Chris Durgin

Resume

A summary of my professional experience, skills, and qualifications

Chris Durgin

Human-Centered Product Strategist

Designing for People, Systems & Emerging Technologies

Professional Summary

Human-Centered Product Strategist with 8+ years leading UX innovation across industries—from utilities and logistics to AI-powered enterprise platforms. I specialize in identifying the right problems, aligning teams around human-centered solutions, and driving product success through research, systems thinking, and participatory design. I bring a human factors lens to complex systems, advocate for inclusive and ethical design, and coach cross-functional teams in applying HCD methods. Constantly experimenting with emerging tech like generative AI to enhance user experience and business impact.

Skills

Human-Centered Design & Research

User ResearchUX StrategyService DesignDesign ThinkingBehavioral DesignHuman Systems EngineeringJourney MappingParticipatory DesignUsability TestingCognitive Load Analysis

Product Design & Technology

UX/UI DesignFigmaAdobe XDInteraction DesignInformation ArchitectureRapid PrototypingDesign OpsAgile/ScrumFront-End CollaborationAI Prompt Engineering

Experience

Senior Product Designer II – UX & Human Factors

Jul 2024 – Present

Neudesic, an IBM Company

Lead discovery and product strategy across enterprise and industrial domains, specializing in complex systems for utilities, logistics, and AI-powered tools.

  • • Drove strategic alignment with research-backed insights that shaped platform direction
  • • Integrated human factors and HCI into system workflows, reducing user error and cognitive load
  • • Mentored product teams in participatory design and HCD methods, scaling design maturity
  • • Advocated for ethical AI and designed explainable systems that improved trust and usability

Previous Roles: Associate Product Designer → Senior Product Designer I

Nov 2020 – Jul 2024

Neudesic

  • • Facilitated research sprints and usability studies to improve product direction
  • • Embedded with logistics teams to improve field usability and reduce tech friction
  • • Created data-informed personas and service blueprints for high-impact redesigns
  • • Collaborated with engineers to deliver accessible, responsive interfaces

Education

M.S. User Experience & Human Systems Engineering

2020

Arizona State University – Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

B.S. Technical Communication & User Experience

2018

Arizona State University – Summa Cum Laude

A.A. Concentration in CIS & Digital Design

2017

Mesa Community College

CCL Certificate in Digital Design

2017

Mesa Community College

A.A.S. Visual Communications & Design

2012

ITT Technical Institute

Certifications & Awards

Certifications

  • • IBM Enterprise Design Thinking: Co-Creator, Practitioner, Team Essentials for AI
  • • IBM Garage Foundation & Essentials · IBM Agile Explorer
  • • IRB CITI Program – Social & Behavioral Research (Recertified 2025)
  • • Lean UX & Product Discovery for Agile Teams (2022)

Awards

  • • Most Outstanding UX Graduate, ASU Fulton Schools (2020)
  • • Top Gun Award, Neudesic (2024)
  • • Customer Experience Award, Neudesic (2023)

Projects (Most Recent)

Mill Operations Forms Digital Transformation

Replaced paper forms with a digital platform for Freeport McMoRan. Led research and design to ensure adoption, improving reporting speed and visibility.

Metallurgical Accounting Web App

Redesigned legacy workflows that were slow and error-prone for Freeport McMoRan. Redesigned entry flow with user testing, boosting speed, accuracy, and satisfaction.

FinWIP Accounting System Modernization

Transformed Excel-based process that caused bottlenecks for Freeport McMoRan. Created a guided review workspace, improving transparency and cross-team flow.

Mobile Throughput Tracking

Streamlined manual data entry that slowed insights for Freeport McMoRan. Designed a tablet-first input tool that cut errors and enabled real-time tracking.

Career Highlights

  • • 8+ years of cross-industry UX leadership (utilities, logistics, AI, gaming)
  • • Delivered 10+ enterprise tools with measurable improvements in productivity
  • • Coached 15+ teams in HCD methods and systems thinking
  • • Led digital transformations for multi-site operations