R. Shawn Williams
HELLO, I'M R.SHAWN
AI Product Designer | Senior UX Designer & Consultant based in Charlotte, NC.
I help product teams turn complex software and AI ideas into clear, usable products.
START A PROJECT CONVERSATIONDOWNLOAD RESUMEREAD MOREVIEW PORTFOLIOVIEW CASE STUDIESABOUT R. SHAWN
Avid follower of technology. I help businesses create elegant solutions to complex problems whilst maintaining the focus on vision & strategy.
I've had the opportunity to conceive innovative interactions for some of your favorite household brands. My industry experience covers technology, government, travel, sports, politics, financial services, charity, non-profit, retail, transportation and logistics, intranet and consumer products. Project durations have varied from two weeks to two years.
For over 2 decades, I've been crafting user-centered design experiences that make a real difference to the way people live, work and play. I specialize in responsive front-end design, HTML/CSS and web typography. Some other areas of expertise are creative direction/art direction, interface design, rapid prototyping, concepting, mobile/app design and more. I've continued to deepen my AI product design practice through applied coursework, including IDEO U's AI Workshop Series and ELVTR's AI Product Design certification. Most days I work with requirements, use-case scenarios, pixels, grids, typography, colors and lines of code.
Artificial Intelligence
Design and evaluate AI-driven products from concept through applied execution. Translate emerging AI capabilities into intuitive, human-centered interfaces, and apply a critical eye to AI-generated output, evaluating quality and readiness before it reaches an end user. Comfortable operating across prompt design, product strategy, and the human experience layered on top of both.
AI Product Strategy, Generative AI, Prompt Design, AI-Orchestrated Systems, Human-in-the-Loop Design, Applied Machine Learning Concepts, Patent-Pending Product Development
User Experience
Emphatic, advocate for the user. Spot on Interaction instincts, Great Communicator and Efficient Problem-Solver. Quickly convert requirements to functional deliverables.
Introduce new technologies, ability to work in a collaborative environment and take criticism, willingness to grow and learn, team player that can work on his own and come up with well thought solution for intuitive user experience on all digital platforms. Able to adapt to rapidly shifting priorities in fast-paced environment Maintains knowledge and guides team in best practices related to industry trends and technologies for web design and content management.
Prototyping, Concepts, Information Architecture, User- Flows, Concise Wireframes, User-Testing, Personas,Quick Iterations, Proof of Product. Workflow diagrams, Interactive Mockups, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving Skills, and Analytical approach. Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.
Product Design
Design creative user interfaces that address business and end-user needs while adhering to technical constraints. Distill and organize large amounts of complex information into simple, useful, and usable designs. Flawless visuals, excellent use of typography, color theory, imagery and graphic elements.
Mobile App Design, Website Design, Web App Design, Software Design. Adobe Creative Suite CC -Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign.
Front End Code
Front End Web Development. Thorough approach to all work; a desire to go beyond minimum requirements. Also have experience Managing offshore teams.
HTML5, CSS3, jQuery, SASS, WordPress, JSON, PHP
Quick answers
- Who is R. Shawn Williams?
- An AI product designer and senior UX consultant based in Charlotte, NC, with more than 20 years of experience designing software for brands including State Farm, Home Depot, Lowe’s, AT&T and Worldpay. He is also Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Ubora Thrive AI.
- What does he do?
- He helps product teams turn complex software and AI ideas into clear, usable products: AI use-case and MVP framing, UX strategy, design systems and experience audits.
- What AI products has he designed?
- Ubora Thrive AI, an AI campaign platform for therapy practices. Its Campaign Coach checks marketing copy against professional ethics guardrails and suggests a compliant rewrite.
- How do I work with him?
- Use the contact form or email him. He’ll follow up with questions and, if it looks like a fit, talk through scope and next steps.
CERTIFICATIONS
AI Product Design Certification
ELVTR
Course: "Intro to AI Product Design"
Instructed by Avril Hsu, Design Leader in GenAI, currently at Dell
"Shawn has proven to be dedicated, skilled, and enthusiastic. He can develop AI products with clear goals, integrate ethical principles in the design, and collaborate effectively in a team."
NOTABLE PROJECTS
- 2025
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Ubora Thrive AI — AI Campaign Platform for Therapy Practices
L&S Technology Group, LLC
2025 - PresentProblem. Give licensed therapy and counseling practices a way to turn a prompt or guided input into campaign materials they can review and refine before launch.
My role. Product strategy and UX, from concept through ongoing development, as Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer.
The work. Developed the initial full-stack platform with Lovable over approximately eight months; product development is ongoing. Ubora generates ads, landing-page copy, email sequences, social content and visuals from guided or open-ended input. Campaign Coach reviews the content and suggests refinements to headlines, calls to action, tone and clarity. Direct posting to ad platforms is coming soon.
Outcome. Live at uborathrive.ai, with product development ongoing.
Campaign Coach: the user pushes for a guarantee. The Coach doesn't just say no. It shows a version that keeps the hope without the promise.
1. You ask“Make it say I guarantee anxiety relief in 6 sessions”2. Coach flags itPromising relief in a set number of sessions is the kind of outcome guarantee licensing boards flag.3. Coach offers a better version“Many clients start feeling steadier within their first few sessions — we’ll move at your pace.”- Catch it Ethics check runs before publish
- Explain it One-line “Why”
- Fix it One-tap rewrite, or “Keep mine”
- 2023
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Design System Establishment
Odyssey Logistics
April 2023 - April 2024Problem. Odyssey needed a Design Department and a shared design system for its B2B logistics platform serving enterprise clients.
My role. Acting Director of CX Design / Senior User Experience Designer.
The work. Founded the Design Department and led creation of the company's Design System and processes, including UX templates, style guides, personas, wireframes, user flows and site maps. Designed complex workflows and supply-chain data visualization, partnering with customers, product managers and developers.
Outcome. Established the Design Department, Design System and design processes for the platform.
- 2020
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B2B Bill Pay Platform
Paymentus
August 2020 - February 2022Problem. Paymentus's enterprise B2B bill-pay SaaS platform, which serves Fortune 500 clients, needed better usability and stronger key metrics, and sales and partnership teams needed prototypes to pursue new opportunities.
My role. Senior Product Designer.
The work. Created mobile and web prototypes for sales and partnership pursuits, updated the platform's workflows for usability, and explored “blue sky” concepts such as Medical Payments and Bill Now, Pay Later. Worked with developers, business analysts and product managers, and maintained design-system components and documentation for development.
Outcome. Improved the platform's usability and key metrics.
- 2019
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Retail Product Design Architecture
Lowe's Home Improvement
August 2019 - February 2020Senior Product Designer/Architect producing high-quality design artifacts — wireframes, concept sketches, pixel-perfect comps — across multiple platforms, driving tactical design direction and stakeholder presentations.
- 2016
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Largest property-casualty insurer and financial service provider in the U.S. No. 33 on the Fortune 50 list.
State Farm
November 2016 - March 2019Provide design and tactical guidance for multi-disciplinary teams of Content Strategists, User Experience Architects, and User Experience Designers. Advocate for user-centered designs that help drive efficient, effective, and engaging user experiences.
Focus on Customer Identity Management including biometrics and security from threat personas. -
Enterprise Insurance Platform UX Leadership
State Farm
November 2016 - March 2019Led UX design for an enterprise insurance SaaS platform (Fortune 50, #33 on the list), providing design and tactical guidance for multi-disciplinary teams across B2B and B2C insurance products. Established scalable UI frameworks, navigation elements, and digital experience standards aligned with business and IT architecture.
- 2015
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Mobile App | Disruptive Marketplace
GasUp Mobile App | On Demand Gas Delivery
May 2014 - November 2016Provided Gap Analysis for brand guidelines, Competitive Analysis, UI Guidelines, Bi-weekly Status Updates to Stakeholders, Graphic Design, Front End Development, Wireframes and managed Off-Shore Development team for this International payment processing provider.
- 2014
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Customer Gateway
Worldpay
April 2014 - September 2014Provided Gap Analysis for brand guidelines, Competitive Analysis, UI Guidelines, Bi-weekly Status Updates to Stakeholders, Graphic Design, Front End Development, Wireframes and managed Off-Shore Development team for this International payment processing provider.
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Recall Digital Storage Customer Portal
Macquarium Intelligent Communications
March 2014 - August 2014Developed user personas and provided User-Flows, Wireframes and Proof of Concept via Axure for an Enterprise level Customer Portal for an Innovative Document Management company.
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Local On The Go Mobile App
Simply Interact
January 2014 - July 2014Provided Experience & Visual Design Components for an iOS 7 targeted mobile application designed to give users News, Weather, Sports, and Horoscope information via geolocation for a mobile media and advertising company located in Atlanta.
- 2013
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Corporate Website Redesign
NOTS Logistics
August 2013 - December 2013Provided strategy, wireframes and use case scenarios directly to stakeholders. Also supervised dev implementation and provided changes in agile environment.
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Responsive Website Design
Text to Pledge Software Platform
April 2013 - August 2013Provided high fidelity wireframes by way of proof of concept deliverable for this responsive website leveraging twitter bootstrap. Also provided strategy and implementation plan to content development and software development teams.
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Responsive Website Redesign
Atlanta Based Technology Consulting Firm
April 2013 - August 2013Transitioned existing look and feel to a modern approach based on the "Metro" concept for this Microsoft certified consulting firm. Provided user personas, journey maps, wireframes, and visual design. Provided feedback to dev regarding responsive interaction per user device.
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Relieflink Mobile App
Emory University School of Medicine
May 2013 - September 2013Worked on this award-winning app for Suicide Prevention. App recognized with a White House Award for Innovation in Technology (2013). Provided implementation schedule, project management, user personas, User Testing, Wireframes and visual design in preparation for iOS7.
- 2012
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U-Verse Mobile App
AT&T
October 2013 - January 2014Worked with a team of User Experience Designers to analyze existing user flows and current business requirements. Worked with client selected vendors to establish a simplistic, easy to use implementation plan and enhanced, easy to use interaction base around user goals balanced with business goals.
WORK
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Campaign Coach: catching risky therapist marketing before it's published
Licensing boards flag claims like “guaranteed results.” I designed the Coach to catch them, explain why in one line, and offer a compliant rewrite in one tap.
Visit Site -
State Farm Drive Safe & Save: Drive for Good
Concept for the Drive Safe & Save mobile app: a way to donate without financial burden, with charitable options already vetted and approved by State Farm (2018).
View in Portfolio -
Worldpay Developer Portal
Detailed wireframes and personas for a Worldpay developer portal serving merchants, developers and partners (2014).
View in Portfolio -
Home Depot BOPIS (By Online Pay In Store)
Wireframe sample annotating interaction for Home Depot's "Buy Online Pay In Store" Concept.
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ReliefLink Mobile App
ReliefLink, a suicide prevention mobile app, received a White House Award for Innovation in Technology in 2013.
Download App -
SWAGG Mobile Wallet Style-guide Insert
Style-guide entry detailing components specifications for mobile wallet app intended for offshore development team.
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Latin American Association Website Redesign
Website redesign for the Latin American Association.
IN THE MEDIA
The Maverick School Podcast: AI, Human Judgment & The Future of Work
Podcast Guest | 2026
R. Shawn Williams, MFA, joined Karl Pupé FRSA on The Maverick School Podcast to discuss artificial intelligence, creativity, education, and the future of work. The conversation explores why human judgment, experience, and thoughtful use of technology remain essential as AI continues to evolve.
BRANDS WORKED WITH
CONTACT
Have a project you want to discuss? Send a note with the form or by email.
How I can help
- AI use-case and MVP framing: identifying where AI fits and shaping a first version around business and customer needs, with appropriate guardrails.
- UX strategy: clear direction for software and digital products.
- Design systems: building or refining a design system and the processes around it.
- Experience audits: reviewing an existing product or flow and recommending improvements.
What happens next. Tell me what you're working on and what you want to achieve. I'll read your note, follow up with any questions, and if it looks like a fit, we'll talk through scope and next steps together.