i’m kenji

I’m Kenji Bohlin. I have more than twenty years of experience in visual, user experience, and product design. I have transformed in-house digital services into SaaS platforms, with a specific focus on oft-overlooked back office experiences.

Resume

My experience spans product management, UX design, visual design, and strategic thinking. In my current role, I work with business stakeholders, the sales and client team, and the development team as we build a SaaS product within a not-for-profit association. I oversee the creation and execution of our product roadmap.

22+ years
of association experience

6+ years
leading a dev and product team

10+ years
UX design

10+ years
marketing & communications

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Product Design & Management Experience

In 2017, I began work on Lineup, a SaaS platform based on a volunteer management system we built internally for the National Council of Architectural Registration boards. We launched Lineup in 2019 at ATP’s Innovations in Testing Conference, winning the Judges’s Success Award from the 2019 ATP Innovation Lab. As of today, Lineup boasts over 40 clients, including Amazon Web Services, Adobe, the American Dental Association, and The Product Management Institute (PMI).

Director of User Experience
May 2019 – Present
Lineup Management Services, LLC

Senior UX Designer / Product Manager II
May 2019 – Present
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

Product Manager
November 2017 – May 2019
Lineup Management Services, LLC

  • Transformed an in-house volunteer management system into a commercial, scalable product, Lineup, that we took to market in 2019
    • Lineup currently has over 40 clients using it to build and manage their high-impact teams.
    • As a small team, my job responsibilities range from product visioning, product management, UX design, client management, and backlog grooming.
  • Long-term strategic planning
    • Work with the Chief Strategy Officer to implement product vision.
    • Prioritize features and builds a roadmap for Lineup, in accordance with the product vision.
    • Collaborate with sales, client relations, business stakeholders, and the development team.
  • Plan-to-action
    • Organize features and write user stories that implement UX designs with the development team.
    • Manage a team of six developers to build and improve on the existing product.
    • Provide user experience design and support for upcoming features.
    • Provide additional support for UX, client management, and light front-end development where necessary.
    • Conduct product demos of new and upcoming features.

UX Design Experience

In 2014, I started working as the sole User Experience Designer for the Information Systems, a team of software engineers and business analysts building in-house software solutions for the National Council of Architectural Registration Board.

UX Designer
June 2014 – May 2019
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

  • Formalized user-centered design practices with the in-house development team.
  • Redesigned all transactional emails used by our internal CRM.
  • Aligned My NCARB portal with the NCARB brand, while improving the user experience.

Marketing, Communications, and Graphic Design Experience

I was hired by NCARB in 2002 as a Communications Coordinator, getting promoted twice over the next six years, first to a graphic designer, and then to the Assistant Director of the Communications department.

Assistant Director, Communications / Senior Graphic Designer
September 2008 – June 2014
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

  • Developed and executed creative concepts that align with the strategic communication plan, meet brand standards, and reinforce the Council’s mission.
  • Guided and coached the efforts of the Communications team to ensure the implementation of the Chief Executive Officer’s and the Communications Director’s shared vision.
  • Led team of eight writers, editors, and graphic designers using an Agile methodology
  • Key achievements:
    • Launched “Getting It Done,” a responsive landing page of resources.
    • Implemented and adapted an Agile-based team structure to directorate.
    • Led a team to win nine Hermes Creative Awards from 2012 to 2013.
    • Oversaw the NCARB rebranding project in 2011.
    • Implemented Basecamp to manage projects and promote collaboration.
    • Revised and redesigned two program guideline publications, the IDP Guidelines and the Certification Guidelines, moving them from print format to smart PDF.
    • Revamped the look and feel of the public website, including a redesign of the homepage to bring it inline with NCARB’s stronger emphasis on transparency and agility.

Manager, Communications / Graphic Designer
June 2004 – September 2008
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

  • Designed graphics for a variety of publications and collateral materials in varying media, including magazines, brochures, posters, PowerPoint presentations, videos, environmental graphics, and HTML email blasts.
  • Oversaw the production of all communications projects, including vendor selection, post-production, press checks, and final distribution.
  • Supervised graphic designer, graphic assistant, and writer/editor.
  • Key achievements:
    • Harnessed the website to communicate major programmatic changes and proactively address customer concerns.
    • Implemented NCARB’s first email campaign service.
    • Redesigned the Direct Connection from a newsletter to a magazine.
    • Redesigned the public website with more intuitive information architecture, migration to a content management system (Sitecore), and an updated look and feel.

Communications Coordinator
September 2002 – June 2004
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

  • Designed and desktop-published a variety of collateral materials, including brochures, newsletters, booklets, and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Coordinated with vendors for all communications projects, from print ordering to mail fulfillment.

Freelance Designer
2006 – 2012
Appleseed Foundation

  • Created distinct brand identities for national fundraising events
  • Designed print and HTML invitations, event programs, logo boards, and signage

Degrees and Certifications

  • User Experience Design
    General Assembly
    Washington, DC
    April 2013
  • Selection, Training & Engagement
    Disney Institute
    Orlando, FL
    November 2013
  • Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) Training
    Excella Consulting
    Arlington, VA
    August 2012
  • Leadership Excellence
    Disney Institute
    Orlando, FL
    December 2010
  • Bachelor of Arts in English Literature
    University of Virginia
    Charlottesville,
    VA     May 2001, 3.5 GPA

Technical Skills

  • Figma (prototyping, design system development, collaboration)
  • Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Acrobat)
  • Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel)
  • Content management systems (WordPress)
  • HTML and CSS knowledge

Capabilities

  • Product Design, development, and management
  • Roadmapping and feature development
  • User research
  • Prototyping and usability testing
  • Graphic design
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