Rusty Kocian — Design & Strategy Director

Reinventing business thru strategy & design

I'm a Design & Strategy Director with a diverse background in top-tier agencies spearheading comprehensive customer experiences for world-class brands. My expertise enables these companies to launch innovative products, penetrate new markets, and drive business evolution.
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Expertise

Agency-honed design leader

With nearly 20 years supporting over 40 clients across 8 agencies, I thrive in ambiguous problem spaces and excel at identifying novel opportunities to drive innovative business & design solutions.

I help businesses...

  • Launch new products & enhancements

  • Discover new markets & opportunities

  • Identify & engage key audience segments

  • Differentiate competitive offerings

  • Innovate with technology & processes

  • Respond to market changes

across these industries...

  • Media & content publishing

  • Enterprise apps & B2B services

  • Consumer products & services

  • Workplace tools & IT consulting

  • Industrial manufacturing & construction

  • Social good & non-profit

by designing & leading...

  • Platform & system design

  • Marketplace design & management

  • Service & organizational design

  • Market planning & sales enablement

  • Product design & interactive media

  • Learning & community development

Case Studies

Cross-sector design innovation

A curated collection of success stories spanning industries, business problems, and design deliverables.
Building the future of construction management
Designing a dream factory
Growing the premier workplace platform
Attracting younger listeners
Envisioning a smarter MSP
Crafting a toolkit for GPU optimization
Simplifying work device management
Connecting the travel ribbon
See All Projects
Skills & Services

Designing from idea to impact

My work spans the end-to-end design process, from product vision to business value.

Research

  • Competitive Analysis

  • Market Landscape

  • Experience Audit

  • Primary User Research

  • Quant Analysis & Analytics

  • Archetypes & Personas

Stategy

  • Product Vision & Roadmap

  • Business Model Design

  • Journey Mapping

  • Opportunity Mapping

  • Ecosystem Mapping

  • Customer Segmentation

Design

  • Concept Design

  • User Flows

  • Information Architecture

  • Component Design

  • Prototyping

  • Content Strategy

Production

  • Detailed Design Behaviors

  • Documentation & Support

  • Product Management

  • Foundational Design & DLS

  • Validation & Usability

  • Release Management

Go-to-Market

  • Marketing & Messaging

  • Sales & Service Playbooks

  • Pricing & Promotion

  • Partnerships & Collabs

  • Learning & Community

  • Onboarding & Engagement

About Me

Driving truly remarkable brand experiences

With a background in marketing, design, and technology, I deliver business-savvy and consumer-friendly experience strategies to steer industry-leading brands though product development and business transformation.

Entrepreneur

I love working with startups and small businesses, having co-founded two creative ventures and joined two other early stage companies. I advise entrepreneurs and SMBs on product design and go-to-market strategies.

Thought Leader

Beyond client projects, I frequently speak and write on business and design topics featured in major online publications and at industry events. I also facilitate community workshops on innovation and emerging tech.

Creator

I'm passionate about transmedia art and maker culture, crafting interactive exhibits & promotional materials for events & conferences. I also design story-driven games, art-forward fashion, and creator tools.

Community Advocate

As a design leader, I hire and mentor young practitioners, review portfolios & resumes, and develop educational resources to nurture emerging talent and inspire novel approaches to the discipline.
Articles

Futurecasting on the front line

A collection of insights and strategies for building a remarkable, differentiated brand.

Building the Next Big Thing

Break free from the cycle of incremental improvements and discover your next leap forward with six strategies to beat the sophomore slump.
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In Us We Trust

Bringing politics up to speed with current tech landscapes may sound like science fiction, but the pieces are there to realize a new form of governance.
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Personalization's Identity Crisis

Users deserve more for their data — designing personalized experiences that go far beyond greetings and recommended carousels.
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Let’s Talk

Build a better future for your brand

Whether you're a business seeking seasoned talent, a creator or entrepreneur eager for collaboration, or a community in need of fresh perspectives, I'm ready to help.

Pitch me your next big idea.
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