"Hello! I'm Andy Pressman, a product and brand designer and director.
Halftone photograph of a figure waving. Superimposed on the face is a folder icon with a crude smiley face. The speech bubble reads "I currently work in the brand studio at Figma"

I've spent the past twenty years working as a hands-on designer and leader in creative direction, user experience, and product strategy. During that time I've launched businesses, grown global brands, and developed strategic initiatives to help companies adapt to changing landscapes.

My work has won international recognition for its ability to translate complex ideas into compelling experiences. Above all else, I'm driven by design that is memorable, useful, and meaningful.

"For over a decade I ran the design studio Rumors, producing innovative products for forward-thinking companies such as…"

Unity Technologies had a problem. Their industry-leading game development software had widespread brand recognition, but lacked an entry point for casual creators. I led the creative team tasked with conceptualizing and prototyping a solution, leading to a radical (and radically accessible!) product concept that was equal parts game play and game creation.

Product strategy, UX, UI
Three screenshots of work for Unity Technologies, showing the evolution of a product concept

Ace Hotel's new boutique Sister City location was an experiment in simplicity. To meet the hotel's elevated ambitions, all guest interactions were handled by an interface that flexibly adapted to everything from booking through stay and check-out. I led the product team on this ground-up rethinking of hospitality experience design.

User research, product strategy, content strategy, UX, UI
Screenshots of an interface allowing guests to book a room at and later interact with a hotel

Hopscotch is an iOS app that teaches kids how to code by making their own games. I led product design from zero to one and branded the company, then worked closely with founders to provide hands-on creative direction as the startup's ongoing Design Advisor.

Creative direction, branding, UX, UI
A screenshot of the Hopscotch app, and a Apple App Store 'App of the Day' badge
"I've also worked as a creative director, leading organizations to become digital-first brands."

SCI-Arc, the renowned school of architecture, had a new administration intent on establishing global brand awareness. I directed a multi-year, omnichannel campaign that included a new identity, digital expressions, and idiosyncratic product launches aimed at international markets.

Creative direction, branding, UX, UI, motion graphics
A screenshot from a video for SCI-Arc Channel; an exxterior shot of the SCI-Arc campus; a screenshot of SCI-Arc's mobile website

Verso has been publishing enormously influential books since 1968. As Verso's first design director, I guided their transformation from cloistered British publisher into international brand. This included oversight of all cover design, implementation of new production processes, and direction of dozens of commissioned designers and artists.

Creative direction, brand strategy
An image showing a number of Verso book covers

As design director, and later as ongoing consultant, I've overseen Verso's product strategy and digital presence, resulting in a growth in direct sales from virtually nothing to millions of pounds per year. Verso continues to innovate — Full Text, a research tool allowing access to the entire catalog, is currently in closed beta with university students and faculty.

Product strategy, UX, UI
Screenshots of an interface allowing guests to book a room at and later interact with a hotel

Dia Art Foundation is the legendary curatorial organization behind Dia:Beacon, the Spiral Jetty, the Lightning Field, and other sites receiving millions of visitors per year. Dia had a remarkable reputation, but was seen as outdated and stodgy. I led teams of researchers and brand strategists in a digital-first strategic repositioning.

User research, creative direction, brand strategy
Photographs of (from left): Walter De Maria, The Lightning Field (1977); Dia: Beacon exterior shot; Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty (1970)
"And sometimes I lead agency teams on products, branding, and user experience for companies such as: Intel, Nike, Google, Microsoft, NASA, Clif"
"I also write and give talks on topics like:"

Behavior as the defining trait of interactive design.

"A Brief Introduction to Meaning and Design for Interactive Brands," first delivered at RISD, 2022. On the unique nature of interactive design, and its capacity for storytelling and meaning-making.

A slide reading "For digital-first brands, behavior = meaning"A slide with a blue triangle. The three points are labeled 'Behavior', 'Surface', and 'System;

What a truly decentralized web could look like.

"Reenvisioning the Internet," based on an article for are.na and Walker Art Center, 2019. On the opportunities and pitfalls of decentralized web protocols. Co-written with Danielle Robinson, PhD.

A slide showing a user closing their laptop. It reads 'closed your laptop? bye bye website'A slide with a colorful picture of an amoeba. It reads 'Darius Kazemi calls these networks "squishy amoeba-like objects"'

When to make things hard.

"What Do We Lose When it's Easy to Use?" first presented at Design Week Portland's Main Stage, 2016. An argument in favor of intelligent friction. Outlines criteria for measuring user-centric experience design, and introduces “frustration threshhold” as a practical tool for interactive designers.

A slide reading 'frustration threshold depends on urgency and scale'A simple line graph mapping out frustration as it hits the point of unpleasant friction
"Looking for more?

An abbreviated resume can be found on linkedin, but my full portfolio and CV are available upon request at andy.pressman@gmail.com

Thanks!

Halftone photograph of a figure waving. Superimposed on the face is a folder icon with a crude smiley face.