DAVID SHADLE

SUMMARY

I’m passionate about building things that truly matter – things that make a real, measurable difference. I love exploring how new technologies, combined with a human-centered design approach, can achieve that. For me, it’s about creating product experiences that can grow and scale, seamlessly weaving in AI, fostering trust, supporting sustainability, and ultimately, strengthening communities. I get excited about solutions that educate, empower, and genuinely elevate the user experience.

I’m a natural problem-solver, and I enjoy tackling complex challenges head-on. I thrive on collaborating with different teams who are all working towards the same goal. I’m comfortable defining product strategies, spotting growth opportunities, and guiding teams – even distributed ones – through the entire product lifecycle, making sure we’re always working with purpose and precision. I’m at my best in environments that value both technical know-how and creative thinking, where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas to achieve impactful results

I’m experienced in working with everyone from customers to senior leadership, and I’m comfortable at all levels of an organization. I’ve successfully delivered a wide range of solutions, including things like automated systems, intelligent platforms, cloud infrastructure management, targeted community platforms, and even immersive digital experiences for technical conferences and product previews. I’ve also worked with early-stage startups, content management platforms, and predictive engagement tools – so I’ve seen a lot!

My philosophy is all about removing friction and creating positive outcomes through technology – but always in an ethical and user-focused way. I’m fascinated by emerging trends like Generative AI, responsible design, and the potential of autonomous agentic systems. I keep my finger on the pulse of these areas. My strategic thinking and holistic approach are always a work in progress, shaped by everything from conversations with people tackling interesting problems, to the inspiration I get from case studies, exploring ideas with LLMs, and the perspectives gained from travel.

EXPERIENCE

Microsoft Corporation – Copilot Studio, Autonomous Agents | 5/2024 –

Principal Lead Designer

As a member of a “moonshot” product team, I drove strategic initiatives exploring multi-agent systems, defining the vision for autonomous workflows and intelligent automation. Led research, concept development, and scenario design to showcase the potential of agentic systems.

  • Led design efforts with product managers, engineers, and key stakeholders to translate exploratory concepts into actionable strategies, directly influencing the reorganization and roadmap for autonomous agent capabilities within Microsoft Copilot Studio.
  • Secured cross-organizational alignment on UX best practices for agent-based solutions, informing design standards adopted across teams.
  • Designed and refined end-to-end scenarios demonstrating multi-agent automation for global supply chain and invoice processing, driving internal buy-in and influencing future product direction.
  • Researched and experimented with AI frameworks to automate complex business processes, collaborating with Industry Advisors to ensure real-world applicability and customer impact.

Microsoft Corporation – Power Automate | 1/2024 – 5/2024

Principal Lead Designer

In this transitional role, I led strategic initiatives to identify industry-specific autonomous use cases, leveraging AI-led research, customer engagement, and envisioning workshops to shape product planning and roadmap decisions.

  • Conducted in-depth interviews with senior product leaders, engineers, and marketing teams, delivering strategic insights that directly influenced product priorities and roadmap direction.
  • Designed and facilitated cross-functional workshops, driving rapid prototyping and user testing to validate new autonomous system concepts and accelerate decision-making.
  • Partnered with customer advocates to engage enterprise clients, uncovering automation opportunities and providing data-driven recommendations that informed feature development.
  • Presented future product concepts to senior stakeholders, securing buy-in and refining design and development strategies based on direct feedback.

Microsoft Corporation – Power Automate | 8/2019 – 1/2024

Principal Design Manager

Led the design strategy and team development for Power Automate, building a global design organization that drove innovation, increased product adoption, and contributed to revenue growth. Advocated for design excellence, aligning user experience with business objectives to influence key product milestones.

  • Built and scaled a high-performing, distributed design team, fostering a culture of innovation and cross-functional collaboration that elevated design impact of Power Automate.
  • Led the design and delivery of critical features across Cloud Flows, Power Automate Desktop, Process Insights, and AI Builder, directly improving usability and engagement.
  • Spearheaded the launch of Power Automate’s first AI-supported Natural Language Interface, securing executive buy-in and setting a new standard for automation accessibility.
  • Partnered closely with product leadership to embed user-centric design principles into strategic decision-making, driving continuous improvement and product evolution.

Oracle Corporation – Oracle Cloud Infrastructure | 7/2017 – 8/2019

Principal Product Manager & Experience Designer

Led the strategy and execution of interactive console-based experiences, driving engagement, self-service capabilities, and feature adoption within Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Delivered solutions that streamlined service provisioning, improved navigation, and enhanced contextual support, directly influencing roadmap priorities and business objectives.

  • Secured cross-functional alignment to unify two major console experiences, driving an execution plan that resolved technical fragmentation and improved user continuity. Facilitated critical discussions, defined business requirements, and ensured roadmap commitments were met.
  • Championed the development of the first in-console marketplace, defining requirements, designing user flows, and aligning stakeholders across product and engineering to deliver a seamless purchasing experience.
  • Launched an internal “Customer Insights” program that enhanced decision-making by centralizing customer activity data, marketing impact, industry trends, and roadmap alignment, leading to more informed product strategies.
  • Established measurable goals and milestones with engineering, design, and customer ops, ensuring timely feature delivery while reinforcing a user-centered approach to product development.

Shiftboard | 3/2016 – 7/2017

Lead User Experience & Interface Designer

Led the first major redesign of Shiftboard’s browser-based and mobile applications for scheduling and managing contingent staff. Focused on improving usability, reducing friction in key workflows, and enhancing product appeal to drive customer retention and acquisition.

  • Engaged directly with top customers alongside the customer success team to identify and address critical pain points, leading to measurable improvements in user satisfaction and a reduction in UI-related complaints.
  • Led a Customer Advisory Program to validate design concepts, secure stakeholder buy-in, and uncover workflow inefficiencies, shaping roadmap priorities and driving key product enhancements.
  • Partnered closely with Product Management and Engineering to refine backlog prioritization, introduce interactive prototypes, and accelerate the delivery of impactful UX improvements.

Helion – Hewlett Packard | 9/2014 – 3/2016

Senior UX Architect & Product Designer

Helped define the initial UX strategy for Helion’s cloud management portfolio, ensuring a seamless, scalable experience across infrastructure and developer tools. Partnered with cross-functional teams to drive adoption, streamline workflows, and influence product direction.

  • Aligned with Product Management to define project objectives, key use cases, and end-to-end workflows, ensuring UX solutions were intuitive and improved operational efficiency.
  • Led UX efforts to improve installation and lifecycle management for infrastructure and development platforms, influencing roadmap decisions for Helion Cloud Foundry, DevOps Dashboard, and CI/CD pipelines.
  • Drove cross-functional collaboration by traveling to multiple HP offices to facilitate strategy workshops and roadmap alignment sessions, ensuring product teams were unified in their approach to Infrastructure, Platform, and Developer experiences.

Snap Skout [Talktup Holdings LLC] | 2/2013 – 8/2014

Lead Experience and Brand Designer

Defined the product experience and brand identity for Snap Skout’s offer recommendation platform, creating an intuitive, interactive advertising experience for online publishers. Played a key role in aligning design, development, and business strategy to drive product adoption and market positioning.

  • Established the user experience framework, including interaction models, user flows, and feature roadmaps, ensuring a seamless and engaging interface.
  • Developed live prototypes for usability testing with publishing partners, refining features based on real-time feedback to improve engagement and conversion rates.
  • Led the creation of the Snap Skout brand identity, including design guidelines, iconography, logotype, and marketing assets to support product visibility and adoption.

EXPERIENCE

University of Oregon | 1994

Bachelor of Fine Arts – Focus on Visual Design

Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Animation, Art History & Photography