Hi, I'm John Sellars, a product designer.
INSPIRATION
Human-Computer Interaction Was A Common Theme In My Childhood Movies
While some depictions were dark, or even dystopian, there was usually a sense that, with the right kind of design and influence, computers had the potential to be truly helpful, responding with a semblance of empathy and understanding.
That excitement inspired me to earn an individualized Bachelor of Science in Web Application & Multimedia Design and never really left. The work that still pulls at me is the same: making the machine on the other side feel more human.
My Work
Government Technology
I designed interfaces for permitting, licensing, and land-management software used by state, county, and city governments
Designing for applications built through many acquisitions meant inheriting products built by other teams with their own components, patterns, and accessibility debt. My work was the solution: mapping each acquired interface against our design system, deciding what to absorb versus rebuild, and getting the merged UX to a consistent, WCAG 2.1 AA compliant surface.
In my most recent work, I used AI tooling to generate design-system-connected prototypes for user testing and dev handoff, shipped component, pattern, and token refinements by PR, and built working AI interfaces in React and Supabase for internal review and sales demos.
Contributions
AI-assisted prototyping connected to design-system tokens and components, component patterns for LLM and agentic interfaces, design-system architecture and governance, component library design and documentation, post-acquisition interface integration and pattern reconciliation, accessibility standards implementation and remediation (WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508), interaction and interface design, advanced prototyping, UX engineering (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
Role
Senior Product Designer | Accela
2022–2026
Agencies Served By My Work
Automotive
I designed the interfaces and support systems for an efficiency and safety-boosting automotive technology
My work for Derive Systems enabled the successful launch of their technology on over 40,000 vehicles—including Comcast, the third largest fleet in the U.S.
Contributions
Interface and interaction design, design-system creation and management, product strategy, product naming and branding, qualitative research and testing, sales and onboarding demos, advanced prototyping, video production, design documentation, and writing.
Role
Senior UX Designer | Derive Systems
2018–2022
Healthcare
I’ve worked on a variety of healthcare solutions, from hospital and physician portals, to wellness and exercise trackers
Inspired by a vision of how design could revolutionize the healthcare industry and save people's lives, I dedicated much of my career to that pursuit. I've worked with some of the largest hospital networks in the U.S., had my work featured in The New York Times, and contributed to collaborations between IBM and Apple.
Contributions
Interface and interaction design, design-system creation and management, UX engineering and front-end development, product strategy, product naming and branding, qualitative research and testing, advanced prototyping, video production, design documentation, and writing.
Role
Senior UX Designer | Welltok
2015–2018
UX Designer/Engineer | Datū Health
2013–2015
Web Designer/E-Marketing Specialist | Lumeris
2009–2012
Finance
At Markit Digital in Boulder, Colorado, I worked on dozens of projects for many of their largest U.S. and international clients
Working in finance taught me a tremendous amount, from visualizing large data sets, to working with multiple clients at once on one of the largest design teams in Colorado.
Contributions
Interface and interaction design, prototyping, advanced data visualization and charting, direct client relations, overseeing and guiding development for junior designers
Role
Designer | Markit Digital
2012–2013
Other Notable Clients
Fundamentals
Accessibility First
Accessibility-first is about designing in a way that no one feels different or excluded, should never be an afterthought, and invariably produces products that are better for everyone. (synonymous with mobile first)
Design In Context
Understanding how a product fits into people's lives is essential. Talking to and observing people in context is the best way to discover if your design truly works and how it can improve.
Be Honest
It's important to provide clarity about what a product can and cannot do. Being honest is also about being unafraid to say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and always being open to learning from others.
Radical Transparency
The first line of defense against cascading mistakes are your colleagues—they should feel empowered to participate in the design process early and often.
Skills & Interests
Fluent in
- Multi-platform interaction design
- Design-system management & implementation
- Advanced prototyping
- UX engineering (HTML, CSS, Javascript, FE frameworks)
- Accessibility-first design
- Design research and documentation
Design-Related Hobbies
- 3D printing
- Cooking
- Video game design
- Digital archiving
Extensive Experience With
- Video production
- Motion graphics
- 3D modeling and animation