Julian Whitaker

Apple commissioned me to conduct an independent Expert Review of FileMaker Pro at a critical transformation milestone. Database software required balancing advanced engineer functionality with expanding prosumer market accessibility. Internal teams sought external perspective on design priorities for the next major release.

Conducted comprehensive heuristic evaluation across Mac and Windows platforms, analyzing adherence to platform-specific interface guidelines. Independently navigated… Show more

Apple commissioned me to conduct an independent Expert Review of FileMaker Pro at a critical transformation milestone. Database software required balancing advanced engineer functionality with expanding prosumer market accessibility. Internal teams sought external perspective on design priorities for the next major release.

Conducted comprehensive heuristic evaluation across Mac and Windows platforms, analyzing adherence to platform-specific interface guidelines. Independently navigated full user journeys from novice to advanced perspectives. Built multiple interlinked database applications to assess real-world usability patterns and identify opportunities enhancing consumer adoption.

Delivered actionable databases containing prioritized recommendations and platform guidelines framework. Executive report established unified north star product vision. Presented findings to executive team and development teams separately, creating organizational alignment around strategic direction.

Subsequent release became FileMaker's most successful with significant ARR growth and exceptional industry reviews. Established ongoing UI quality assessment framework and achieved 10% improvement in team velocity through strategic reset that enabled successful consumer market expansion while preserving professional functionality. Show less

Engaged as strategic product leader to architect comprehensive digital infrastructure transformation for global semiconductor equipment leader Applied Materials.

Led enterprise-wide modernization initiative spanning 40+ products across 8-year engagement, touching every employee from interns to C-suite executives.

Rebuilt core systems including phase-gate controls managing multi-billion dollar R&D investments, executive portfolio dashboards, employee career management platforms… Show more

Engaged as strategic product leader to architect comprehensive digital infrastructure transformation for global semiconductor equipment leader Applied Materials.

Led enterprise-wide modernization initiative spanning 40+ products across 8-year engagement, touching every employee from interns to C-suite executives.

Rebuilt core systems including phase-gate controls managing multi-billion dollar R&D investments, executive portfolio dashboards, employee career management platforms, and vendor supply chain tools.

Pioneered breakthrough AI-driven virtual modeling platform enabling R&D scientists to simulate CPU manufacturing processes without physical prototyping.

Created industry-first vertically integrated build-and-price tool allowing customers to configure complex semiconductor equipment with car-like simplicity, connecting customer interface directly to manufacturing floor.

Navigated matrix organization across multiple reorgs while collaborating with all divisions and external vendors.

Delivered unified digital foundation replacing fragmented Excel-based systems, establishing scalable platform supporting 34,000+ global employees and billions in annual R&D investment decisions. Show less

Created the mobile family security industry using cell tower triangulation before GPS existed. Became AT&T's longest-running service with 100M+ users, proving mobile could deliver mission-critical family safety solutions.

Led comprehensive transformation of Chevron's global lubricants e-commerce strategy, consolidating disparate regional platforms into unified digital commerce experience.

Chevron's lubricants division represents a massive profit center serving industrial customers worldwide, from manufacturing facilities to agricultural operations.

Created standardized global taxonomy and controlled product classification system, replacing geography-specific approaches with unified SKU structure… Show more

Led comprehensive transformation of Chevron's global lubricants e-commerce strategy, consolidating disparate regional platforms into unified digital commerce experience.

Chevron's lubricants division represents a massive profit center serving industrial customers worldwide, from manufacturing facilities to agricultural operations.

Created standardized global taxonomy and controlled product classification system, replacing geography-specific approaches with unified SKU structure enabling consistent customer experience across all markets.

Designed cross-platform purchasing experience spanning mobile, web, and iPad interfaces optimized for industrial B2B workflows.

Delivered 5% sales increase in first year through purchase flow optimization and state-of-the-art best practices implementation.

Achieved operational transformation reducing platform management from hundreds of globally distributed personnel to centralized team of 5, generating millions in cost savings while establishing centralized brand control across worldwide operations.

Architected Magento CMS infrastructure supporting globalization and translation as cornerstone of Chevron's broader technical modernization initiative, positioning platform as scalable foundation for continued growth. Show less

Joined Capsilon as Director of Product Management and Design, working directly with CEO and CPO to define corporate strategy and product direction.

Company had single alpha customer but was struggling to satisfy core user needs.

Led comprehensive mortgage workflow analysis identifying critical bottlenecks in document processing and stakeholder coordination.

Xerox market-leading solution required 20-minute manual classification workflows that we reduced to 90 seconds through… Show more

Joined Capsilon as Director of Product Management and Design, working directly with CEO and CPO to define corporate strategy and product direction.

Company had single alpha customer but was struggling to satisfy core user needs.

Led comprehensive mortgage workflow analysis identifying critical bottlenecks in document processing and stakeholder coordination.

Xerox market-leading solution required 20-minute manual classification workflows that we reduced to 90 seconds through desktop automation.

Designed integrated platform addressing complete mortgage ecosystem from loan officers through underwriters.

Built unified communication system connecting borrowers, processors, and agents while preserving professional workflows during digital transformation.

Established product vision that transformed company from single test customer to processing 15% of all US mortgages. Platform served 100,000+ users processing millions of documents daily, winning Technology Release of the Year recognition.

Strategic product direction drove company evolution from early alpha stage to industry standard, culminating in Ellie Mae acquisition for close to $500M.

Core innovations remain foundational to modern mortgage automation. Show less

Architected comprehensive AI platform transforming high-voltage equipment sales from traditional networking approaches to systematic predictive analytics. Led technical product development integrating machine learning algorithms with multi-domain data sourcing infrastructure.

Built sophisticated RFP analysis engine processing municipal, institutional, and commercial procurement data. Developed predictive models calculating win probabilities based on competitor influence patterns… Show more

Architected comprehensive AI platform transforming high-voltage equipment sales from traditional networking approaches to systematic predictive analytics. Led technical product development integrating machine learning algorithms with multi-domain data sourcing infrastructure.

Built sophisticated RFP analysis engine processing municipal, institutional, and commercial procurement data. Developed predictive models calculating win probabilities based on competitor influence patterns, specification archaeology, and historical project outcomes.

Engineered automated data normalization system standardizing diverse technical requirements into actionable competitive frameworks. Platform enabled strategic resource optimization targeting highest-value opportunities with quantified success metrics.

DELIVERED PRESIDENT'S CUP-WINNING PLATFORM shifting entire division from manual qualification to intelligent opportunity prioritization. AI-driven analytics dramatically improved sales effectiveness while maximizing revenue per resource investment. Show less

Led product design and definition for Core Metrics' next major platform update, introducing new features that would set them apart from competitors. Focused on transforming how campaign creators build customer targeting and email sequences.

Designed visual campaign creation system that replaced complex text-based logic with simple diagrams. Created intuitive tools where users could build sophisticated customer segments through drag-and-drop interactions instead of writing complicated… Show more

Led product design and definition for Core Metrics' next major platform update, introducing new features that would set them apart from competitors. Focused on transforming how campaign creators build customer targeting and email sequences.

Designed visual campaign creation system that replaced complex text-based logic with simple diagrams. Created intuitive tools where users could build sophisticated customer segments through drag-and-drop interactions instead of writing complicated code.

Built two key features: interactive visual diagrams for customer targeting and sequence builders for multi-step email campaigns. Campaign creators could now create advanced automation flows without technical training or constant support tickets.

Customer support requests dropped 13% due to improved ease of use. Strong market response positioned Core Metrics above competitors, leading to acquisition by IBM Watson. Show less

Brought in as Vultr's first Head of Product to define product strategy for an established cloud service provider competing alongside AWS.

Led comprehensive strategic transformation from grassroots developer platform to enterprise-capable infrastructure provider.

Spearheaded AI/GPU infrastructure strategy as primary strategic initiative, positioning Vultr for next-generation enterprise workloads and emerging AI market requirements.

Developed comprehensive AI infrastructure… Show more

Brought in as Vultr's first Head of Product to define product strategy for an established cloud service provider competing alongside AWS.

Led comprehensive strategic transformation from grassroots developer platform to enterprise-capable infrastructure provider.

Spearheaded AI/GPU infrastructure strategy as primary strategic initiative, positioning Vultr for next-generation enterprise workloads and emerging AI market requirements.

Developed comprehensive AI infrastructure capabilities including GPU orchestration, machine learning workflow optimization, and enterprise AI deployment frameworks.

Analyzed customer base revealing opportunity to move upmarket from small developer accounts to enterprise customers.

Built enterprise transition roadmap including automated infrastructure management and enterprise support structures to complement AI/GPU capabilities.

Within two years doubled company revenue with 8 of top 10 accounts being net-new enterprise customers.

Delivered critical contributions to game-changing new partnerships and integrations representing company's largest strategic alliances.

Structured comprehensive partnership frameworks covering technical systems, business operations, and revenue models through direct executive engagement. Show less

StrongArm provides workplace injury prevention solutions combining ergonomic sensors with AI-powered analytics and microlearning to keep industrial workers safe.

Walmart served as anchor customer but faced 68% worker non-compliance threatening the entire business model.

Brought in to retool product definition and strategy.

Field research revealed fundamental mismatch: product was designed around headquarters decision-makers rather than frontline managers who needed… Show more

StrongArm provides workplace injury prevention solutions combining ergonomic sensors with AI-powered analytics and microlearning to keep industrial workers safe.

Walmart served as anchor customer but faced 68% worker non-compliance threatening the entire business model.

Brought in to retool product definition and strategy.

Field research revealed fundamental mismatch: product was designed around headquarters decision-makers rather than frontline managers who needed practical tools for daily safety management.

Redesigned product strategy around accessible interfaces enabling shift managers to support their teams.

Built intuitive dashboards with gamification elements and real-time performance tracking.

Created tools for immediate safety interventions and peer comparison visibility.

Walmart compliance transformed from 68% non-compliance to 93% adoption.

Results validated scalable enterprise approach, enabled company's $50 million Series B funding and expansion beyond single-customer dependency. Show less