Design & Research

Evan

(Ev)

Bowers

portland, or,

UX & UXR

Evan

(Ev)

Bowers

PDX, OR

Evan

(Ev)

Bowers

Design & Research
that helps teams find their way forward.

Connect on LinkedIn

City of Portland

City of Portland Digital Services Team

Responsibilities

UI Design

UX Design

Service Design

UX Research

Design Systems

Stakeholder Management

UX Research

Problem

City services were built around internal processes, not the people using them. Residents struggled to navigate them, and bureaus didn't have a reliable way to fix that.

Action

We've partnered with multiple bureaus to redesign how services work, built the research practice from scratch, and shifted the team from order takers to trusted design partners.

Outcome

Services got measurably easier to use, the approach spread to other teams, and the city now has a playbook and the organizational trust to keep improving.

Zapier

2023 Product Vision

Responsibilities

UI Design

UX Design

UX Research

Interaction Design

Design Strategy

Product Visioning

Product Design

Cross-Functional Alignment

Problem

Teams using Zapier couldn't see what each other were building, new users kept stalling out, and the people who knew the product best were carrying everyone else.

Action

I combined years of existing research with new studies, then worked with a PM and designers to prototype and pressure-test ideas for a shared, team-oriented experience.

Outcome

Leadership green-lit the vision and used it to shift the product roadmap. The work shaped a multi-year strategy tied to revenue and retention goals.

Zapier

2024 ZapConnect

Responsibilities

UI Design

UX Design

UX Research

Player/Coach

Design Ops

Teambuilding

Workflow optimization

Cross-team collaboration

Problem

Customers running critical workflows kept hitting the same walls: no version history, no clear ownership, no easy way to make edits safely.

Action

Shipped a set of long-requested features and hired four designers to make the deadline.

Outcome

High adoption, strong feedback at launch, and less downtime for customers.

Lots more where that came from

More than a decade of solved problems & deep connections.

Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns

"Ev is one of the best designers I have ever worked with. He is an excellent collaborator and specifically excels at taking large complex problems and turning them into visionary design possibilities. Ev is an absolute joy to work with and brings a true no-ego approach to his work."

Amanda Baker

Product @ Hubspot - ex-Zapier (Canvas)

"I have learned a tremendous amount from Ev in terms of problem-solving, design thinking, and the nuances of the design process. Ev has provided me with opportunities to contribute meaningfully, while also pushing me to think creatively and take on challenges outside of my comfort zone."

Anitra Makoni

Human-Centered Talent Strategist

"Ev is an incredibly thoughtful designer who takes the time to consider every detail of a project. He brings a unique perspective to each design challenge, and his creativity and problem-solving skills are truly impressive. He is also a great mentor, always willing to share his knowledge and experience to help others grow and succeed."

Anna Mira

Product Designer @ Zapier

"Ev is a phenomenal Designer. I was always struck by his ability to take complex product needs and design something delightful with lightning speed. He can work at any altitude and excels in setting the long-term vision while using his design skills to get others excited about the possibilities."

Kenyon Sparks

Product Manager @ Zapier

"Ev is a design presence! He's naturally a systems thinker; he approaches customer needs and solutions from a holistic perspective while also considering product development process and strategy."

Lauren Borucki

UX Researcher @ Zapier

"Without a doubt, Ev is the most fantastic designer I've ever worked with. Ev has an incredible skill where he can simultaneously step into the perspective of a user, engineer, and product manager. Seeing Ev take a concept and turn it into reality has been an absolute joy."

Sabina Andersson

Chief Product Officer - State of Colorado Department of Early Childhood

"Ev is that rare individual who not only encompasses the skills and abilities to create clever, meaningful, and brilliant product solutions, but is also one of the kindest and most humble humans I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with."

Shawn Cook

Senior Design Manager @ Practice Better

"Ev is generous with his time and feedback, and works hard to establish a collaborative design culture that values strategy, feedback, and organization. I learned what it looks like to be a design lead in the truest sense: he never fails to encourage people's exploration of concepts or ideas, or to support their professional growth."

Sophia Dengo

Sr. Designer / Researcher @ Nava

"Ev's dedication to understanding customer needs and challenges has consistently translated into products that are not only high-quality visually speaking, but also function beautifully, and are user-friendly and accessible."

Stephanie Winfrey

Design @ CareScout, Prev. Zapier, Twine, Uber

"Evan helped me evolve to a senior design position thanks to his hands-on mentorship, both on specific project work and overall career growth. I can safely say I have learned more in the past 2 years at Zapier than ever before in my career, and that is in no small part thanks to Evan."

Tina Feijóo

Senior Product Designer @ Zapier

"Ev is one of the most impressive design thinkers and leaders I have had the pleasure of working closely with. He has an innate ability to see the bigger picture, works collaboratively with others to sense-make and pull together an exciting vision that is both ambitious, and achievable."

Sheryl Soo

VP Design @ Zapier, Ex-SVP Strategy @ Zapier, Ex-Google Robotics, Ex-Frog Design

Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns
Abstract blue and white fluid art with swirling patterns

"Ev is one of the best designers I have ever worked with. He is an excellent collaborator and specifically excels at taking large complex problems and turning them into visionary design possibilities. Ev is an absolute joy to work with and brings a true no-ego approach to his work."

Amanda Baker

Product @ Hubspot - ex-Zapier (Canvas)

"I have learned a tremendous amount from Ev in terms of problem-solving, design thinking, and the nuances of the design process. Ev has provided me with opportunities to contribute meaningfully, while also pushing me to think creatively and take on challenges outside of my comfort zone."

Anitra Makoni

Human-Centered Talent Strategist

"Ev is an incredibly thoughtful designer who takes the time to consider every detail of a project. He brings a unique perspective to each design challenge, and his creativity and problem-solving skills are truly impressive. He is also a great mentor, always willing to share his knowledge and experience to help others grow and succeed."

Anna Mira

Product Designer @ Zapier

"Ev is a phenomenal Designer. I was always struck by his ability to take complex product needs and design something delightful with lightning speed. He can work at any altitude and excels in setting the long-term vision while using his design skills to get others excited about the possibilities."

Kenyon Sparks

Product Manager @ Zapier

"Ev is a design presence! He's naturally a systems thinker; he approaches customer needs and solutions from a holistic perspective while also considering product development process and strategy."

Lauren Borucki

UX Researcher @ Zapier

"Without a doubt, Ev is the most fantastic designer I've ever worked with. Ev has an incredible skill where he can simultaneously step into the perspective of a user, engineer, and product manager. Seeing Ev take a concept and turn it into reality has been an absolute joy."

Sabina Andersson

Chief Product Officer - State of Colorado Department of Early Childhood

"Ev is that rare individual who not only encompasses the skills and abilities to create clever, meaningful, and brilliant product solutions, but is also one of the kindest and most humble humans I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with."

Shawn Cook

Senior Design Manager @ Practice Better

"Ev is generous with his time and feedback, and works hard to establish a collaborative design culture that values strategy, feedback, and organization. I learned what it looks like to be a design lead in the truest sense: he never fails to encourage people's exploration of concepts or ideas, or to support their professional growth."

Sophia Dengo

Sr. Designer / Researcher @ Nava

"Ev's dedication to understanding customer needs and challenges has consistently translated into products that are not only high-quality visually speaking, but also function beautifully, and are user-friendly and accessible."

Stephanie Winfrey

Design @ CareScout, Prev. Zapier, Twine, Uber

"Evan helped me evolve to a senior design position thanks to his hands-on mentorship, both on specific project work and overall career growth. I can safely say I have learned more in the past 2 years at Zapier than ever before in my career, and that is in no small part thanks to Evan."

Tina Feijóo

Senior Product Designer @ Zapier

"Ev is one of the most impressive design thinkers and leaders I have had the pleasure of working closely with. He has an innate ability to see the bigger picture, works collaboratively with others to sense-make and pull together an exciting vision that is both ambitious, and achievable."

Sheryl Soo

VP Design @ Zapier, Ex-SVP Strategy @ Zapier, Ex-Google Robotics, Ex-Frog Design

Things that feed my soul

Messy human problems.
Tight knit collaborators.
Sunny spring weather.
Rainy fall weather.
Hot coffee.
Growing food.
Being a dog dad
Being a cool uncle.
Loud metal.
Smooth jazz.

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