Researcher turned Product designer — Relationship builder, helping teams untangle complex systems in B2B & social impact spaces.
Projects
Master's PROJECT
From Abstract Ideas to Experiential Futures: Creating a tangible vision for a more sustainable and circular future
Outcome: A physical accordion book that makes sustainable living tangible through immersive community vignettes. A demonstration that experiential visions drive stronger stakeholder buy-in than abstract concepts.
Systems thinking
Research
Futures thinking
Social Impact
View system's thinking project →
internship
Reimagining a Fleet Management Coaching Product: Influencing A Strategic Vision with Potential $20,000+ in Yearly Fleet Savings
Outcome: Research insights helped to secure executive buy-in for unified coaching vision and influenced 3 roadmap priorities. Positioned Samsara ahead of competitors to expand beyond safety-only coaching, enabling fleet customers to potentially save thousands annually in compliance costs.
B2B | IoT
Strategy
Design Research
Stakeholder alignment
View B2B research project →
About
Psychology → UX Research → Product Design: I’m motivated by the process of understanding the complexities of humans and systems.
My journey from psychology to UX research, and now product design, reflects my desire to not just uncover insights, but to translate and transform them into impactful solutions.
My background, rooted in understanding the nuances of how humans operate in the world, allows me to create intuitive experiences grounded in deep human understanding.
Skills
My process
These have become core parts of my design process that help me stay grounded in challenging and ambiguous environments.
Connect all the dots
I map connections between different parts of the experience. I create visual frameworks that help teams understand complex relationships and invisible connections
Stakeholder relationships drive impact
I'm passionate about helping teams find common ground. Through interactive workshops and visual storytelling, I help diverse stakeholders connect with user insights and align around what matters most
Adapt my process to the context it's in
I read the room and adjust accordingly. Whether it's a tight deadline or shifting priorities, I find ways to deliver actionable insights that serve immediate needs without losing sight of the bigger picture.
Dig deeper to find the real problem
It's usually never the first problem that is presented to me. My psychology education helps me ask better questions and listen for what people aren't saying. I explore the emotional and contextual factors that truly drive behavior, not just stated preferences.
I'm a human too
These are a few of the things you can find me doing outside of work to stay grounded and find inspiration.
And I’ve always been passionate about psychology, so you can usually find me reading books about how humans think, feel, sleep, move, and be in relationship with one another.
Some of the recent books you’ll see on my Goodreads:
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
All About Love by bell hooks
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Contact
I'd love to connect, share experiences, and grow together 🌱
Seattle, WA, USA
sstumme3@gmail.com