About

Headshot of Phil Bolles

I'm the Associate Director of Experience Design at Velir. I'm also a Distinguished Faculty member at General Assembly, where I've been teaching UX, animation, and Adobe software for several years.

I learned to code in the '90s, and I've been working on the web for 25+ years. With a background in media and research, I appreciate the rewarding challenges of the multi-faceted UX project lead role.

When leading a project, I take the time to understand the problem space as thoroughly as possible. I ask questions, do my own research, and prototype solutions. I know that good design is about making decisions within constraints. I approach projects with the following questions in mind:

  • What makes for the smoothest, richest experience?
  • How can I help users get where they're going? (Both end users and staff...)
  • How can I best set expectations with my team, and empower them to succeed?
  • What is the best content strategy for the solution?
  • How will we know that it's working?

Read my bio on General Assembly's site.

Multiple colleagues have called me a “jedi master” and a “rockstar.”

More testimonials from colleagues, students, and mentees:

“Exceptional”
“It’s a real treat getting to work with you.”
“I can’t say enough things about Phil.”
“I appreciated your passion and so much knowledge you brought to our class each week.”
“Thanks so much for your guidance and assistance during the UXPA DC mentoring program. I greatly appreciated it.”
“Very very impressed by Phil and Tory!”
“Awesome stuff!”
“Phil is a thoughtful UX designer and always puts the user first. He is smart, seasoned and multi-talented.”
...

Inspirations