Hey There, My Name is Thomas Hajny
I am a UI/UX Designer dedicated to distilling complex problems into clear, accessible user experiences. I specialize in building atomic design systems for global products, bridging the gap between technical constraints and human-centered design through close collaboration with engineering and business teams.
My Work
Orature
Orature launched with strong technical capability and limited adoption. This case study is an honest examination of why — the assumptions that didn't hold, the platform decisions that created barriers, and what the product could have been. It includes a full strategic redesign proposal addressing the gaps identified through field research and post-launch observation.
BTT Design System
A cross-product design system built from scratch across five applications, initiated and led by me as the sole designer. The goal wasn't just visual consistency — it was raising the floor on design quality across the entire ecosystem so developers could make stronger UI decisions independently, without constant design involvement. This case study covers the architecture, the tradeoffs, and what working without formal governance actually looks like in practice.
Spotlight
Spotlight was the first mobile product we shipped in direct response to field research — a deliberate departure from our desktop-first history driven by a clear signal that hardware anxiety was limiting adoption. This case study covers the research that made the case, the design decisions that followed, and what it looked like to validate a platform hypothesis in the field.
Dovetail (in progress…)
Dovetail is an early-stage product shaped entirely by research before a single production screen was finalized. Comparative usability testing revealed a form-based text editor reduced task completion time by 50% over a WYSIWYG approach — one of several research-driven decisions that have fundamentally changed the product's direction. This case study documents the process, the findings, and what it looks like when design leads from the start.
About Me
I’m Thomas Hajny, a UI/UX Designer with 10 years of experience designing products for global, low-resource environments. Much of my career has been spent at Wycliffe Associates, where I’ve led design for field-deployed tools used by thousands of translators worldwide.
My approach is rooted in collaborative ownership. At WA, I shifted the internal culture by bringing developers and managers directly into the design process—moving away from "handoffs" and toward co-creation. By constantly advocating for core design principles and proving the tangible efficiency of our atomic design system, I helped our teams see design not just as a final coat of paint, but as a shared strategic tool.
Whether I’m conducting field research in diverse cultural contexts or mentoring junior designers, I prioritize clarity and accessibility. I thrive in constraint-driven environments where limited hardware and connectivity demand pragmatic, high-impact solutions.
Core Skills: Product discovery • UX research • Interaction design • Mobile & accessible design • MVP validation • Design systems • Cross-functional collaboration • Rapid prototyping • Agile / Scrum