My name is Max Gigliotti, and I am a UX Generalist currently working on contract for iRhythm Technologies.

I graduated UCLA in 2016 with a political science degree, research experience, and a complete uncertainty of what I wanted to do professionally.

I dove head first into the entertainment industry, and after a year learning the ropes of talent management at a boutique firm, ROAR, I was proud to land a role at the most prominent production/management firm in the industry, Anonymous Content. My understanding of content strategy across film and TV was challenged every day as I collaborated with some of the most well-known creatives across the entertainment industry including Joel Edgerton, Mo Mcrae, and Jennifer Morrison. At this point I knew I loved content, but I saw something new on the horizon and took interest in the outstanding growth of platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.

Pivoting from Film/TV, I found an exciting role at a branding agency, Fullscreen, which covered both brand and digital creator accounts and had a strong position in the market as a subsidiary of WarnerMedia. In my time at Fullscreen, I was proud to work on campaign for brands such as Best Buy, HBO and CNN. As we curated lasting and memorable campaigns across social platforms, I began to realize that my grasp on content strategy was expanding to include aspects of UX. Each social platform had different features that could be leveraged to grow audiences and increase revenue. As coordinators, we were responsible for researching product updates across the industry, and strategized with management teams so campaigns were always fresh, engaging, and relevant to the user. In addition to branding, I worked closely with our Public Figures team to analyze platform statistics and provide actionable strategy for creators such as Noah Schnapp, Steve-O, and Zac Efron.

After a year at Fullscreen, our division was dissolved; I was aware I still had much to learn, and decided to continue working with digital creators at Authentic Talent & Literary Management. In this challenging role, I performed comprehensive competitive analysis to support management teams across content and branding. Working with creators such as Joey Graceffa, Michael Ligier, Alex Warren, and Joshua Weissman, I developed a deep understanding of market trends across US, Canadian, European, and Chinese markets, and found my footing as a digital content manager.

Let me quickly take a step back to underscore how much I enjoy learning, and challenging myself to become a more skilled and knowledgeable person. At this point in my career, I felt like I had a solid grasp on content, but wanted to keep pushing towards a better understanding of platforms and how they develop to better the experience for users. I knew I needed to make a change, and found myself researching UX design.

In all of my roles, I had separately developed the skills required to be successful in UX. Organization, collaboration, research and analysis, empathy, a keen eye for design, and a clear ability to communicate - these were all native to my work ethic. Above all else, I had spent years tailoring content for audiences with high-level creators, and the approach with design was ultimately the same: create something meaningful and enjoyable for users.

I found a unique opportunity to begin my UX career as a UX Designer working with iRhythm Technologies on internal communications, and decided to make the change.

As the only UX Generalist on my team at iRhythm, I am responsible for all aspects of the UX process on our projects. This role has provided incredible exposure and an ability to refine my skillset very quickly. Every day in UX is different and I have learned to accept that I don’t always know the answer to the problem at-hand, which is why I get so excited about my work! Touching nearly every piece of the puzzle, I have the opportunity to interface with IT, Sales, Marketing, HR, and Talent Acquisition to find the answers to those problems and help teams turn ideas into functioning products.

To supplement my in-office experience and provide a solid foundation for my career, I am currently enrolled in the Google UX Design Certificate program. The coursework directly applies to my day-to-day work on projects at the company, and so far has significantly increased my confidence as a UX designer, researcher, writer and strategist.

I am so excited to be on this journey in UX, and am hoping to leverage my knowledge of the digital entertainment ecosystem to begin working on products that connect audiences and fans in new and creative ways.

In my free time I am an avid “gamer”, and have recently been spending time playing Halo Infinite as well as classics such as Dota and Diablo II. At the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown, I spent a few days building a PC and am happy to play on a machine I built myself. Music is also a passion of mine, and I enjoy spending time finding new music and creating playlists for friends and family.

Away from the computer, I love to hike and snowboard. I recently rescued a cattle dog, Maya, and we currently live in the SF Bay Area.