PRODUCT DESIGN & UX STRATEGY

Building
better products
through systems
thinking and
customer insight.

↓ scroll to read

I'm Jen Southall, a UX designer with a Product Management background who still loves doing the work: research, user flows, prototypes and polished UI. I've also built design systems and grown strong teams, so I know how the pieces connect, from strategy to shipped product. I bring the same discipline to my work as I do to my hobbies: I love lifting weights and making art, and I'm a firm believer that the best results come from a mix of heavy lifting and creativity.

Jen Southall
LOCATION
Based in Chandler, AZ
Design Operations · Systems Thinking · Product Discovery · Cross-functional Alignment · Operationalizing UX · Product Analytics · Information Architecture · Design Culture · Iterative Delivery · Design Operations · Systems Thinking · Product Discovery · Cross-functional Alignment · Operationalizing UX · Product Analytics · Information Architecture · Design Culture · Iterative Delivery ·

A few highlights.

Five-step AI design workflow: prototype with AI, bring into Figma, refine with tokens, connect to code, ship with no drift
Design system documentation for the Button component
StrongMind · 2021

Design System Set Up and Implementation

One design language, used by 8 engineering teams.

Product Manager Bootcamp curriculum: six sessions from user stories to sprint prep
StrongMind · 2022

APM Training Program

PM curriculum built from scratch.

Soberlink app screens: turning on Bluetooth, submitting a test and test completed
Soberlink · 2016

Onboarding Experience

Guided device setup with no dead ends.

Illustrated collector's pins including All Star, Release Warrior and Grill Master
StrongMind · 2023–2024

Employee Collector's Pins

11 illustrated pins people loved to collect.

I believe great teams make better products.

I started as a web designer because I loved the intersection of art and technology. That passion led me through UI development, UI/UX design and product management, and today I lead UX as a director. Through every role, I've stayed close to the work. I still map flows, run research, build prototypes and sweat the UI details, because that's where I do my best thinking.

I'm also energized by helping the people around me do great work. I believe in organized workflows and consistent processes, not because process is the point, but because it frees people from chaos and lets them focus on what they're actually building. Whether I'm leading a team or embedded in one, my goal is the same: keep user empathy and systems thinking at the center of every decision, and get everything else out of the way.

EXPERIENCE
Nov 2020 — now
Director of User Experience
StrongMind · Chandler, AZ
May 2018 — Nov 2020
Product Management
StrongMind · Chandler, AZ
May 2016 — May 2018
UI/UX Designer
StrongMind · Chandler, AZ
June 2015 - May 2016
Lead UI/UX Design
Soberlink · Huntington Beach, CA
Dec 2013 - June 2015
UI Developer
AAA · Costa Mesa, CA

Four philosophies I believe in.

01

Listening & understanding

Most problems get easier once someone actually listens. I start with research and real conversations, with users and teammates alike, and I hear people out before jumping to solutions.

02

Systems thinking

Every screen is part of something bigger. I look at how flows, components and teams connect, so what I design today still holds up as the product grows.

03

Structure & clarity

Creativity without structure is chaos. Defined workflows, clear acceptance criteria and documented decisions mean everyone knows what done looks like, and everything moves faster.

04

Making others shine

Great work rarely comes from one person. I love finding what a teammate is great at, and passionate about, and making room for them to shine, whether I'm leading the team or working right alongside them.

TOOLS

The things I reach for most.

Coming soon.

Off the clock, I make art.

See my latest work on Instagram ↗
CONTACT

Come say hi.

This is where you can find me on the internet.