M. Barton Renner

m.barton.renner@gmail.com | (678) 896-6533 | @palindromebart

Work

Syniverse, Austin, TX (Remote)
UX Manager

  • Develop and nurture and the Product Design, UX Research, and Workshopping practice at Syniverse

  • Manage the career growth of designers with regular 1:1s and semi-annual performance review cycle. 0% attrition.

  • Direct multiple teams in end-to-end product design, design strategy, concept design, design systems, brand design, and communication design

  • Manage capacity for internal and external design teams

  • Manage vendor relationships

  • Mentor and coach designers

  • Write role and job descriptions to be inclusive and map to career pathing

  • Hire and grow the design team

2023-Present

Funsize Inc., Austin, TX
Design Director

  • Generate $1M+ revenue with a 100% renewal rate. Clients include Affirm, Capital One, Dell, and Google

  • Direct multiple teams in end-to-end product design, design strategy, concept design, design systems, brand design, and communication design

  • Solutions have been integrated into the core offerings of operating systems, applications, and brand identities with millions of daily users.

  • Manage the career growth of 5+ design managers and ICs with regular 1:1s and semi-annual performance review cycle. Successfully advocated for multiple promotions and raises. 0% attrition.

  • Mentor and coach both ICs (L1-L5) and design managers (L4)

  • Lead growth in UX and Strategy discipline areas adding 28 methods docs

  • Co-design new career pathing and the launch of a people management program

  • Write role and job descriptions to be inclusive and map to career pathing

  • Hire and grow the design team

2020-2023
 

 

2014-2020
 

Rackspace Inc.,San Francisco, CA & Austin, TX
Design Lead, Helix Design System; Cofounder, RackLabs Innovation Program

  • Lead 5 to 15 person teams in end-to-end product design

  • Lead design for the Helix Design System from inception to adoption

    • 47 components and 7 system-wide guidelines with 98% WCAG 2.1 compliance

    • Full system documentation (design and engineering)

    • 90% adoption by customer-facing platforms

  • Develop and launch operational efficiencies for cross-functional collaboration

  • Mentor and coach UX designers

  • Define cross-product strategy, roadmap, and requirements with PM and Engineering leadership

  • Facilitate workshops with cross-functional teams

  • Lead generative and evaluative research efforts

  • Produce UX design concepts, documentation, and deliverables

  • Cofound and launch the RackLabs Innovation Program

 

2013

PatientFocus, Nashville, TN
UX Designer (Contract)

  • Design 12 revenue cycle management web apps, Patient Portal, and call center manager dashboard in an agile scrum environment

  • Collaborate with CTO to define experience and functional requirements

  • Manage and direct a 5-person design team for corporate website redesign

 

2012-2014

Golden Spiral Creative, Nashville, TN
UX Architect

  • Lead a design and development team in end-to-end web design

  • Manage client relationships with companies in healthcare, music, tourism, entertainment, and Augmented Reality

  • Write and deliver proposals, contracts, and timelines

 

Harpeth Hall School, Nashville, TN
English Teacher, Digitalis Faculty Advisor

2009-2012
 

  • Develop and teach English Language Arts curriculum (World & American Literature, Narrative Theory, Native American Literature, Dystopian Film)

  • Found and advise Digitalis, an award-winning digital art and culture magazine

Education

2006-2008

 

Yale University Divinity School, New Haven, CT

MAR Religion & Literature (Theology, Art & Culture)

2002-2006

 

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

BA Poetry Writing, Religious Studies

Professional Development

2019

Emerging Leaders Program, San Antonio, TX

6 month leadership development program for team managers. 20% time allocation.

Program included

  • Three week-long intensives that included courses on leadership styles, management frameworks, crucial conversations, etc.

  • A project wherein I interviewed 30 Rackers from across the business to understand the many aspects of what makes an enterprise corporation successful and to build professional relationships at Rackspace.

  • A volunteering project with a small group (spread across the Americas) to address homelessness issues in San Antonio and within our home communities.

2014-2017

Rackspace University, San Antonio, TX

Courses:  Innovation Management, Using Desired Outcomes Framework, Critical Thinking, Influencer, Introduction to Strengths, Rackers to Rockstars Leadership Training

2016

Enterprise UX, San Antonio, TX

Workshop: Service Design for the Enterprise with Andy Polaine

2015

Adaptive Path , San Francisco, CA

Workshop: Laban Movement for Design With Scott Sullivan

2015

IxDA, San Francisco, CA

Workshop: Service Blueprinting with Cooper U

Memberships

Board Memberships

Corporate Engagement Council Steering Committee and Board Member
CEC Summit Committee - 2018-current
The CEC is a corporate social responsibility partnership between local businesses and the Austin Mayor’s Office.
UXPA Director of Events & Programing - 2018-2021
IxDA Awards Committee - 2021
Rack Gives Back Board representative for Rackspace Austin office - 2017-2020

General Memberships

AIGA, IxDA, The Fold, EnterpriseUX Community, DesignOps Community, Fresh2Design

Technology + Tools

Figma, Figjam, Miro, GoogleDocs, Notion, Jira, Github, post-its, paper, cardboard, scissor, pen, marker, whiteboard, whatever is around and can help communicate/document a design idea. 
Familiarity with HTML5 and CSS3, WCAG 2.1

Travel

Europe: Austria, England, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
Balkans: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia
Americas: Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Pine Ridge Reservation SD