Peter Bartsch — Staff Product Designer — design systems

30 years on the web. 15 in enterprise. Same operator.

PETER BARTSCH

Staff Product Designer — design systems · AI-native workflow

Few designers ship $3.8B enterprise platforms and run an AI-native workflow producing a dev-grade design system with its own published Claude Skill. I do both.

// OPEN TO: Staff/Principal IC roles · UX leadership at AI-native shops · Founding-team consulting

Email me → See the Work

Scale500K users · $3.8B revenue · 40+ teams

LevelStaff / Principal IC · Founder

DomainsEnterprise SaaS · IoT / Supply Chain · AI-native design systems

RangeIC + Leadership (built teams 1→10)

// WHAT I DO

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I lead design for the problems that stall enterprises — forced adoption, platform fragmentation, trust in uncertain data. At Deere, I unlocked $3.8B across 500K users on web, mobile, and embedded equipment systems. At FourKites, I built the design org from 1 to 10 scaling a real-time IoT asset-tracking platform ($3M→$100M ARR, $1B+ valuation). Now I'm founder of Thios — running an AI-native workflow (Claude, Cursor, Figma Make) to ship a CAD-driven 3D configurator, a dev-grade design system with its own published Claude Skill, and physical hardware. I own systems thinking, journey mapping, state coverage, and edge cases; agents implement.

Enterprise Design Systems Design Org Leadership (1→10) Forced Adoption & Retention 0→1 in Complex Domains AI-Native Workflow

FLAGSHIP · FOUNDER · 5-SURFACE SYSTEM

THIOS: ONE SOURCE OF TRUTH, FIVE SURFACES

Challenge: 6 sub-brands across 4 production sites plus an OnShape CAD source. Drift is the default, not a possibility.

Approach: Five canonical surfaces (DESIGN.md ↔ tokens.json ↔ main.css ↔ design-system.html ↔ OnShape) kept aligned by agent-driven audits.

Result: 5 surfaces in sync · 212 design tokens · 7 drift findings caught in May audit · 1 designer

VIEW CASE STUDY →

Thios open-hardware flywheel — 3D configurator with module picker and Get Local Quotes handoff

FOUNDER · OPEN HARDWARE · FLYWHEEL

THIOS: THE CAD IS THE PRODUCT

Challenge: Traditional manufacturing scales by building factories. A solo founder cannot.

Approach: One OnShape file drives BoM + the configurator's 3D. CERN-OHL-S license + builder tools route demand to local makers; their builds + share-alike modifications flow back into the CAD.

Result: Configurator + license + First Builders program live · 6 sphere variants · 0 factories built

VIEW CASE STUDY →

ENTERPRISE · FORCED ADOPTION

DEERE: 34%→87% ADOPTION AT SCALE

Challenge: 500K users were actively avoiding profile completion — every empty field blocked $3.8B in AI and automation revenue.

Approach: Led design of a multi-channel forced adoption flow across 8 product lines without destroying trust

Result: 34%→87% profile completion in 6 months · $3.8B revenue unlocked

VIEW CASE STUDY →

PLATFORM UNIFICATION

DEERE: ONE NAV ACROSS 47 PROPERTIES

Challenge: 47 acquired digital properties, each with its own navigation, dev team, and political owner. Customers had to relearn the journey every time they crossed a property line.

Approach: Designed a common navigation for every digital touchpoint and rolled it across all 47 properties with zero downtime.

Result: One nav, 47 properties · 0 downtime · 40+ teams aligned · 45% faster dev handoffs

VIEW CASE STUDY →

DATA TRUST

FOURKITES: DESIGNING FOR UNCERTAINTY

Challenge: Enterprise customers were making million-dollar decisions on dashboards they didn't trust — because we hid uncertainty instead of explaining it.

Approach: Led redesign introducing confidence levels that showed uncertainty instead of hiding it

Result: 41% retention increase · 3x customer expansion · $1B+ valuation

VIEW CASE STUDY →

INCENTIVE DESIGN

FOURKITES: REALIGNING INCENTIVES

Challenge: Drivers saw location sharing as surveillance. The platform needed their data to survive. Both sides were right.

Approach: Led design of a rewards system that made data sharing beneficial for both sides

Result: 32% more tracked shipments · Driver NPS +28

VIEW CASE STUDY →

From $3M startups to $38B enterprises

Technical Depth

STRATEGY TO CODE — THREE.JS, REACT, AR

Built a real-time 3D product configurator with AR preview as a side project. Staff designers who can prototype in code close the gap between vision and shipping.

Try the Configurator

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2020-2024	Senior Lead UX; Digital Customer Experience	John Deere
	Problem: 500K+ users weren't completing profiles — blocking $3.8B in subscription revenue Result: 34%→87% completion; unified nav across 8 product lines; design system adopted by 40+ teams Approach: Led multi-channel forced adoption; core contributor to enterprise design system adopted by 40+ teams; 45% faster handoffs View Case Study →
2017-2020	Lead UX / Manager	FourKites
	Problem: Customers didn't trust dashboards built on incomplete data Result: $3M→$100M ARR; 41% retention increase; 3x expansion; company reached $1B+ valuation Approach: Led UX redesign showing confidence levels openly; built predictive ETAs ahead of competitors; grew team 1→10 View Case Study →
2014-2017	Senior UX + Agile Lead	MavenWave Partners
2012-2014	Product Marketing Manager	Nokia (HERE Maps)
2024-Pres	Designer & Founder	Thios + Co
	Problem: Between-roles project: shipped a full product ecosystem solo with AI Result: Brand + 3 websites + 6 sphere variants + revenue in 21 months Approach: AI as technical force multiplier; side project proving technical range View Case Study →

LET'S TALK

Chicago-based. Open to remote or relocation. I reply within 1 business day.

Prefer email? peter@peterbartsch.com