Janiré Castillo

Product Designer & UX Strategist

About

Product Designer who owns end-to-end experiences from research through shipped products. I connect user needs, business goals, and technical constraints to design systems that solve real problems. My work spans web and SaaS environments where clarity, accessibility, and measurable outcomes matter most. As founder of Articulate Digital, I design for small teams and solo founders, blending strategy and hands-on execution to deliver systems that work for real people.

Work Experience

Founder & Product Designer

Articulate Digital

Jul 2025 - Present

Bethesda, MD

I lead client projects from discovery through delivery, combining research and UX strategy to design clear systems that help small teams work with more structure. My projects integrate web experience design, workflow improvements, and early-stage prototypes built with AI-assisted tools. I use Magic Patterns, Figma Make, and VS Code to explore interaction concepts in code and validate ideas before committing to full designs.

Product Strategist / Product Owner

Ivory Cloud

Nov 2024 - Jul 2025

Rockville, MD, US

Guided product vision and roadmap for a SaaS platform in a regulated environment. Collaborated with design, engineering, and compliance to refine user flows and clarify requirements. Improved documentation standards that reduced rework and enhanced developer handoff, resulting in higher usability and faster adoption.

Product Manager, Digital Experience

Association of American Medical Colleges

Mar 2023 - Aug 2024

Washington, DC, US

I designed an audience selection flow that increased engagement 15 percent by helping users find relevant content quickly. I defined information architecture that supported complex content needs and partnered with design, research, and engineering to ensure clarity and consistency across the experience. The approach became a model for future roadmap decisions.

UX/UI Product Manager

Fiscal Note

Oct 2021 - Jan 2023

Washington, DC, US

Redesigned navigation and introduced an integrated glossary that reduced onboarding friction by making complex policy concepts more approachable for new users through iterative, user-centered testing.

Senior Manager, Digital Products

Indivisible Project

Jun 2019 - Nov 2021

Washington, DC, US

Directed a homepage and resource-library redesign that raised engagement 15% by improving accessibility and integrating organizer feedback. Validated features with data to demonstrate design-led impact and established repeatable review processes for future campaigns.

Product & UX Strategist

Articulate Geek Design

Nov 2015 - Aug 2019

Bethesda, MD, US

Led UX strategy and digital launches that raised client satisfaction by 25% through simplified flows and clearer journeys. Introduced structured discovery frameworks that clarified goals and shortened project cycles.

Director, Web Communications

American Chemistry Council

Jan 2014 - Nov 2015

Washington, DC, US

Overhauled the organization’s digital strategy, boosting engagement 25% through a user-centered redesign and standardized UX patterns across multiple properties to improve accessibility and consistency.

Awards

W3 Gold Award, Activist Website

W3 Awards

Jan 2020

Awarded for excellence in digital design and content for an activist website.

NYSAE Website Excellence Award

New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE)

Jan 2014

Recognized for outstanding achievement in website design and functionality.

Languages

English , Spanish

Skills

Product Strategy & Delivery

  • Agile Delivery (Azure DevOps, Scrum)
  • Roadmapping
  • Backlog Prioritization
  • User Stories
  • Stakeholder Engagement

Tools

  • Figma
  • Sketch
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • HTML
  • CSS
  • WordPress

UX Design & Research

  • Prototyping (Figma, Adobe XD)
  • Information Architecture
  • Usability Testing
  • Journey Mapping
  • Interaction Design
  • Accessibility

Collaboration & Process

  • Cross-Functional Workshops
  • Framework Development
  • Documentation Systems
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Metrics & KPIs