Brendan A. Fitzpatrick
I love a gnarly product problem — and the team it takes to crack it.
Design Principal at IBM Cloud through 2025; now consulting full-time. Strategy and creative direction paired with hands-on execution — I do the work and lead the team doing it with me.
What I’m focused on
My last IBM project was Platform.next — a strategic refresh delivering opinionated, cloud-as-code solutions for regulated enterprise teams. I originated it as a side project and led design through MVP launch in late 2025.
I’m also a partner in Best Practice (design consultancy) and BARF GARDEN (creative collective), and ship indie apps end-to-end: Static Radio, Loom, Emojio Composer.
Engagement shapes:
- Embedded design leadership — sitting inside your team, doing the work alongside you.
- Strategy & vision retainers — platform direction, 0→1 framing, what comes after MVP.
- Advisory — design orgs scaling up, 0→1 platform teams, founders shaping a first design hire.
- Project-shaped problems — the gnarly cross-functional thing you don’t have language for yet.
Outcomes the work delivered.
A few highlights.
Platform.next
IBM Cloud’s cloud-as-code refresh for regulated enterprise teams. Designer-led side project → platform-wide mission; MVP shipped late 2025.
Platform Unification Project
Merged SoftLayer Control Portal and IBM Cloud console into one seamless experience. IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement + 2019 Stratus Award.
Discover Mobile
Ground-up native rebuild across iOS and Android. 2★ → 4★ in weeks; contributed to Discover’s 2014 J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Award.
Static Radio
Real-radio experience built from open podcasts — nine themed stations, rebuilt daily, played in lockstep across every listener. Designed and built end-to-end.
His designs speak for themselves, galvanizing support across disciplines, but Brendan takes them further. He applies boundless energy, excellent facilitation skills, and an unmatched work ethic to socialize his vision and enlist co-conspirators. Senior Designer, IBM Cloud platform
STSM, IBM Cloud Architect
“During the time we’ve worked together, his work contributed to a 20% increase in NPS scores, 2× increased conversion to paid accounts, a huge jump in IBM Cloud’s Gartner score, and more.”
User Researcher, IBM Cloud platform
“It still blows my mind that the remarkably impactful Platform.next originated from a designer-led side project. This is incredibly rare, and wouldn’t have happened without Brendan’s strategic thinking, leadership, and zeal.”
Principal Product Manager, IBM Cloud
“He ties himself at the hip with user research as he brings in product management, architecture, customer-facing sellers and solution teams, developers, and executives to solve problems and produce new approaches.”
Former IBMer, now Lead Design Strategist at Genesys
“Brendan spends the necessary time understanding the specific challenges each group is facing, hearing out the individuals, and providing guidance that empowers the member to take action. He goes above and beyond ensuring each team member feels heard, supported, and safe.”
Present in my best work.
Unification through collaboration
Working tirelessly alongside likeminded folks to bring down silos. Bridging design, development, business, and customer-facing teams so the world sees us as one.
Data-driven growth
Customer acquisition and retention paired with experience strategy. 2× conversion to paid accounts. 20% NPS increase. Partner onboarding compressed from 6–9 months to 6–8 weeks, contributing $7.94M MRR. Business value and user value.
Cultivation
Building sustainable, psychologically safe environments where teams can do their best work — and where underrepresented voices can grow. Design leadership “behind the curtain.”