Phillip Gockel is a product designer and leader who enjoys untangling complex systems with other designers.
Product Designer & Leader based in Richmond, VA.
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Case studies
2024-2026. I led design for Mural's integrations platform, a reusable foundation that cut integration launch time from 2-4 months to 3-5 days.
Improving Integrations Discoverability & Onboarding (coming soon)
2025. I redesigned how people find and connect Mural's integrations, from contextual prompting to a unified integrations hub.
Much of my career has been spent on products that grow more complex as they become more capable. I like to focus on the points where tools, data, and workflows meet, and on making those connections intuitive to the people using them.
I like to stay hands-on throughout the process, working closely with product and engineering along the way. Interactive prototyping has always been one of the main ways I think through a problem, and more recently that's expanded into AI-assisted prototyping and building small tools that make ideas easier to see, test, and improve.
Experience
Mural (Remote)
Principal Product Designer, 2022 - 2026
- Led design of a flexible integrations platform that syncs external data into Mural, enabling teams to connect Jira, Salesforce, Asana, and other systems to the canvas while reducing manual updates across workflows
- Improved canvas navigation and complex widget interactions in collaboration with the core product team
- Championed systems-level design consistency through vision work, critiques, and mentorship across the organization
- Key contributor to Mural's redesign, ensuring a cohesive experience across platforms and use cases
Smartsheet (Bellevue, WA / Remote)
Product Design Manager, 2019 - 2022
- Built and led a team of six designers focused on Smartsheet's core experience
- Provided regular coaching, career development, and design feedback
- Established team processes that improved delivery predictability, design quality, and long-term team retention
- Collaborated cross-functionally to drive product vision
Senior UX Designer, 2016 - 2019
- Led a year-long redesign of Smartsheet's core information architecture to support long-term scalability
- Promoted a culture of collaborative critique and feedback
- Created a design pattern library to streamline and unify team output
3Pillar Global (Fairfax, VA)
Senior UX Designer, 2014 - 2016
- Designed web and mobile apps for clients including National Geographic, Time Warner Cable, and EverFi
- Served as the primary client contact for design-related needs
UX Designer, 2012 - 2014
- Built responsive sites and mobile apps for clients including GEICO, Northrop Grumman, and the Society for Science & the Public
- Worked directly with clients to address design needs and product concerns
Greenfield/Belser Ltd (Washington, DC)
Junior Designer, 2010 - 2012
- Designed and produced branding, advertising concepts, and websites for B2B and nonprofit clients
- Improved usability and consistency across web design concepts
Design Intern, 2010
- Assisted design and production teams from concept through final digital and print materials
Education
BFA Graphic Design, James Madison University
Skills
Product design, Design coaching, Design strategy, Systems thinking, Interaction design, AI-assisted prototyping, Visual design, Motion design