Hi, I'm Michael Colletto.
I believe design and communication are strategic skills—and success in either starts with fearless questions and relentless empathy. I'm an experienced digital strategist, UX designer, and content pro. I help organizations with a vision figure out where to start, how to reach their goals, and what to do next.
Some of the work I'm proudest of.
HOPE COLLEGE
Weeks of targeted user interviews led to user personas and scenarios, laying the foundation for an entirely new architecture, content strategy, team structure, and governance processes.
My Role
Information Architect and Content Strategist for the website redesign project
Main Goal
Create a useful, easy-to-manage college website.
CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS
Working in collaboration with the OpenCities platform and the City's customer service team, we transformed the Grand Rapids city website from a frustrating tangle of confusion into an award-winning self-service portal.
My Role
Project Director and Lead Researcher & Strategist
Main Goal
Create a digital City Hall for Grand Rapids residents.
HERMAN MILLER
Starting from a pilot program with 3 interested dealers, I've helped lead the team that built, grew, supported, and optimized a robust website platform for 32 Herman Miller dealers—and counting.
My Role
Product Strategist for the dealer website platform
Main Goal
Create, sustain, and improve a profitable, effective digital product.
How I've shaped successful projects and products for other organizations:
A content inventory, content audit, and lots of research led to a new site architecture and complete content rewrite in 2013. Next came guidelines, governance processes, and a measurement strategy to provide a resilient foundation for continuous improvement.
ArtPrize
Stakeholder Research, User Research, Content Strategy, Information Architecture, Copywriting, Brand Voice and Tone, Content Governance, Analytics Configuration and Reporting
JR Automation had just become a global company, and everything in their business was changing. I laid the strategic foundation for design, copywriting, and development of their new digital presence, and led the team through execution and launch.
JR Automation
Stakeholder Research, User Personas and Journeys, Content Strategy, Information Architecture, Brand Voice and Tone, Copywriting, Measurement Strategy, Analytics Configuration, GDPR and Cookie Law Compliance
I led the strategy and information architecture for the creation of zondervanacademic.com, as well as the go-to-market strategy for their online courses offering. I continued to work with their team to improve the site—from advanced analytics and user research to conversion optimization.
Zondervan Academic
Content Strategy, Information Architecture, Measurement Strategy, Analytics Configuration and Reporting, Product Launch Strategy, Lead Generation Strategy, Conversion Optimization
Nice to meet you.
I'm a strategist, designer, and communicator by nature and by trade. I ask good questions, soak up and organize information, find patterns, and bring order and clarity to chaos and uncertainty. I’m good at making sense of things, building consensus, and charting the best path through the noise.
I've served as Communications Director, Information Architect, Content Strategist, Researcher, Copywriter, Product Manager, Project Director, Sales Lead, UX Designer, Business Strategist, Brand Strategist, Analyst, and Consultant. I've worked at and with agencies, nonprofits, and corporations in North America, Central Europe, and Southeast Asia. And I bring all of that experience with me to every new engagement.
Ask me how I can help with your next challenge.
CONTENT
Strategy, Marketing, Communication, Copywriting, Editing, Voice and Tone, CMS Planning, Governance, Training
STRATEGY
Business Strategy, Team Leadership, Project Direction, Consulting, Branding, Information Architecture, Content Strategy, Roadmapping
UX DESIGN
Stakeholder Research, User Research, Personas, Jobs To Be Done, User Journeys, Wireframing, Prototyping, User Testing, Creative Direction
ANALYSIS
Goal Setting, Measurement Strategy, Analytics Planning, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Data Studio, A/B Testing, Optimization
Here are a few of the ways I can help.
What people say about working with me.
Raechel MacKenzie
User Experience Designer at Herman Miller
Michael is not only a pleasure to work with, but he is one of the smartest, most hardworking, and empathetic people I know. Whenever I was a designer on a project and Michael was involved, I could rest assured that the work would be thoughtful and strategic. He understands how valuable the content on a website is, and how it must work together with the visual design to create a memorable and easy-to-use experience for the user.
Danielle Dunn
Product Owner at Meijer
Michael is a positive, empathetic, and compassionate leader. His highly collaborative approach with teammates, clients, and the company fosters a culture of user-centered design thinking. You can count on him to confidently lead people with clarity and make strategic recommendations that lay a strong foundation for creating great experiences. His passion and drive make Michael a great teammate, a natural leader of people, and the strategic thinker you want on your team.
Kyle Luck
Full-Stack Developer at AREA 17
Michael is one of a few people I have found to be at least as kind as he is talented. Around the office, he maintains a reputation for consistently answering complex, interdisciplinary problems with powerful (yet elegant) solutions. The quality of his work naturally inspires those around him to dig deeper, push harder, and care more. As such, Michael makes a natural leader, and would be an invaluable addition to any team. He has my highest recommendation.
Let's talk.
Email me at hello@michaelcolletto.com