Mike Gogno

User-Centered Design

Design Thinking

UI/UX Design

UX Strategy

Start-ups

User Flows

UX Writing

Strategic Design

UX research

Available for hire fromNegotiable

Contracts

Senior Product Designer: Designing for people. Optimizing for scale.

Senior Product Designer helping startups launch from 0→1 and supporting teams optimize existing UIUX by focusing on clarity and usability. I focus on designing products that solve problems and drive outcomes.

Projects

HELOC FinTech Product

I designed a new HELOC product from the ground up, working under tight timelines and high visibility. While getting up to speed on the domain, I led competitor analysis, user research, and created user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes to align the team and validate ideas early. This case study covers how we streamlined the journey from qualification to funding using clear UX, smart automation, and a seamless interface that gave users confidence and control. problem 1: Slow and paperwork-heavy Getting a traditional HELOC can take weeks. Between income verification, document uploads, and manual back-and-forth with a loan officer, the process feels outdated and exhausting. We streamlined everything into a digital flow. Users can check eligibility, upload documents, and track their progress—all in one place. No printing, mailing, or waiting around for a call. Just a clean, modern experience that respects the user's time. problem 2: HELOCs are confusing Most people don’t know how a HELOC actually works. Terms like “line amount” and “draw amount” are rarely explained clearly, and borrowers are often left guessing how much they can access and when they have to pay it back. We focused on simplifying that experience with clear language, guided steps, and smart defaults. The goal was to reduce mental load and help users feel confident in what they were signing up for, without needing to speak to a banker. Optimized offers page: We optimized the line amount step on the offers page by showing users how consolidating debt could increase their approved loan amount. Using part of their loan to pay off high-interest balances made the offer more appealing, simplified their finances, and also drove higher loan volume for the business. After a successful launch, I followed up with users and watched session replays to gather data on any pain points or confusion our users were having. I compiled a list and wrote out a plan to optimize for phase two.See More

Work History

Product/UX Designer

VanguardContract Employee• Designed future vision for Cash Transfer using their extensive design system & creating new mini front end (MFE’s) to reuse across the experience • Optimized & modernized checkwriting platform for internal crew members • Collaborated closely with UX strategists, PMs, Devs, UX Researchers, and product owners

Sr Product / UX Designer

Splash FinancialAs the voice of our user, I create user flows, conduct UX interviews, analyze session replays, and design products in the fintech space. Currently building a design system and optimizing our mobile experience.

Lead Product Designer

BlakthumbContract EmployeeMar 2022 - Jun 2022 • 4 mosRedesigned UIUX of the product and prepared it for launch. Design audit of developed product. Interviewed potential customers to determine pricing structure and features. Tested product on-site with customer. Put together 24 month product strategy.

UX/Product Designer

Spare MusicContract EmployeeNov 2018 - Jul 2021 • 2 yrs 9 mosDuring my time with SpareMusic, I helped grow to tens of thousands of monthly users and over 50 million monthly streams. I did this by listening to our customers and redesigning the product to fit their needs. I was also a part of the strategy conversations about prioritizing future features, growing the user base, and marketing campaigns.

Senior UIUX Designer

ZoovuFull-time EmployeeOct 2018 - Feb 2022 • 3 yrs 5 mosOur clients at Zoovu (ai company) included a long list of the world's leading companies, such as; Amazon, Microsoft, Canon, Spotify, Bose, AT&T, 3M, UnderArmor, Trek, Whirlpool, Kitchenaid, Gerber, Maytag, and dozens of other large brands. I was responsible for hiring and managing designers and supporting client services, sales, and product teams with their design needs. This includes everything from UX research and user personas to high-fidelity, clickable mockups using Figma.

UIUX Designer

DiversyFundContract EmployeeMar 2016 - Aug 2017 • 1 yr 6 mosCrowdfunding meets real estate investing.

Education

West Virginia University

Engineering

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