Resume — Michael Asaro

Skills

Research: User interviews, usability testing, personas, journey mapping, service blueprints, CX strategy
Design: UX/UI design, design systems, prototyping, information architecture
Implementation: HTML, CSS/SCSS, JSON, USWDS, design tokens, design-in-code
Process: Accessibility (WCAG 2.2), Agile, AI-augmented workflows
Tools: Figma, VS Code, Storybook, Confluence, GitHub, Lucid, Jira

Nov 2024 – Jan 2026 • Remote

Led the modernization of the USDA component-based design system to improve accessibility, usability, and maintainability
- View the case study here: alamode.io/civic-design-system.html
Built a 100+ page documentation site in HTML, CSS/SCSS, and JS with interactive code examples; open sourced on GitHub
- View the GitHub repository here: github.com/michaelasaro/civic-guide
Restructured the 8-section federal design system guidance site to be more user-friendly
- View the style guide here: michaelasaro.github.io/civic-guide/site/pages/2-style-guide/style-guide.html
Consolidated design tokens into single commented reference for faster team onboarding
- View the design token code here: github.com/michaelasaro/civic-guide/tree/main/src/styles
Wrote the USDA 508 WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines; published it in the Design System and on Confluence
- View here: michaelasaro.github.io/civic-guide/site/pages/4-guidelines/2-design-accessibility/wcag-accessibility.html
Designed a conversational UI for internal GenAI in Figma: onboarding, help, feedback, citations, errors
- View the case study here: alamode.io/claribel-chatbot.html
Re-established and co-led a UX working group across four USDA divisions to share best practices and resources

Apr 2022 – Apr 2024 • Washington, DC

Contributed to journey maps covering 12 service stages, 74 pain points, 11 systems
Co-developed CX framework: personas/typologies, service models, scorecards, roadmaps
Conducted 40+ stakeholder interviews with scientists, administrators, and leadership at NSF
Synthesized qualitative data through affinity mapping and tagged research coding
Delivered polished research deliverables for division leadership

Jan 2019 – Mar 2022 • Windsor Mill, MD

Designed full-fidelity prototypes for the multi-step, data-dependent SSA online retirement application
Translated field research into UI improvements within SSA's design system
Conducted 80+ user interviews across 5 U.S. cities for discovery and usability testing
Supported multiple Agile teams from concept through implementation

General Assembly, 2018

Virginia Tech, 2008

Public Trust