Shayna Blum's contributions to software engineering across industries and active engagement in academic research demonstrate Blum’s dedication to advancing the field of technology design and development.

Shayna Blum is an accomplished Product Designer and UX Researcher with over a decade of experience delivering high-impact design solutions across government, defense, and SaaS sectors. With expertise in human-centered design and systems analysis, Blum has a proven record of driving projects from concept through deployment. Her strategic approach integrates agile methodologies and risk process management to ensure optimized outcomes in complex systems. 

Blum has been instrumental in the design and development of advanced government software. She has spearheaded research and design initiatives for NASA’s Contract Management System (NCMS), focusing on end-to-end user experience research and 508 compliance, to enhance software usability. Her portfolio includes a prominent role in UX and human factors engineering for mission-critical defense software for the United States Department of Defense and the British Royal Armed Forces. Blum has also led UX/HCD processes for finance, real estate, and education software products.

Blum’s commitment to advancing human-computer interaction and UX in software design is further reflected in her contributions to academia and educational technology. As an Assistant Professor of Design at Xavier University of Louisiana she developed curricula focused on product design and software development. Blum has also served as a subject matter expert for Chegg Thinkful and Western Governors University where she’s mentored students and contributed to the analysis and regression testing for the UX and artificial intelligence design curricula. 

Blum’s academic credentials include a Master of Fine Art (MFA) in Design & Technology from the San Francisco Art Institute and a Post-Baccalaureate in Visual Communication from Tufts University, School of the Museum of Fine Art. Blum holds numerous certifications in accessibility, information security, and artificial intelligence.

As an award-winning designer and published researcher, Blum has presented at international conferences on topics ranging from universal design to the intersection of UX/HCI and AI ethics. Her accolades include research grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Confucius Institute to study visual communication and technology design within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.