Shawn Kelshaw
UX Alchemist & Product Picasso
I come into the user experience discipline from the design side, but I also dabble in front-end coding and familiar with object oriented programming concepts. I graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Traditional Illustration and transitioned into computer-aided design (graphic and Web) during the early days of the dotcom era. I moved around quite a bit after college seeking adventure and knowledge which led to big mountain snowboarding in Colorado and surfing in Florida. It also exposed me to different design cultures and approaches. I’ve retired my passion for extreme sports and taken on a new passion — playing bad golf.
I’m drawn to complex problems and perceive Product Design as akin to solving a dynamic puzzle, where the pieces are in a constant state of flux. I am well-versed in methodologies such as Waterfall, Agile/Scrum, and the increasingly popular Design Thinking frameworks. Personally, I see all of these varying design and engineering methodologies and mindsets as nothing more than the scientific method in disguise. While I’m prepared to take on any independent contributor (IC) engagements, I tend to thrive in team environments where I can take on a design strategy and/or leadership role while also mentoring and collaborating with fellow designers, engineers, researchers and stakeholders.
“Arif has taken your design recommendations and leveraged them to create an amazing solution for our business partners and they are all overjoyed. We understand that it is a draft and you will be doing some testing, but it has been a great springboard for us and wanted to let you know how much we appreciate you saving the day!”

Melinda B. — B2B Product Owner, AT&T

“I am pleased to offer my wholehearted endorsement for Shawn. He is a highly proficient and dedicated UX Architect who consistently exhibits exceptional expertise in his field.

During our collaborative tenure at Fleet Cost & Care, Shawn played a pivotal role in enhancing our product’s usability and overall user satisfaction. His discerning ability to comprehend user requirements and translate them into intuitive, visually appealing design solutions was truly commendable.

Shawn’s approach to UX design is characterized by scrupulous attention to detail, innovative problem-solving, and a profound understanding of user behavior. His capacity to envision solutions beyond existing paradigms provided us with the opportunity to significantly redefine our approach to user experience.

Shawn also exhibited a commendable dedication to identifying and rectifying suboptimal coding practices that, if left unchecked, could have posed significant challenges in the future. Thanks to his vigilance, potential issues were identified and addressed promptly, preventing potential setbacks that could have materialized months down the road.

Shawn’s contributions to our projects were invaluable, and his professionalism, knowledge, and proactive approach make him an exceptional asset to any team or organization. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Shawn, as I am confident that he will continue to excel in his UX Architect role and positively impact any project he undertakes.”


David Thornton — SME, Technical Team Lead, Fleet Cost & Care
“I had the pleasure of working with Shawn in a research role to complement Shawn’s design expertise. I was consistently impressed with his attention to detail in the design work he did. And on top of that, he had a true heart for the customer, and always approached his designs from the customer perspective, while keeping business goals and constraints in mind. He was very involved and interested in customer research on his designs, and eagerly took customer feedback and expertly translated it into the next iteration. His knowledge of design principles is deep, and it shows in his work.”

Sharon Meaney — AVP, Lead Product Manger (User Research), Wells Fargo
“Shawn has been my UX Design/Product Owner mentor since September 2022. He has been very generous with his time and very valuable with his wisdom.

He is extremely knowledgeable, not only of skills and mindsets, but also the history of technology and how it got to where it is today. He understands not only how things work, but why they work and who made them work first.

I highly recommend Shawn to any company who wants to enhance their products’ performance. He is precise and thorough while creating phenomenal user-centric designs. He is methodical yet efficient in his process and has a deep understanding of what it takes to design winning products.

I have the pleasure of spending time learning from and being around Shawn, he is a great person and has become a great friend of mine. So, I also recommend Shawn to any young person wanting to be mentored. Shawn only requires that you’re dedicated, do the homework and have an open mind to learning new things.”

Zach Bond — Mentee & Burgeoning Product Designer, Trash-To-Cash
“I hope you know you are challenging me. Every single time we make the task more complex and difficult to understand you break it down to its component parts and astound me with the result. You managed to incorporate Charlie’s flow chart into the whole crossover tool in a most elegant way. You don’t get brain-locked on one solution until it’s the best solution. This is indeed a challenge, but I’m up for it. I WILL find a mountain you can’t move!! Most excellent work.”

Benn Orr — Director of Marketing, Eaton
“Shawn’s feedback about his in-store visit and online user experience analysis of the TalktoWendys.com Web portal led to a deep review and subsequent updates to our online experience. We took some of his bullet points and put them into practice to ensure a better online experience for all of our customers. His efforts were a major contribution to up-holding our commitment to providing quality and service and we appreciate the Web and User Experience analysis his expertise provided.”

Mark M. — District Manager, Wendy’s
“[…] Shawn has been amazing on this project. He can design. He has a strong technical background. And he knows how to manage us. He’s good at providing his perspective and pushing back. The project is coming along well, and it wouldn’t be here without him. I can’t wait to see the site live. It’s going to be stunning.

Peter Beaugard — SVP, Dooney & Bourke
“Shawn’s comprehensive list of talents in User Experience Design gives him a broad base of skills, making him highly competent in a variety of settings. His desire to provide the best experience for the user drives him to serve as an advocate for the user, coming up with elegant solutions in terms of usability as well as design. I can always count on Shawn for his extensive skill set, the caliber of his work, and his ability to arrive at effective solutions. An immense pleasure to work with!

Maria Britain — M.S. and Certified Usability Analyst
“Shawn had been a great mentor and his expertise in Axure helped me to achieve accomplishment of project modules to a great extent.”

Arpita Jogdand — Mentee & HFI-CUA
“Shawn has been instrumental in helping me understand the complexities of UI/UX Architecture with amazing insights into Enterprise level concepts and the history of visual design. Without Shawn’s mentorship, I would have solely focused on graphic design and learning Figma. In addition, Shawn would lead me down a path to understanding the 5 pillars of UX and thinking of business objectives and why a design is required, and more. If you are looking for someone who will challenge traditional design thought, and offer an experienced insight then he is your guy!”

Andrew Branning — Mentee, Webflow Developer & Photographer
Crafting Creativity, Flowing Innovation.
Within the walls of a designer’s studio, ideas flow, concepts collide, and the alchemy of imagination transforms visions into reality.

– ChatGPT

It’s historic. It’s home.
Savannah, Georgia, was founded in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe.

– ChatGPT

Savannah is one of the oldest cities in the United States.

– ChatGPT

Savannah is often considered one of the most haunted cities in the United States.

– ChatGPT

Savannah is often referred to as “America’s First Planned City”.

– ChatGPT

The Port of Savannah is one of the busiest and fastest-growing container ports in the United States.

– ChatGPT

The city is home to my alma mater, the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Savannah’s historic district offers well-preserved 18th and 19th-century architecture.

– ChatGPT

The labyrinthine marshes and inlets of Savannah’s coast provided ideal hiding spots for pirates to evade authorities.

– ChatGPT

I can remember a time when Savannah was a ghost town. You could park anywhere downtown on any day of the week. The now famous Broughton street was deserted and the Savannah College of Art and Design only occupied a few buildings downtown.

Today Savannah is a popular tourist destination and finding parking downtown on the weekend can be a chore. Broughton street is bustling and we have an amazing creative culture with museums on nearly every corner. This renaissance was spurred after SCAD bought many of Savannah’s run-down historic buildings from the city and gave them to its architecture program, allowing students to restore them back to their original glory.
Savannah has been host to some major motion pictures as well, like The Legend of Bagger Vance, Forest Gump and the famous Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Our St. Patrick’s Day celebration is a rite of passage. Even Widespread Panic gives homage to Savannah’s spirited night life in its hit song, Up All Night.