Product Design
- Problem framing & requirements decomposition
- Design strategy & concept development
- Trade-off analysis & decision documentation
About
Designer at the intersection of making and meaning.
Who I am
I'm Michael Dattolo — a product designer and innovator based in Hackettstown, NJ. I hold a B.S. in Integrated Product Design from Johnson & Wales University (GPA 3.9, Dean's List, 2024).
Today I work as a Special Operations Specialist at Techflex, running precision equipment and contributing to manufacturing optimization and continuous improvement. Before that I led retail operations at Staples and supported fabrication, training, and CNC workflows in the JWU Innovation Lab.
I focus on designing new solutions and optimizing existing products — turning complex constraints into clear concepts, functional prototypes, and market-ready iterations across manufacturing, robotics, medical devices, and emerging technologies.
Capabilities
Skills
Prototyping & Fabrication
- Functional proof-of-concept builds (scale & full-size)
- 3-axis and 5-axis additive manufacturing
- Design-for-fabrication & material selection
UX & Research
- User research & usability testing
- Information architecture & dashboard UX
- Rapid iteration with clear pass/fail criteria
Tools
- SolidWorks, Inventor, AutoCAD, Rhino 3D, Grasshopper
- HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, Chart.js
- Raspberry Pi, DHT22, ROS 2, Gazebo
- AI-assisted workflows (ComfyUI, FastAPI, llama-cpp)
Track record
Experience
-
Special Operations Specialist · Techflex
- Setup, operation, and optimization of precision spooling, printing, and cutting equipment.
- Interpret work orders and execute specs under strict quality and timing requirements.
- Contribute to manufacturing process improvement and continuous optimization.
-
Retail Sales Manager · Staples
- Led team sales, inventory management, and customer-feedback integration.
- Implemented loss-prevention strategies that reduced shrinkage and improved profitability.
- Coached staff and set individual and team performance goals.
-
Innovation Lab Technician · Johnson & Wales University
- Supported student projects on laser cutters, vinyl cutters, 3D printers, and CNC equipment.
- Prepared and optimized files for precision machining; programmed CNC operations.
- Trained new technicians on equipment safety and operation.
How I work
Values
- Clarity. Make complex systems understandable — for teammates, clients, and future collaborators.
- Iteration. Learn fast through structured testing; every prototype carries a hypothesis.
- Measurable impact. Tie every design decision to a verifiable outcome — sensor deltas, material-waste percentages, usability results.
Credentials
Education & Recognition
B.S. Integrated Product Design
Johnson & Wales University, 2024 · GPA 3.9 · Dean's List (2020–2024).
JWU Symposium 2024
Recognized for the M.A.R.T.I.A.N. robot and BloominBeds.
Competitions & Research
2nd Place Sharkfest (2022); BMES platform & poster presentations; FIRST Robotics (2016–2024).
Let's make something testable.
I like projects that start in ambiguity and end with something you can hold, measure, and ship.