If you had asked me even five years ago if I thought that public speaking would ever be an important part of my career I would have treated you to an emphatic "no". I had, and to some extent still do have, some comfort issues regarding speaking to large groups.

However, it turns out I was, and am, also deluded in my anxiety. Over those years, and even long before then, I had begun to speak to people in increasing numbers. I spoke to project teams, panels of client stakeholders, groups of peers, the whole company, the executive suite. It was so situational, and so absent of the stereotypical podium, that I hardly noticed.

Now I embrace and sometimes celebrate the opportunity to share ideas, to discuss approaches, and to stand up boldly in rooms full of very clever people. I fully presume that to some I will sound plodding, backward, or even outright wrong. But ideas need airing. Some need airing more frequently than others. I am happy to paint the target on myself to ensure that ideas, issues and the fabric of my profession do not go unexamined and unquestioned.

Mentorship is not a duty, but a privilege. It's not a question of what you ought to do, but of what you are allowed to do. Think of it this way: It is an honor and a compliment that another member of your profession might seek to learn something from you. That the way you have solved a problem might then help someone to solve their own.

Being trusted to provide insights, feedback, and guidance is an immense responsibility. A responsibility for the advice you give and perhaps a small measure of the results it influenced. This can be quite stressful. You may worry that your suggestions won't work, or that your solutions seem insane, or insultingly elementary.

However, like any other potential crisis, this is also an opportunity. One of the things you absolutely must do while you speak is to also listen. Mentorship teaches you, not just the people you're attempting to support. Often you will find yourself learning in the very act of teaching. Those you support can show you new ways to use the information that was collecting dust in your databanks.

The good and bad news is that your career in mentorship will only last so long as it is relevant, valuable and actionable to those who ask for it. The problem of whether or not to be a mentor can easily solve itself - particularly if you choose not to treat it with the care it deserves.

I think it was a gelfling called Kira that called writing "words that stay". While that in itself may be somewhat trivial it hints at the greater import of externalizing one's ideas.

Also it is the duty of experience to share what works and what doesn't for the benefit of one's colleagues, enterprise, and industry. It is a requirement of leadership to use that same information to set the course of development, refinement and improvement for one's practice and profession.

To externalize one's thoughts, is to enable examination, foster discourse, and allow your learned peers to question your sanity in frank and productive ways. Nothing teaches you to do better research than having your points eviscerated on the strength of your own apparent ignorance. Nothing teaches you to proof-read like being mercilessly teased over that one missing oxford comma.

In addition to the items below, you can find my other musings and items worth sharing on my LinkedIn Blog.

So what do I do all day, apart from wearing bow ties? I have a number of skills and talents that may be brought to bear upon any project or problem. Here is a brief list of the most important ones.

Like any craftsman I have a set of tools I commonly use. Added to each list below, I append "an inventive and suspicious mind". Which seems only fair because it's nearly impossible to stop myself from using it.

When the plans have been laid, research synthesized, designs drawn, reviewed, tested, iterated, finalized - you generally have some things to show for it. These are the sorts of things that pile up on my desk, and in my project folders (electronic and paper).

It seems inevitable that no matter how hard one works to custom fit every engagement and every deliverable to the problem and the client at hand, people always want to see someone else's stuff. Of course one can't blame them. It would be nice to know that the story you're hearing has some proof to back it up.

The problem is that not every client is okay with having their custom solution paraded about. They even make you sign bits of paper. Most inconvenient. However, you can occasionally clean enough detail out, or get permission to share that same proof from someone else's pudding.

Other samples are available for viewing but cannot be transmitted or left behind. For that we'd have to meet and perhaps discuss your particular requirements. This includes items like:

• Proposals and Statements of Work

• Scope Documentation

• Whiteboarding and Public Recording

• Sketches and Concept Development

• Completed Project Screens

Research Plans

Testing Plans

Test Findings

Project Plans

Findings Documents

Prototypes are not just pixel-perfect, proof-of-concept, interactive, on-screen affairs. They never were. A prototype is any representation of a thing that can help you communicate about, understand, or evaluate that thing - that isn't actually that thing yet. My website. My definition.

What this means is that a napkin sketch is as much a prototype as a complex UI rendered in tools like Protoshare or Axure. I subscribe to the idea that one shouldn't focus on fidelity except that it's appropriate to the task for which the prototype is being built.

Owing to those pesky NDAs, I won't be able to share or send out everything I do, but some things may be glimpsed in a de-identified format during a potential face-to-face meeting. The sorts of things I prototype include:

• Complex Software Interfaces for Platform, Web and Mobile Applications

• Content, Engagement, and Atomic Data Models

• System and Information Architectures

Diagrammatic Models

Static Wireframes

Interactive Prototypes

Data-Based Prototypes

Visual work is where I began my design career. While it's no longer my focus I do still pursue smaller scale, personal, and pro-bono projects as donations to organizations and causes I support.

In my day-to-day work I use my skills for the clear visual communication of design direction, options, and alternate approaches to solve problems in strategy, interaction design, and getting entire teams on the same page across different disciplines and mindsets.

Again, other samples are available for viewing but can't be sent or left. NDAs, are so inconvenient.

Sketches and Storyboards

Illustration of Processes

Logos and Branding

Recreational Art

Visualized Data

I'm a problem solver. Business problems, strategy problems, communication problems, interaction problems, execution problems; I like problems. I especially like crisis-sized, hideously complex and seemingly insurmountable problems. I like to take them apart. I enjoy finding out if they are actually what people think they are. There's nothing like discovering and solving a problem that turned out to be very different than it was assumed to be. Particularly if it turns out to be cheaper to fix and have a more solution than expected.

So how do we do this? By unearthing the information needed to make informed decisions and take effective action. We do this by knowing how to find out what we need to know in order know what we need to know. Confused? That would be everyone. Put another way; we ensure that the information you are getting is actually the right information. Then double check that information - not only to make doubly sure it was right, but that it is being used correctly to get the best results.

I believe in a balanced practice and process. Investigate the problem and its environment. Articulate a designed solution based on that understanding in a manner that can be effectively communicated and tested. Evaluate it to ensure that it has the intended effect. If not... Iterate.

Tools and methods will continue to change, and there is no magic bullet. Design the project to fit the problem, the client, and the humans whom it will affect. Don't forget the humans. Forget the humans and I'll confiscate your "Experience Design" title.

See my idea of a balanced process

See a list of my former Clients and their Industries

There's something to be said for an education. More, perhaps, to be said about lifelong learning. I don't think we ever really stop. Some of us just begin to ignore the new data instead of trying to process, understand and grow from it. Others actively seek to learn. Looking for those opportunities to grow. Often they'll share what they've learned with others. Which can be annoying at times, but they mean well. I promise we do.

Understanding Accessibility

Simply Accessible/Target | Derek Featherstone | 2013

Online Training Courses and Webinars (2009-2013)

    Creating an Effective Content Strategy for Your Website

    Author/Instructor: Janine Warner

    omnigraffle Professional 5 Essential Training

    Author/Instructor: Jason Osder

    Human Computer Interaction

    Coursera (Stanford University):

    Author/Instructor: Scott Klemmer

    Certificate earned, Score: 91.9%

    Webinar: Surprising A/B test results in website usability

    Loop11/Unbounce

    Basecamp Pro

    37signals

    Web Site Strategy and Planning

    Author/Instructor: Jen Kramer

    Web Site Planning and Wireframing: Hands-On Training

    Author/Instructor: Laurie Burruss

Photoshop CS3 Seminar

Adobe/Kelby Training | 2008

Beyond Usability

Adaptive Path | 2005

Complete ASP.Net

Intertech | 2004

Advanced Macromedia Flash

Allen Interactions | 2000

Photoshop Seminar

Adobe | 1997

Computer Graphic Design

School of Communication Arts | Diploma | 1994

Art History and History

University of Minnesota | Bachelor of Arts | 1992

Sometimes we are better known, better valued and better remembered by our working relationships than our actual work. Projects come and go, and what really persists is often how those projects passed by. Were they characterized by smooth sailing and success or fraught with all manner of drama and peril? It's not the deals, deadlines, and deliverables. It's what, and more importantly how things were done.

I've had the privilege to work with some seriously talented people. People whom I would and do recommend. Earning and retaining the trust and confidence of clients and colleagues is vital to anyone in a design profession.

The Nerdery

User Experience Team Lead (Jun 2016 – Aug 2017)

Brian Rowe, User Experience Manager at The Nerdery

Worked in the same group with Christopher at The Nerdery

“Christopher defines what it is to be a dedicated advocate for the Human part of the human->system equation. His tireless efforts to evolve and outwardly share + mentor others on research methods brings true value to any team. Christopher’s skills cover a wide range of experience design practices—discovery to IA,

project planning & estimation to prototyping & evaluation.

When I managed this large team of incredibly talented designers, Christopher proved an excellent collaborative partner—planning together to support a team member’s career arc, to help navigate conflict, or to build shared perspective on an individual’s performance. Doing this required an appetite for the longer view of leadership, one Christopher appreciated and indeed exhibited for those he mentored.

I’m thankful to have learned much about participant-led research methods from Christopher, who greatly expanded my sensing toolkit overall and added more clarity to how I’d communicate its value outwardly. I relished the opportunities to reflect upon these (and many other) approaches with him.

October 12, 2017

The Nerdery

Senior User Experience Designer (Nov 2013 – Jun 2016)

Matt Jonas, Developer III at The Nerdery

Worked directly with Christopher at The Nerdery

“Christopher is an extremely articulate and thorough designer. He works hard to understand not only the relevant domain knowledge, but the users of the systems he designs. Moreover, he is a team player and takes suggestions very seriously. He is an excellent asset in any team."

August 22, 2014

Capella University

UX Analyst / Interaction Designer (Mar 2012 – Jan 2013)

Disability Services Department, Capella University

Awarded Christopher the 2012 Disability Services Access Ally Award

“Christopher has gone above and beyond with his time and creativity to create the Learning Options Assessment in collaboration with Disability Services and the Learning Assistance Center.

His professionalism and personal experience was a wonderful addition in the creation of a tool that will benefit not only Disability Services Learners, but Capella learners as a whole.

Congratulations, Christopher! Thank you for everything you've done this year!”

December 31, 2012

Logan Johnson, Sr. Project Manager and Team Lead, Capella Univ.

Worked directly with Christopher at Capella University

“Christopher is thorough, creative, forward-thinking, congenial, and effective as a user experience analyst. I can easily trust Christopher to take leadership on significant portions of my projects and achieve great results.”

December 13, 2012

Steve Scofield, Mgr. of Online User Experience (OPUX), Capella Univ.

Managed Christopher at Capella University

“Christopher has worked on my team (the Online User Experience team) as a user experience analyst (UXA) for the past year. There are five other UXAs on the team, and the UX discipline is well established at Capella University. In other words; in my 15+ years in the UX space, I know how to spot someone who knows UX vs. someone who talks as if they know it. Christopher knows his stuff.

As a consultant on my team, Christopher has worked on a variety of projects, both large and small. In some cases he has enhanced an existing system based on achieving certain business goals; in others, he has created an intuitive system from scratch based on complex business requirements. In his role he is the point person for UX, meaning he interacts with clients on a regular basis. He whiteboards potential solutions, creates process flows, sitemaps, wireframes, and turns those into clickable prototypes. We also have a usability lab at Capella, where Christopher performs 1:1 usability evaluations on a regular basis to gather user feedback.

Christopher has consistently performed above what I consider "acceptable" standards - he goes above and beyond what I expect of him and I've heard many compliments from project stakeholders about his work. He will be a valuable part of any UX team, and he has my enthusiastic recommendation.”

December 7, 2012

AllRegs

Senior Designer / Interface specialist (Feb 2007 – Dec 2011)

Krista Sabol, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, AllRegs

Managed Christopher at AllRegs

“Christopher is consistently pleasant, dedicated to excellence and eager to take on a challenge. During his tenure with AllRegs, Christopher’s creative style and graphic design skills culminated into countless web sites, web pages, banner ads, HTML emails, flyers, brochures and other print and online collateral for more than 20 different product lines. He was also responsible for maintaining multiple websites and user interfaces.

In addition to his many responsibilities, Christopher created our annual product catalog, as well as our identity collateral. Further, he designed visual prototypes for online products and interfaces and created supporting assets. In addition to working on internal project deployments, he worked with external vendors and partners to deploy both print and online advertising collateral.

Christopher excels at multi-tasking and switching gears as necessary to meet the needs of the business. He has a unique blend of creative and technical skills that have served him well. He can work independently and is willing to work on any project that is assigned to him. I highly recommend Christopher for employment.”

January 10, 2012

Michelle Littlefield, Marketing and Communications Specialist, AllRegs

Worked directly with Christopher at AllRegs

“I had the pleasure of working alongside Christopher in the AllRegs Marketing Department from 2009 to 2011. Christopher is an exemplary team-player, who can always be counted on to help get the job done. Often times, Christopher was my go-to person to assist with complicated code and design questions. He was always able to offer a helping hand or a solution. Be it marketing design, content management or code, I consider Christopher an expert in his field. Christopher is professional, thorough, dedicated and a wonderful asset to any marketing team.”

December 30, 2011

Dan Thoms, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, AllRegs

Managed Christopher at AllRegs

“Christopher worked for our company for many years. He has been a senior design and interface specialist. He did a great job in this role.

Over the past years Christopher has been responsible for the development of graphics on various corporate websites, created our company catalog, developed print advertisements, banner ads, and various other marketing and advertising graphic pieces. All of these advertising pieces have been done well and used exceptional graphic development skills.

Christopher is a pleasant person to work with and has been diligent in his efforts. He often worked long days and hours to complete projects. Christopher would be a welcome addition to any company graphics team.”

December 30, 2011

Barbara Willard, Senior Designer/Interface Specialist, AllRegs

Worked directly with Christopher at AllRegs

“Christopher is a joy to work with and a professional on every level. He has a wonderful blend of creative and technical skills and is always ready to produce innovative and effective designs with tight deadlines. He constantly masters his design and software skills and it shows in his work. Christopher has strong web and coding knowledge and many times he brought our team up to speed with current technology trends and resolutions.”

December 19, 2011

Glenn Ford, Owner, AllRegs

Managed Christopher indirectly at AllRegs

“Creative, methodical, positive, flexible, thorough, efficient, and reliable are just a few words I would use to describe Christopher Stephan and his work. He came to me through an enthusiastic recommendation and now after eight years I have the privilege of providing the same.”

December 15, 2011

AllRegs

User Interface Designer (Dec 2003 – Feb 2007)

Doug Smalley, Sr. Consultant & VP, Eleven Twenty Consulting

Managed Christopher at AllRegs

“I worked with Christopher for several years in various capacities. We collaborated on the design and development of several web sites ranging from "commercial signage" sites to complex SAAS applications.

He is an extremely intelligent and hard working and creative professional and is a strong advocate for the end user. He plays well with others including QA pros, the most curmudgeonly of developers, and even sales and marketing folks.

He is a terrific communicator and is highly professional interpersonally. I'd welcome the opportunity to work with him again!”

January 20, 2012

iPares / Dillon New Media / Dx Studio (1998-2001)

Shannon Kressin, Freelance Graphic Designer

Worked indirectly for Christopher at iPares / Dillon New Media

“I miss the days I shared an office with Christopher. He's a great source of knowledge and skill in the digital world, and a joy to team up with. He's a loyal friend and colleague, one that I'd jump for the opportunity to work with again. The combination of his intellect, technical abilities, and big heart are a must-have on any project.”

December 29, 2011

Jackie Menne, Founder / Director of Empathy, Joule

Managed Christopher at Dillon New Media / Dx Studio

“Christopher always understood the importance of “why” in form as well as function. His designs were strategic, his execution creative. A wonderful blend of objective passion that clients loved. Good was never an option — better always became best no matter the deadline. It was truly my pleasure working with Christopher at Dx, later iPares.”

December 22, 2011

Chris Barrington Davis, Project Manager, Brain Traffic

Worked with Christopher at Dillon New Media / Dx Studio

“Christopher possesses a blend of visual and technical skills that ensures his work meets both the client’s and the developer’s standards. His diligence and thoughtful demeanor make him a pleasure to work with.”

December 20, 2011

Mark Tensen, Creative Director, DKS Systems

Worked directly with Christopher at iPares / Dillon New Media / Dx Studio

“Christopher is a true student of his craft. A quiet thinker, he is always working to ensure that neither usability or design causes the other to suffer. Always learning and evolving to be on the leading edge, but ensuring client work follows best practices.”

December 19, 2011

Ben Johnson, Software Architect, Merrill Corporation

Worked with Christopher at iPares

“Christopher is a top-flight graphic and UX designer, with an unwavering eye to detail. He focuses on each media type for its strengths, while also accommodating its weaknesses and constraints, putting a round peg in a round hole, so to speak. As a programmer tasked with implementing his website designs, I appreciated how they came pre-fit for HTML and web patterns, not trying to force a pretty photoshop picture into the wrong form factor.

Anyone looking to differentiate their product with refined design and user experience should not pass on the chance to add Christopher to their team.”

December 17, 2011

Lon Bencini, Chief Marketing Officer, MinuteBids, Inc.

Managed Christopher at iPares

“Christopher and I worked together at iPares and for several years after I left there. His understanding of how to translate marketing direction into break through design was much appreciated by our national client base. I have engaged Christopher many times through the years for his insights, his online knowledge base, his attention to detail, and his ability to merge new and existing technologies with exciting design work. His work has always been greatly appreciated by my clients and business partners. I will continue to utilize his abilities moving forward and highly recommend him.”

December 15, 2011

Phil Hoeschen, Interactive Art Director, Risdall Marketing Group

Worked directly with Christopher at iPares / Dillon New Media / Dx Studio

“The definition of ‘Attention to Detail’ should have Christopher as a reference to the meaning. From his design philosophy to the execution of the final product, Christopher will have every angle, feature, every aspect of the task at hand covered. With focus and purpose, Christopher works efficiently with others to create what they are committed to producing.”

December 15, 2011

John Sanborn, Sr. Applications Developer, Met. Council (Twin Cities)

Worked directly with Christopher at iPares

“Christopher is a talented professional and pleasure to work with at iPares.”

December 14, 2011

Tim Dillon, SVP - Account Supervisor, Risdall Marketing Group

Hired Christopher as a Graphic/Web Designer at Dx Studio in 1998

“I was fortunate to have Christopher work with our team on print and web design and production projects at DX Studios, Dillon New Media and iPares over a 3 or 4 year period. Christopher always had genuine interest in our clients work which was much appreciated. He was always punctual dedicated and fun to work with. It's my pleasure to recommend Christopher as a potential team member.”

Top qualities: Personable, On Time, High Integrity

December 14, 2011

Linked In does an excellent job of making giving and receiving positive feedback fun, engaging, and above all, easy. This allows professionals to do that thing so few of us go out of our way to do, provide positive feedback.

You can find all of mine including full endorsement details on my profile. However, here is a top-level summary:

At The Nerdery we sometimes give our fellow team members very public thanks when they go above and beyond. I've had a few of them. And I thought that sharing the ones I have received here might speak to how I serve my teammates and clients both.

"What an amazing group of guys. I feel like a newb in the presence of you all! You guys made [ClientName] a success and for that I'm eternally grateful. Hats off to all of you!"

Matt Jonas - Nov. 7, 2014

"[ClientName] TEAM - You guys are so damned awesome! Daily, you leave me dumbfounded and impressed with how freakin' smart you all are and gratefully leave me constantly feeling like the dumbest guy in the room - which is absolutely a good thing! Thank you so much for doing such an amazing job on the [ClientName] project, specifically putting in the long hours and dedication to wrap up System Sizing, Cycle 1 QA, Gearboxes, planning for Cycle 2 and the elegant graphing application! As I leave you now for a while, I know that I am leaving this project in the best development and UX hands I could hope for. You are a supremely professional, jaw-droppingly creative, and ingenious world class team. Thank you all and I look forward to working with you again soon!"

Jared Schmidt - Oct. 2, 2014

"Thank you Christopher, Jonathan, and Paul for your amazing work on the [ClientName] pitch! You guys rock and looking forward to working with you more on this opportunity.

Best, Jake"

Jake Trippel - Sep. 23, 2014

"A long overdue shout to Team [ClientName]. The algebra on this one has been tricky at times, and this team has handled it with style and grace. Christopher and Claire have repeatedly demonstrated the value of our UX process, and have been patient and consultative throughout. They both have really stepped up to fill in the gaps and come to the aid of our agency partner when they have struggled. Tara is an expert communicator and is balancing the interests of more than 4 parties at times. She also brings humor and gusto with her to every meeting. Rick: I appreciate your looking out for our long-term needs, and your collaboration & mentorship on a reverse staff augmentation! Keep it up, and thank you!!"

Seth Rompelman - June. 9, 2014

"This week, [ClientName] began their foray into content insertion for their new website. There was much trepidation and worry last week: How complicated will it be? As we load content, will the content owners find missing elements that were expected to be there? Will the bosswoman like it? I'm happy to report that I just got off the phone with Chelsea and she says that there is a general air of CRAZY ELATION around the office. She couldn't contain it! There's an energy and buzz of excitement. People are dragging others over to their computer to show them the great new feature they just found. My favorite quote from Chelsea was that there have literally been SQUEALS OF GLEE about the new website. Once again, Team, a fantastic job! I LOVE when clients are so happy that they call me up to tell me about it. Serious kudos to all!"

Clare Gardner - April. 30, 2014

"To my fellow Dots: A huge shout out to all of you for being the most passionate, intelligent, and supportive team that I have ever had the pleasure to work with. From answering questions about how to best complete a task in Omnigraffle or Axure to providing insightful knowledge and feedback that will benefit me throughout my career, I can't express enough how much I appreciate all of you guys and our interesting (and sometimes bizarre) conversations. Thank you."

Claire Bailey - Feb. 7, 2014

"All y'all pulled together to get us an estimate for [ClientName]. This was a beast but we all kept moving toward something that I have a good feeling the client will like. It's just the beginning, but great work getting us to this point."

Wyn Douglas - Jan. 23, 2014

"I want to give a shout out to all the developers and designers that really went above and beyond on the [ClientName] Trade Show App estimate. With a large feature list and a few changes in budget, we had several back and forth conversations on resourcing, prioritization, and feasibility. I've learned so much through out this process and with everyone's volunteered availability, it made for a 100% positive experience. "

Chelsea Ihle - Nov. 19, 2013

"Thank you for all your guidance in creating the usability test plan for [ClientName] and for taking time out of your busy week to meet with me!! I appreciate it so much, and I learned an incredible amount from working with you."

Heather Wydeven - Nov. 18, 2013

"Shout out to my [ClientName] homies for being so unbelievably awesome!"

Hind Abu-Amr - Sep. 18, 2013

"Thank you for first offering your bowtie and then being a co-president and stepping in to help me with my photo project! You are superb! "

Alyssa Fuller - Aug. 8, 2013

"Awesome presentation to [ClientName] in a WICKED HOT conference room for TWO hours! We managed to turn a really frustrating project into a perfectly happy gaggle of clients !! Great work Dots !!!"

Laura Heurung - Apr. 29, 2013

"Just wanted to thank you again for your great work with [ClientName] - we wouldn't be where we are without you!"

Nobu Matsuda - Apr. 12, 2013

"Guys - thank you so much for pulling together and getting us prepped for the feature review call with St. Jude's. This hasn't been an easy one to wrangle and now we're in a better place because of you guys! "

Nobu Matsuda - Mar. 20, 2013

"I think Leah said it best earlier: "Now I know how our clients feel when they come in for a workshop with UX!" Seriously, we all couldn't be more excited for the work that you're doing on Nerdery U! I really feel like we're building something special here!"

Patrick Fuentes - Nov. 3, 2015

"thank you guys. You helped us have our annual costume contest. Couldn't have done it without you that's for sure. You rock!"

Jayne Runyon - Oct. 30, 2015

"Super thanks to all of you for making this the "greatest, most unseen" Core Values Week video project happen! I learned furthermore about collaboration and also having each of your time and willing to volunteer made this project special. Especially to Mark Seemann, who not only wrote the script, but had his hands in all aspects of Core Values Week, thank you sir, we've couldn't of ask of a better culture captain. "

Mike Ross - Oct. 29, 2015

"Thank you for diving in on the sales call on Tuesday - you certainly went above and beyond and the AO team really appreciates it!"

Curtis Smith - Oct. 28, 2015

"I cannot even begin to thank you all enough for the support and feedback you gave me while I was working on the [ClientName] UX roadmap (my first roadmap!). You guys are awesome and I'm grateful to be part of this amazing team!"

Shana West - Oct. 26, 2015

"Thank you so much for working with me on the latest marketing content. You were a tremendous help, and really great to work with. Thank you!"

Danielle Bystrom - Oct. 23, 2015

"The feedback you guys gave during the Consult a UXer lunch sessions was INVALUABLE. I owe you all a ton of credit for having a very happy client!"

Micheal Start - Oct. 2, 2015

"Great work on the presentation to [ClientName]! And extra, extra kudos to Chris for keeping us on task and making it all happen. I'll let you know once I hear anything regarding next steps. Thanks again!"

Kathy Swanson - Aug. 4, 2015

"Megan and Christopher - Thank you both so much for leading this User Research effort today! I'm am always terribly impressed with both of your intelligence and ability to draw out and understand a relevant signal in a sea of noise. Your contributions to the project and client are truly invaluable! On a related note - I also want to thank you for allowing me to take a back seat in these interviews. It's helpful for me to be present, but at the same time -- to be frank -- I just appreciated the time to get some other things done. So thank you both!"

Jared Schmidt - Jun. 9, 2015

"Thanks so much for your help today in turning around an estimate in only about 6 hours. I really appreciate your willingness to crank this one out while still providing a thoughtful analysis of the project goals and tasks."

Chris Shores - Jun. 1, 2015

"Thank you so much for jumping on the last-minute request to review an RFP and help me turn around questions. We were given a very tight timeline but we pulled it off! Your assistance was a huge help and got us off on the right foot for estimation."

Chris Shores - May 11, 2015

"Thanks so much for all your help putting together and presenting for the [Clientname]Bottlecap! I really appreciate it. It was fun to have the team together :) You guys are the best!"

Geri Huibregtse - Feb. 26, 2015

"Thank you for your help in a most excellent estimate review with [Clientname] this morning! "

Sean Latterner - Feb. 5, 2015

"Just had a really heartwarming call with [StakeholderName] at [ClientName]. While we aren't done quite yet, he shared how happy he is with the deployment, listed all of you by name and asked me to share his gratitude with you. Feedback thus far from franchisees and stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive. This project was a challenging one, in so many ways. Together we have more than 5,000 hours into it. It is testament to what dedicated Nerds can accomplish together. I am much obliged, thank you for the support and positivity and would be thrilled to work with any of you again. "

Seth Rompelman - Jan. 23, 2015

"You've both been extraordinarily flexible and helpful as we try to turn this [ClientName]opportunity into a big sale -- both of your inputs on the UX phases of the proposal have been extraordinarily helpful in improving our product, and I think we have a great shot at getting a nice, big chunk of work from this one. Thank you both!"

Joseph Bodell - Jan. 22, 2015

"HUGE shout out to our UX and SIS team to make the dream I'd had for the Team builder to life! This tool will be INCREDIBLY useful for Resourcery and DTL teams as it evolves to help us manage the flow of staffing as our number of projects and developers continues to grow!"

John Krenz - Jan. 22, 2015

"Thanks for jumping in last minute to be a trainer. I really appreciate the help and flexibility especially since I totally forgot about it until 2 days before! You rock."

Emily Schmittler - Jan. 7, 2015

"Many thank yous for your help with the [ClientName] RFP and all of their questions!!!!!"

Kristen Schell - Dec. 12, 2014

"Many thank yous for your help with the [ClientName] RFP and all of their questions!!!!!"

Kristen Schell - Dec. 12, 2014

"Thanks for your continued involvement and commitment through the development process!"

Geri Huibergtse - Feb. 14, 2014

"The whole team has been very helpful to the apprentices, but you have gone out of your way to mentor Claire in a very active way. Thank you so very much!"

Fred Beecher - Jun.19, 2013

"Thanks so much to the [ClientName] team of Andrew G., Christopher S., and Jonathan D. You guys cease to amaze me in every client call, piece of documentation, flow, inventory, spread sheet management, resourcing, support, humor and the list goes on. You guys are awesome! Thanks for all your hard work!"

Geri Hiubregtse - May 31, 2013

"To echo what Sonja said last week, the workshop for this project went extremely smoothly and provided us with really important insight. On top of that, everyone involved in this project so far has been working their butt off and providing incredible progress. Thank you all for your collaboration and kick-assness!"

Amir Krone - Dec. 10, 2015

"Christopher - Really great job leading the client workshop the past few days and keeping everything on track. I think that we made some great progress and that everything is becoming much clearer now. Nice work!"

Sonja Rostad - Dec. 4, 2015

"Thanks to Adam, Mark, Christopher, Josh, Justin, Jon and Eldon for writing our ten most-read blog posts of 2015. Looking forward to having you all contribute again this year. http://blog.nerdery.com/2016/01/top-10-blog-posts-of-2015/"

Emily Rinde - Jan. 6, 2016

"I've been so impressed every time I've popped into the [ClientName] Base Camp and peeked at the updates for what you're designing. You have taken a bit of a pipedream littered with uncertainty and helped create a viable product for our client. Bravo."

Christopher Matthew Jensen - Jan. 29, 2016

"The Device Requisition Process document you've created is very nice! It's such a good example of how thoughtful and organized you always are! It's a pleasure working with you on this & I'm confident that you'll have what you need."

Bob Amaden - Feb. 16, 2016`

"Amy and Christopher!

HUGE thanks to the two of you for allowing me to sit-in on the [ClientName] UX Strategy workshop.

Though I was in and out for other meetings, it was very insightful to see not only the UX process in motion, but seeing the relationship that The Nerdery builds with its clients."

Samuel Nelson - May 5, 2016

"Thank you for all of the wisdom and expertise you've brought to [Client Name]. I didn't know we had a gap until you showed up and showed us how things should be done. It is much appreciated."

Adam DeMarie - Jun. 8, 2016

"Thanks for being such an awesome (and well dressed) team lead. Your guidance throughout my first month here is much appreciated. You've been a great advocate for me and you'll go to any length to find an answer to my question. Thank you!"

Natalie Yee - Jun. 24, 2016

"Congratulations to everyone on the [Client Name] team, both pre-sale and production. Before it became a project, this opportunity went in many different directions, but at the end of a long sales process, we arrived to a solution that fit the needs and budget of the client. We were diligent in finding alternatives without compromising value. At the start line of production, there remained a lot of anxiety within our main client stakeholders. Although the production journey, from our perspective, seemed filled with obstacles, we moved forward with unwavering confidence and worked collaboratively with our clients to get the job done. Some quotes from a recent client call. “The [Nerdery] team really heard what we were saying and was able to execute. You were very solutions oriented and filled in our gaps." In the truest sense we acted as experts and partners. Amy, Vince, Deacon, Thomas, Paul, Christopher—congrats again and an incredible job well done."

RJ Marquez - Sep. 19, 2016

"Thank you ALL for stepping in for me and sharing what you all felt about a certain core value. I am very thankful that each of you took time out of your schedules to get in front of the camera, and most importantly share your soul to the company. Much love to each of you. "

Mike Ross - Oct. 28, 2016

"You guys all killed it on the Nestle presentation yesterday. Great work all around!"

Christopher Matthew Jensen - Dec. 8, 2016

"Claire, Christopher, Mary, Shana, John: All of you have provided essential mentorship and support in many different ways. I appreciate your willingness to support me through different challenges. I still feel like the new kid on this block. Thanks for making me feel welcome. You have already made me a better designer! "

Rich Harrison - Jan. 12, 2017

"Thank you for the many things you do for me, our team, and for The Nerdery as a whole. I appreciate the team collaborating on the new [Client Name] results-based case study. This helps our Sales and Marketing teams share more stories of impact with our future clients. The IA critique for [other Client Name] was also very helpful. The smallest of details will have a great impact on their site performance and business. I also value your help with joining me on internal initiatives like the discussions on SEO, sales, promoting our nerd culture, and creating an improved estimation template so that it’s more effective and efficient to use. I also need to do a better job at communicating how much I value your support and your ongoing contributions to the team. You really are helping make The Nerdery the best place for nerds to work. Thank you! "

Corey Stern - Mar. 10, 2017

"Thanks so much for squeezing me into the lunch hour during your already packed day to help me with an estimation. I really appreciate the insight and things to consider when putting numbers together. "

Sonja Rostad - Mar. 17, 2017

"This is a long overdue shoutout and doesn't do enough to express my appreciation of Christopher's mentorship and support over the past 4 years. From my first days as an Apprentice to today, I've been fortunate to work with him on several projects and through all of these he has been both a dedicated teacher and guide allowing me to make decisions and determine my own path. When my confidence is lacking, he sets me straight. Thank you for all of this, Christopher! "

Claire Bailey - Mar. 28, 2017

"A BIG Shout Out to Matt Holmes and the entire [Client Name] Team for framing up and closing a $500K extension. This is client to watch. This team entered into the relationship under an initial consulting engagement and have proven our value to extend deeper and wider in a big way. Congratulations to you all. Your great work is much appreciated and deserves attention! "

Tony Biel - Jun. 2, 2017

"Super thanks for helping Casey and I produce this unique video project! You all took your time out of this emotional week and I really appreciate that kind of co-presidency."

Mike Ross - Jun. 9, 2017

"Thank you for always going above and beyond your team lead duties to answer all my questions, provide unwavering support, and help me succeed in any way you can. Outside of the support you provide me with, I admire the way you ask the tough questions and make your voice and perspective heard."

Natalie Yee - Jul. 18, 2017

"Thank you for the continued mentorship and support despite being in different offices, verticals, and teams."

Natalie Yee - Oct. 17, 2017

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