About Me

I’m Brian, a product designer living in Chicago. I’m happiest when I’m learning about the system I’m designing, and then using my understanding to build things that help people.

I value:

• Curiosity: I like working with people who have a natural inclination to find answers, not because of “the business” but because they’re curious.
• Empathy: I struggle with empathy every day, but it’s worth practicing because it gives me the right perspective on design and life.
• Problem solvers: I like working with people who respect that the problem is large and enjoy the pain and excitement of working through it step-by-step.
• History: The story of humanity is abundant and I love reading because it reminds me that we aren’t special, and most of the problems we face today aren’t unique.

I believe:

• Tools are a means to an end. Don’t pick a tool just because — figure out what you need to do and choose a tool that will help you do it.
• There aren’t a lot of new problems, just new contexts and environments.
• You can’t design a piece of the system without first trying to understand the system as a whole.

If you’re interested in talking about my work, send a short note to saundersbd@gmail.com. I’m always looking to meet new people and chat about interesting opportunities.