# Phillip Gockel

> Phillip Gockel is a product designer and leader who enjoys untangling complex systems with other designers. Product Designer & Leader, most recently Principal Product Designer at Mural. Based in Richmond, VA.

## Links

- [Work](https://phillipgockel.com/): case studies
- [About](https://phillipgockel.com/about): background and experience
- [Resume (PDF)](https://phillipgockel.com/gockel_resume.pdf)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipgockel)

## About

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.

## Case studies

The full case studies are password protected. Ask Phillip for access.

- [Building a Scalable Integrations Platform](https://phillipgockel.com/case-study/platform) (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 (2025, coming soon): I redesigned how people find and connect Mural's integrations, from contextual prompting to a unified integrations hub.

## 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

## Tools

Figma, Claude, OpenAI Codex, Google Antigravity, Principle, Adobe CC, Mural, Miro, Smartsheet