Ev Bowers

Design and research that light the path so teams can move forward with confidence.

I guide teams through messy problems to make smart choices and build what people need.

I guide teams through messy problems to make smart choices and build what
people need.

City of Portland

Permitting Improvement Project

UX Design

UI Design

UX Research

Service Design

Accessibility Design

Design Systems

Change Management

Form design

Worked with permitting staff to make information easier to find and use by introducing plain language, one clear template, and tested prototypes. Set a professional baseline so the City can track progress as changes grow. Residents now have a clear path forward and more confidence taking the next step.

Zapier

2023 Product Vision

UX Design

UI Design

UX Research

Product visioning

Design Strategy

Cross-functional alignment

Brought clarity to how teams work together in Zapier. Dug into research old and new to show where missing visibility, weak controls, and unclear guidance were costing time and slowing growth. Turned that into a clear story and principles leadership backed with funding. The work shaped major product decisions and tied directly to revenue priorities.

Zapier

Zap Connect

UX Design

UI Design

UX Research

Player/Coach

Design ops / team scaling

Workflow optimization

Cross-team collaboration

Launched a suite of long-requested features at ZapConnect that removed key friction for customers running business-critical workflows. Improvements in organization, version history, step duplication, and admin tools saved time and cut downtime. Hired and onboarded four designers so teams could deliver on schedule for a launch that got rave reviews.

Zapier

Zap Sharing

UX Design

UI Design

UX Research

Contextual onboarding

Product-led growth

Collaboration Tools

Kicked off and led a growth project that turned a hunch into a shipped feature. Used research to confirm the need, mapped how people were actually working, and delivered a sharing tool that made onboarding faster, examples clearer, and activation rates higher.

Zapier

Paths

UX Design

UI Design

UX Research

Workshop Facilitation

MVP Strategy

Helped launch a feature that solved the most common customer pain point in the automation builder. Replaced clunky duplication with clean conditional logic in a single automation. Adoption was immediate and widespread, lowering support tickets, improving retention, and opening the door to more valuable, revenue-generating workflows.

Solestruck

Try@Home

UX Design

UI Design

UX Research

Data Visualization

E-commerce

Launched a Try@Home program for an online shoe retailer, boosting mobile conversions, site performance, and shopping ease. Loyal customers adopted it quickly, reducing support calls. Delivered partner tools that strengthened brand relationships and tied sales to social impact by donating a percentage of program revenue.

AnywhereWorks

SustainableU

UX Design

UI Design

UX Research

Illustration

Behavior Change Design

Culture Building

Employee retention & engagement

We launched a year-long sustainability program that gave remote employees a shared purpose. Participation was strong and feedback was positive, helping strengthen culture and keep retention high. It proved we could run meaningful initiatives without big costs or heavy lift.

Jupiter Woodsman

Brand Identities

Logos

Illustration

Apparel

Branded environments

Packaging Design

Built lasting brand identities for small businesses, many still thriving today. Started each from scratch, focusing on what made the business special and turning that into a brand people could connect with. Oregon City Brewing is one example, growing from a hobby in a run-down building to a community hub with loyal customers and expanded facilities.

"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
"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 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 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 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
"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'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
"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)
"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