Christine Esoldo
UX Researcher and UX & Visual Designer
Location
Charleston, SC, United States
Toptal Member Since
March 14, 2016
Christine is a multidisciplinary creative and UX designer with skills in illustration, copywriting, and branding, and holds an MFA in product design. She has 15 years of experience at companies like CrowdStrike, Lowe’s Home Improvement, The Hershey Company, and Dell. She uses design thinking processes to discover user needs, define value and fit with proofs-of-concept and MVPs, and iteratively improve/redesign products through testing and experiments.
Christine is available for hire
Hire ChristinePortfolio
Benefits Management SaaS Redesign
User Experience (UX)UX ResearchUsability TestingUX ArchitectureUX LeadershipContent Management Systems (CMS)+ 1 more
Work Experience
2019 - PRESENT
Senior UX Manager, Platform & Foundations (Core Experience)
CrowdStrike
- Led the UX and design strategy for the product design system including roadmap, priorities, and execution.
- Redesigned the hiring and interview workflow for UX designers to better support the overall growth plan for the team.
- Led, managed, and hired a best-in-class UX team to create industry-leading experiences in cybersecurity.
Technologies: Miro, Jira, Confluence, Figma, Zeplin, Adobe CC
2016 - PRESENT
Product Strategist + User Experience Consultant. // Graphic Designer + Illustrator
Christine Esoldo Design
- Designed a HIPAA-compliant communication app for the healthcare market.
- Redesigned the user interface, including the branding for a client management enterprise SaaS product.
- Created and implemented a user-research participant-recruitment plan for a startup to build an in-house database for the Agile design process. Grew the database to more than 600 qualified participants in less than three months' time.
- Led creative direction, project planning, and research strategy for product validation for a shoe insert and corresponding mobile app that increases mobility and prevents falls for people suffering from health conditions that cause instability.
- Mentored students in the Springboard.com UX workshop as they went through the process of researching and designing an app or website. Helped students refine their portfolios and resumes in preparation for job hunting in the UX field.
- Led the UX and UI design for a responsive app for artists and performers; including the information architecture, a function for searching and browsing, profiles, and the booking/scheduling function.
- Created a running/lifestyle personal blog built on the Squarespace platform—designed the logo and brand identity, created original content (photography, graphics, and writing), and worked with brands via various sponsors and ambassadorships.
- Audited the UX and designed the user interface for a healthcare app for eye care providers and patients and developed recommendations for improvement.
- Designed the user interface improvements based on the audit.
Technologies: Google Drive, WordPress, Squarespace, Trello, Slack, RealtimeBoard, Mailchimp, User Interviews, Lookback, Zeplin, Protowire, Craft CMS, InVision, CSS, HTML, Sketch, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign
2016 - 2019
Senior User Experience Manager
Quest Software (formerly Dell Software)
- Established and led the overall user research process across the information management business unit to inform product strategy and UX decisions. Oversaw the work of researchers and designers conducting their own research projects.
- Led the creative direction, including visual design, interaction patterns, illustrations, brand style, and copywriting for an eCommerce SaaS website redesign and created coherent branding across business unit products.
- Led the iterative testing and ongoing evaluation of product updates, new feature releases, and new products within design sprints (Agile). Used a variety of research methods to validate design assumptions and uncover new knowledge.
- Managed a cross-functional UX team working in an agile environment; manage processes and workflows for research and technical documentation.
- Led the UX and visual design for a proof-of-concept redesign of the main business-unit website. Created the workflows, interaction patterns, and original illustrations.
- Designed the overall look/feel and interaction patterns (including the pattern library) for a new cloud-based database replication SaaS.
- Managed and led the research and product strategy (and validation) efforts for new products through market exploration and a user-centered design process.
- Redesigned the workflow for software downloads which increased conversion by 400% and resulted in the entire business unit exceeding year-over-year financial goals.
- Created style guide and design system, including documentation for various product groups to adapt.
Technologies: Lookback, Validately, Zapier, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Trello, Confluence, Jira, Slack, Sketching, MURAL, Frontify, UXPin, InVision, Adobe, Sketch
2013 - 2015
Manager, User Experience Research and Strategy
Benefitfocus
- Worked as the first UX researcher and strategist in the company—introducing and establishing qualitative discovery methods, iterative testing processes, and UX activities (sketch sessions, content audits, mind-mapping, and task flows).
- Reshaped the redesign of the benefits management product—this process became the new standard for the product design process across the company.
- Created a budget and headcount proposal and grew the UX research team by adding three team members (in a very budget-conscious organization).
- Created a participant recruitment program that grew the participant pool from 0-to-400 participants. Conceptualized and launched the "Design Together" program, that's still being used today as the company's overall approach to UX and design.
- Led the research (competitive analysis and iterative design testing) and the information architecture for the redesign of the password recovery workflow that reduced the customer service call volume by 60%.
- Conducted workshops and presented at conferences on UX-related topics, establishing the company as a thought leader and UX innovator.
Technologies: SurveyMonkey, Optimal Workshop, Sketch, Adobe, InVision
2012 - 2013
UX Researcher | UX Architect
Lowes Home Improvement
- Was recognized by managers as a key performer in developing UX designs and content strategies based on user data and site analytics. As a result, I was selected to move into a newly created research team tasked with developing new standards and processes for insight-driven strategy and design.
- Increased category page engagement (clicks, conversions, and sales) by creating UX design standards and UI templates backed by research, including eye-tracking, surveys, A/B and multivariate testing, and web stats analysis.
- Conducted extensive research and analysis on the homepage and developed an overall UX strategy for design, implementation, and A/B testing.
- Redesigned the credit pages/experience on the site based on usability testing, web stats, and experiments that led to an increase in credit-card sign-up conversions.
- Redesigned the accessible home section of the site.
Technologies: IBM Coremetrics, Tobii Eye Tracker, User Testing, Adobe, OmniGraffle
2011 - 2012
Knowledge Management Specialist
The Hershey Company
- Established and managed the process to migrate, optimize, and edit site content; designed user interfaces and overall site navigation.
- Created tasks and plans for usability testing during the agile development cycle.
- Designed a user onboarding campaign to familiarize users with the site and generate interest.
Technologies: Liferay, Alfresco, Adobe
2010 - 2011
Director of Marketing and Communications
Synapse Marketing Solutions
- Changed and redirected the corporate marketing strategy from basic direct mail and email to a data-driven, robust content marketing strategy that included white papers, articles, social media, email marketing, and blog posts.
- Rebranded the company to support its change in business direction (logo, color palette, mission/vision/core values, and website).
- Gave creative direction and strategy for client brands and website builds.
- Launched the company's social media marketing program and created social media guidelines.
Technologies: Adobe
2007 - 2010
Creative Writer
Phoenix Contact
- Led a cross-departmental team to launch a targeted email marketing program that increased conversions by more than 50%. I managed the entire campaign life cycle including scheduling, A/B testing, monitoring performances, reporting statistics, and recommending improvements.
- Built an internal project management application as the UX designer and content strategist on a Lean Six Sigma team—resulting in improved communication and productivity.
- Jumped in as a graphic designer during work overtime and designed emails, web pages, white papers, and online case studies.
- Redesigned the company website as an information architect.
- Created multiple ad campaigns that spanned across media (video, print, email, social, trade shows, and more).
Technologies: Web Trends, Listrak, Adobe
2005 - 2007
Marketing Communications Specialist
HVAC Distributors, Inc.
- Managed the website redesign project (as of 2007) including UX, content strategy, interaction design, information architecture, and visual design; created sketches, wireframes, and sitemap, and worked with a web developer in the implementation.
- Created the graphic designs for all marketing materials.
- Designed a dealer advertising program that streamlined the overall process and saved the client's money.
Technologies: Adobe
Education
2021 - 2021
Continuing Education Certificate in Graphic Design, 4.0 GPA (in Progress)
RISD Continuing Education - Rhode Island School of Design - Remote/online
2020 - 2021
Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration. 4.0 GPA (expected completion December 2021)
Sessions College - Remote/online
2008 - 2012
Master of Fine Arts Degree in Merchandising (eCommerce, Product Design, and Development)
Academy of Art University - San Francisco, CA, USA
2001 - 2003
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism, Magazines (Graphic Design and Writing)
Temple University - Philadelphia, PA, USA
Certifications
JUNE 2021 - PRESENT
UX Management Strategy and Tactics
Interaction Design Foundation
APRIL 2021 - APRIL 2024
Social and Behavioral Researchers
CITI Program, A Division of BRANY
