I am an award-winning UX researcher and product designer with over 20 years of experience crafting user-centered solutions across Fortune 500 enterprises, startups, and global brands. I excel at translating complex user needs into actionable design strategies, leading cross-functional teams, integrating UX into Agile workflows, and influencing executives with data-backed insights to elevate design maturity and deliver best-in-class digital experiences across web, mobile, desktop, and physical interfaces.

J. Christopher Hahn

I am an award-winning UX researcher and product designer with over 20 years of experience crafting user-centered solutions across Fortune 500 enterprises, startups, and global brands. I excel at translating complex user needs into actionable design strategies, leading cross-functional teams, integrating UX into Agile workflows, and influencing executives with data-backed insights to elevate design maturity and deliver best-in-class digital experiences across web, mobile, desktop, and physical interfaces.

Available to hire

I am an award-winning UX researcher and product designer with over 20 years of experience crafting user-centered solutions across Fortune 500 enterprises, startups, and global brands.

I excel at translating complex user needs into actionable design strategies, leading cross-functional teams, integrating UX into Agile workflows, and influencing executives with data-backed insights to elevate design maturity and deliver best-in-class digital experiences across web, mobile, desktop, and physical interfaces.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Lead UX Researcher at Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett
September 1, 2025 - January 1, 2026
Led user research operations into fund formation practices, identifying workflows, decision points, and key pain areas through interviews and contextual walkthroughs with legal professionals and staff. Synthesized findings into user journeys, documented current workflows and personas to clearly represent roles, responsibilities, and process variability. Translated insights into actionable recommendations to inform design, process optimization, and stakeholder decision-making.
Senior UX Researcher & Product Designer at MassMutual
April 1, 2022 - May 1, 2025
Embedded UX research practices across digital transformation initiatives, directly impacting enterprise-scale tools and customer-facing applications. Led strategy and research for integration of AI and Copilot solutions, streamlining service operations and improving support resolution rates by 30%. Spearheaded redesign of internal project tracking systems and ServiceNow portals, increasing employee satisfaction and system adoption. Mentored cross-functional teams on user-centered design methodologies, helping raise UX maturity across multiple business units.
Lead UX Researcher at Independent Health
May 1, 2020 - April 1, 2022
Established UX research best practices and embedded user testing into product lifecycle across healthcare systems. Designed and executed qualitative and quantitative studies, uncovering key usability pain points and driving product enhancements. Produced strategic UX artifacts including personas, journey maps, and insight decks for executive decision making. Collaborated with dev, QA, and marketing teams to align research findings with organizational KPIs.
UX Researcher at EagleView
August 1, 2018 - April 1, 2020
Conducted research on enterprise insurance platforms and drone imaging tools; improved claims processing efficiency through intuitive UI enhancements. Delivered actionable UX recommendations that improved user task completion rates by 22% and reduced system training time by 35%. Collaborated with engineering and product stakeholders to prioritize design solutions and roadmap improvements.
UX Researcher & Design Manager at Fujifilm North America
April 1, 2016 - February 1, 2018
Directed UX strategy for public kiosk systems used in national retail chains (Walmart, CVS, Michaels). Managed a team of designers and researchers, guiding UX execution from concept to delivery. Partnered with New Product Development and QA to ensure scalable, testable solutions with measurable outcomes. Established design standards and documentation workflows that accelerated development timelines by 20%.
Lead Experience Architect at EffectiveUI
July 1, 2015 - April 1, 2016
Facilitated design thinking workshops for enterprise clients, enabling stakeholder alignment on user needs and product direction. Created service blueprints, wireframes, and interactive prototypes across mobile, web, and tablet experiences. Drove user feedback loops through iterative testing, delivering solutions that met both technical feasibility and user desirability.
Principal UX Architect at Pall Corporation
January 1, 2013 - December 1, 2015
Led design and testing of hardware and software solutions for life sciences and industrial systems. Introduced UCD practices into engineering-heavy environments, helping bridge technical and user goals. Conducted simulation testing and ethnographic research to shape product usability, safety, and regulatory compliance. Directed third-party vendors and creative partners to produce cohesive UX deliverables.
UX Consultant at Kodak Alaris
January 1, 2015 - January 1, 2016
Provided UX consulting across imaging and scanning solutions, collaborating with product and engineering teams to improve usability and adoption.
Senior UX Architect / Human Factors Engineer at Eastman Kodak Company
January 1, 1997 - January 1, 2001
Senior UX Architect and Human Factors Engineer contributing to user-centered design across product lines (two tenures).
Senior UX Architect / Human Factors Engineer at Eastman Kodak Company
January 1, 2005 - December 31, 2012
Second tenure focusing on expanded UX activities and human factors in development programs.
Usability Engineer at The Vanguard Group
January 1, 2002 - January 1, 2005
Usability engineer contributing to user research, usability testing, and interface improvements for investment platforms.
Adjunct Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2011
Lectured on HCI, visual design, and usability principles; mentored students on UX concepts and project work.
Adjunct Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology
January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2011
Lectured on HCI, visual design, and usability principles, contributing to curriculum development and student mentorship.

Education

Master of Electronic Publishing (Human-Computer Interaction Focus) at Rochester Institute of Technology
January 1, 1997 - January 1, 1999
Bachelors Advertising Photography at Rochester Institute of Technology
January 1, 1995 - January 1, 1997
Master of Electronic Publishing (Human-Computer Interaction Focus) at Rochester Institute of Technology
January 1, 1997 - January 1, 1999
Bachelor of Advertising Photography at Rochester Institute of Technology
January 1, 1995 - January 1, 1997

Qualifications

US Patent: Digital Camera UI Interface US20110090367 A1
January 11, 2030 - January 3, 2026
US Patent: Digital Camera UI Interface
January 11, 2030 - February 9, 2026
Popular Mechanics Editors' Choice, Best in Class
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2009
FAST Ambassador (Eastman Kodak)
January 11, 2030 - February 9, 2026

Industry Experience

Software & Internet, Healthcare, Professional Services, Media & Entertainment, Other, Manufacturing, Retail