Each month we highlight one of the hardworking people who make up the ExpertVoice team. This month meet Denny McEntire, Director of Product Design.
EXPERTVOICE: What’s your title at ExpertVoice and what’re you charged with doing?
DENNY: Director of Product Design. I’m responsible for managing the design team, helping define the longer term vision for the product and building more effective design and product processes. Most importantly, I ensure that we take a user-centered approach to designing and creating new products.
EXPERTVOICE: What do you like most about your job?
DENNY: I love talking with the people we’re designing products for to gain a better understanding of what they think about what we’re building. I am constantly surprised by how differently we think about things internally compared to how the people we’re designing for see them.
EXPERTVOICE: What’s the biggest challenge for your role?
DENNY: Creating a shared vision that everyone understands and is working toward. There are a lot of people who care deeply about where we’re going with the product and it can be challenging to get everyone aligned and on the same page. At the same time, there are a lot of smart people with great ideas in the company. A shared vision helps ensure we’re all working toward the same destination and not working in ways that lead us in divergent directions.
EXPERTVOICE: What are your professional goals that you’re going to crush this year?
DENNY: Creating and sharing a vision for all of the different products that we’re working on. It will be really exciting to show how it all comes together to create a powerful platform.
EXPERTVOICE: What’s one product you couldn’t live without and why?
DENNY: Superfeet Insoles. Without them my feet hurt, and I’m not able to do some of the things I love doing.
EXPERTVOICE: What’s the last thing you bought on ExpertVoice and how do you plan on using it?
DENNY: The Ghost Short Sleeve shirt by Brooks Running. I mostly use it to work out, but it keeps me so dry — even when I get pretty sweaty— that I am excited to use it backpacking and boating.
EXPERTVOICE: What’s a category you’re an expert in?
DENNY: Paddle sports. I’ve worked as a kayak instructor at an outdoor program and at a retail shop in the past. I continue to teach Boy Scouts how to kayak. Although I don’t get on the water nearly as much as I used to, it is something that I have expertise in doing and, having worked in retail, I’m also pretty knowledgeable about the equipment that goes along with it.
And backpacking. Not only have I backpacked in urban areas across Europe for weeks at a time, I also backpacked 2,200+ miles along the Pacific Crest Trail. My gear choices are a little atypical (I had a professional sewer make a custom backpack for my PCT hike. And I hiked without a sleeping pad, cooking stove, or water filter). I have pretty strong ideas about what is needed versus what isn’t and have lots of experience testing these ideas.
To check out photos of Denny’s adventures or the gear he recommends, visit his profile. And if you’re interested in rewarding your expertise with exclusive discounts and compelling contents from your favorite brands, you can get started here.
