I enjoy simplifying the complex,
nurturing creative thinkers,
and empowering teams with
delightful experiences.

I enjoy simplifying the complex, nurturing creative thinkers, and empowering teams with delightful experiences.

I enjoy simplifying the complex, nurturing creative thinkers,
and empowering teams with
delightful experiences.

Jay Runquist

UX Design Leader

Google, Bay Area


My values

  1. Every problem is a communications problem in disguise

  2. Your culture and tools shape your solutions more than you think

  3. Incentivizing the right things can give your teams superpowers


Jay Runquist

UX Design Leader

Google, Bay Area

Jay Runquist

UX Design Leader

Google, Bay Area

Experience

May 2011 – Present

Google

Staff Designer, Manager, Leader

Google Design Ops — UX Design Manager for 11 product teams focused on internal tooling for Design, UX Research, Search, Assistant, Speech, Localization, Natural Language Processing, Data Science & Engineering, Internationalization, and Engineering. New platforms and tools were instrumental in localizing every Google product globally, ensuring quality data and insights with Generative AI, speech recognization, and more.

Google Ads — Created and led the product design for Google’s first design system manager, used by over 74 product areas across 54 countries. With the focus on less duplication and more innovation, we enabled teams to cut production time in half, ship more unified experiences, and improved Googler’s satisfaction with their job.

Google Search — Created the first ever Communications Design role at Google. Focused on amplifying the voice of the Researchers, at first through communication frameworks, consistent research materials and deliverables, and ultimately established a methodology to truly design at scale.

Google+ — Founded the first Visual Design team at Google, leading 10 visual and motion designers, focused on establishing Google’s brand and scaling our front-end design language to multiple devices through what finally became Material Design.

Jan 2010 – Apr 2011

Digitaria/Mirum

UX Designer

Led website UX and strategy by creating site audits, competitive analysis, wireframes, and prototyping for clients: Qualcomm, Comcast, NFL, and Lamps Plus.

Feb 2008 – Apr 2009

Periscope

Art Director

Creatively solved business needs through marketing campaigns, product websites, and microsites for the Minnesota Twins, Arctic Cat, Target, and 3M.

Jan 2006 – Jan 2008

JWT

Digital Designer

Executed world-class design solutions and marketing for the Marines, 3M, Target, and AARP, doubling the Minneapolis location's bottom line.

Sept 2004 – Dec 2006

Pixel Farm Interactive

Video Editor

Led the production and creation of educational videos for Microsoft and the West Law Group including video production, editing, interaction and website design reaching millions of users and learning a bit about Visual Studio and how much I appreciate being a designer.

Jun 2002 – Aug 2008

Apple

Creative, Market Trainer

Led the educational efforts in Minnesota including in-store workshops, employee training, and was the debated inspiration for the Certified Apple Store Creative Specialist role. Plus, Steve Jobs body man for WWDC once.

Awards & Patents

2021

Google Tech Impact Award

Google – Carbon Design System Manager

2018

Google Ads Luminary Award

Product Excellence – Google Ads Design and Ads Video Safety System

2013

Automatic Alignment of a Multi-Dimensional Layout

Google – US20140258849A1

Let's work

together.

hello@jay.works

Let's work

together.

hello@jay.works

Let's work

together.

hello@jay.works