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Pavel Bukengolts

Design at scale: design systems, governance, and accessibility

Operational design leadership that aligns product, design, and engineering around shared standards to increase velocity and reduce compliance risk.
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Measurable Impact

Cut costs &
time-to-market

Lean UX playbooks that reduced delivery spend by 55% and shortened build cycles by 40% while improving quality.

Simplify complexity at scale

Led DesignOps for 800+ digital properties, unifying brands, streamlining tools, and accelerating delivery without compromising agility.

Turn AI into a force multiplier

Integrated GenAI workflows that increased speed by 60% and elevated quality across design and production.

Build for everyone, ship clean

Scaled accessibility programs that cut post-launch defects by 18% and ensured global compliance and inclusivity.

Build and Scale Top-Performing Teams

Over 16 years of mentoring and leadership, boosting team output by 20% and increasing retention and engagement.

Lead with Influence and Insight

Top 1% ADPList mentor, keynote speaker, and published author, amplifying brand authority and attracting top-tier talent.

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Simplify. Scale. Succeed.

I’m a UX and Product Design leader with over 15 years of experience. I turn complex problems into clear, intuitive solutions that drive real business results.

photo of Pavel Bukengolts - UX Design Leader and Mentor

I build systems, design strategies, and deliver products that users love and companies rely on. From enterprise tools to emerging tech, I connect user needs with product vision.

I scale design teams through mentorship, process, and trust. I lead with clarity, serve with empathy, and push for impact at every level.

Design isn’t just what I do. It’s how I help teams grow and businesses succeed.

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Vision

  • Lead with design.
  • Create inclusive experiences, drive business growth, and inspire lasting change.
  • Mentor with purpose.

Mission

Helping teams build products that enhance lives and drive business growth.

Notes from the UX Desk

Explore the most recent posts.

Design Philosophy

Design with Empathy

Listen first, then solve. Meaningful design begins with deep understanding and shared ownership.

People First

Design succeeds when it improves lives, starting with users and extending to the teams that build for them.

Clarity Over Complexity

Cut through the noise. Translate challenges into simple, actionable solutions that unite teams and drive momentum.

Systems Thinking, Human Outcomes

Great UX isn’t just usable, it’s sustainable, scalable, and rooted in real-world impact.

Methodologies

Guiding teams to create impactful designs that align with business goals through strategic vision and hands-on expertise.
  • Set a clear vision grounded in hands-on experience, ensuring alignment with business goals.
  • Lead high-performing design teams, drawing on deep industry knowledge to deliver impactful solutions.
  • Cultivate a culture of innovation, leveraging firsthand experience to inspire creativity.
  • Ensure strategic alignment across cross-functional teams, informed by practical insights.
  • Drive continuous process improvements, using a deep understanding of design operations.
  • Mentor emerging leaders with wisdom gained from years of hands-on leadership.
Crafting user-centric digital experiences that are intuitive, effective, and aligned with user needs and business objectives.
  • Develop user-centric design strategies, informed by extensive hands-on experience in UX.
  • Oversee the creation of personas, journey maps, and prototypes, ensuring they reflect real user needs.
  • Champion user-centered design principles, rooted in practical, on-the-ground experience.
  • Guide teams through usability testing and feedback integration, applying insights from countless projects.
  • Ensure designs not only meet business goals but are informed by deep, hands-on knowledge of user behaviour.
  • Drive iterative improvements, drawing on years of practical, data-driven insights.
A problem-solving approach that prioritizes empathy, creativity, and iterative testing to develop innovative solutions.
  • Promote empathy-driven problem-solving, backed by a deep understanding of user challenges.
  • Lead the definition and framing of complex challenges, leveraging hands-on experience in diverse industries.
  • Facilitate ideation sessions with insights gained from years of practical application.
  • Oversee rapid prototyping and iterative testing, ensuring solutions are grounded in real-world experience.
  • Ensure solutions are tested with real users, applying lessons learned from hands-on testing and iteration.
  • Advocate for continuous iteration and learning, driven by a deep commitment to refining solutions.

Guiding and developing the next generation of UX professionals through personalized coaching and hands-on learning.

  • Lead the development of the next generation of UX leaders, drawing on years of hands-on experience.
  • Provide strategic guidance and mentorship, informed by deep, practical insights into the UX field.
  • Oversee hands-on learning opportunities, ensuring they are rooted in real-world challenges.
  • Support the creation of robust UX portfolios, sharing knowledge gained from practical experience.
  • Share industry knowledge and best practices, informed by years of hands-on involvement in UX.
  • Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth, grounded in deep, firsthand experience.
Integrating cutting-edge tech like AI, MR, VR, and AR into projects to enhance user experiences and achieve business goals.
  • Strategically integrate AI, MR, VR, AR, and other emerging technologies, with hands-on experience in their application.
  • Lead initiatives that leverage technology, informed by practical experience in pioneering solutions.
  • Ensure the adoption of cutting-edge tech aligns with business goals, drawing on deep technical knowledge.
  • Stay ahead of tech trends, informed by a hands-on approach to exploring and testing new innovations.
  • Guide teams in applying new technologies, using insights gained from real-world experimentation.
  • Drive the adoption of emerging tech to solve user problems, based on firsthand experience and strategic foresight.
A problem-solving approach that prioritizes empathy, creativity, and iterative testing to develop innovative solutions.
  • Champion accessibility and inclusivity, with a deep understanding of their critical importance from hands-on experience.
  • Ensure compliance with WCAG and ADA standards, informed by practical application in diverse projects.
  • Lead initiatives to integrate accessibility into the design process, using insights gained from direct involvement.
  • Oversee testing with diverse user groups, ensuring inclusivity based on real-world experience.
  • Educate teams on the strategic value of accessibility, sharing wisdom from hands-on practice.
  • Drive a commitment to inclusive design practices, informed by deep, practical experience.
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