About

I've spent 20 years designing experiences for people — and another 20 obsessing over the ones that shaped me.

I'm Kyle Thiboutot — a Principal Designer, workshop facilitator, and systems thinker based in Somerset, MA. I've spent my career closing the gap between what people expect and what they actually get.

Somerset, MA 15+ years Principal Designer

Principal Designer

Kyle Thiboutot

My story

How I got here

I started in print and motion design — Adobe was my world before the web became everything. That foundation gave me something most digital designers don't have: an obsession with craft at every scale, from a single typographic detail to a full brand system.

At IBM iX I led design on projects that changed how enterprise organizations think about their users. A design system for 166 State Street products. A diabetes management app for Medtronic. E-commerce for Hasbro. Internal tools for Google. The common thread wasn't the industry — it was always the people on the other side of the screen.

Now at FM Global I'm focused on the future of how a Fortune 500 company engages with its clients digitally — building visions, running research, and spreading design thinking across an organization one workshop at a time.

How I work

I design with people, not just for them.

Every project starts with listening. I run workshops, facilitate research sessions, and spend time with the people who will actually use what we build. I've trained as an IBM Design Thinker and have run week-long Design Camps for enterprise clients. I believe the best outcomes come from collaborative momentum — not heroic solo design.

Human-centered first

Every design decision traces back to a real person with a real need. Requirements come second.

Systems thinking

I design components, patterns, and the ecosystems that connect them — not just individual screens.

Workshop facilitation

I bring teams together and create the conditions for good ideas to surface — then help execute them.

What people say

I've worked closely with Kyle for 5 years, and am a better designer and person because of it. Kyle is the most human centered designer I know. His decision making and design direction can always be traced back to the user. Kyle keeps work enjoyable and creative and is a tremendous thought partner.

Nicole Brazio — Experience Design Manager

20+

Years of design experience

166+

Products unified at State Street

IBM·

iX Design Director

∞

Gaps between expectation and experience

Outside the studio

When I'm not designing systems, I'm collecting them.

I run Age of Retro — a community for people who love games, movies, comics, and the stories that stick with you. It's where my obsession with experience started. Star Wars, Disney, retro gaming, pop culture. If it made someone feel something, I probably have an opinion about it.

Visit Age_of_Retro →

Community

Age_of_Retro

TikTok YouTube Instagram Threads

Work with me

Let's close some gaps.

View Resume Download Resume

Let's work together

Expectations only move in one direction. Let's get ahead of them.

kthiboutot@gmail.com →