty Lecturer @ San José State University Jan 2025 – Present | San Jose, California, United States I joined the faculty of the Computer Science Department, College of Science. ### Principal User Experience Designer @ Couchbase Jan 2015 – Jan 2024 | Mountain View, CA Couchbase is a NoSQL database that powers things like the iTunes store. As the Couchbase developers added features over the years like Text Search, Indexing, Analytics, etc., I researched, designed, tested, and co-wrote the interface code for Database Admin and Developer tools. Recently I invented an ai assistant for the Couchbase Query Workbench (Couchbase iQ) that assists writing SQL++ queries and can also generate fake datasets, self-correct its answers, and as usual, is a darn good explainer. I learned wherever I could, like everyone else: Google AI conference last year, other people's case studies, etc. With a developer partner, I went through the usual stages of LLM learning until we had some baseline tests, error correction loops, and RAG working. It was released after a few month's work. As the sole UX Designer at Couchbase when I began, I also donated my time to helping Marketing with design and quantitative research for the .com website, landing pages, etc.; helped revise and test the documentation content and presentation; and co-led efforts to keep open communications and consistent design across verticals (Couchbase User Experience Group). ► Re-designed & re-coded the on-premise UI (NOT Capella) with FlexBox, icon fonts, and a modified Material Design approach ► Re-branded the main product & continued to evolve the design language ► Research customers' use cases and test prototypes with them ► Hired, managed, mentored designers. ► Design, test, code, test and repeat....! ### User Experience Design Manager @ Randstad RiseSmart Sverige Jan 2013 – Jan 2015 | San Jose, California, United States Reduced risk in major redesign by conducting live user testing (more than 20 sessions in the first 9 months). Increased market visibility, service offering, and competitive advantage by delivering UX design on schedule for a new SaaS job search and management app, a web library of help documentation, and several pilot prototypes for new HR apps aimed at improving employee engagement. Hired, managed, and mentored designers. ### User Experience Design Manager (founding team) @ Wanderful Media Jan 2012 – Jan 2013 | Los Gatos, California, United States I was employee #9 in this green-field startup assembled to combine regional advertising data feeds from 5 different newspaper/media companies who were all shareholders. In 9 months we launched the product! Created core IP value through the conception, design, and launch of a new product concept in the first 9 months. Ran focus group research in 12+ sessions, conducted ~6 live usability tests per week, and produced rapid iterative designs for a responsive web solution paired with a native iOS app in 6 months. Hired and managed UX/UI visual designers. ## Education ### BM in Music Production & Engineering Berklee College of Music ### MS in Human Computer Interaction Iowa State University ### MA in Creative Writing Sonoma State University ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/robashcom - Portfolio: https://robashcom.com/portfolio/ --- Source: https://flows.cv/robashcom JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/robashcom/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13