Craig Nishizaki
Head of BusinessIn my 15+ years in the UX industry working with amazing clients such as: Amazon, Microsoft, F5, Starbucks, T-Mobile, Belkin, Disney, SAP Concur, Qualcomm, Premera, HMA, and JAMS, I’ve found that there is a common pattern that lends itself to successful digital projects and I look for those patterns to identify right-fit clients and right-fit projects for UpTop to take on. This creates a win-win situation for UpTop and for our client. Our client finds tremendous value in what we do, and our team finds great satisfaction in providing that value.
Strategically, I keep an eye on the horizon regarding business and industry trends, new technologies, new tools & methods that help us to provide an outside-in perspective to the work that we do. I love learning, and I’m very curious. Remember the kid that keeps asking their parents “why”? That’s me when I was a kid, and now I get to do that as an adult and not get put in a time-out.
Internally, I get to provide input and leadership to ensure that we are focused on the right things and moving in the right direction. Business Development and Account Direction are my primary functional responsibilities. To be effective in this client-facing role, I believe that being involved in the shaping of our team, our culture, and our client engagements is where my unique abilities provide the highest value.
Outside of work, I love spending time with my wife and three kids. I love seeing the world through my children’s eyes and hearing them describe the things that they are noticing and learning. I am an avid fan of the UW Huskies and Seattle Seahawks and my favorite getaway is the beautiful island of Maui
I earned my B.A. degree in Communications with a focus on Consumer Behavior and a Software Product Management Certificate from the University of Washington.
Explore insights from Craig Nishizaki
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Engineering the Full Customer Experience: UpTop’s DNA
Craig NishizakiMost organizations don’t suffer from a lack of technology. They suffer from disconnected experiences. A customer may discover your company through a marketing campaign, engage with sales, navigate a website, complete onboarding, use a digital product, contact support, and renew a service years later. From the customer’s perspective, these are not separate interactions. They represent […]
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What Is UX Modernization? A Guide for Leaders
Craig NishizakiDigital transformation has become a business imperative, yet many organizations discover that new technology alone doesn’t solve old problems. They invest in modern platforms, migrate to the cloud, implement AI capabilities, or replace aging software, only to find that employees continue relying on workarounds, adoption stalls, and customers become frustrated. The missing piece is often […]
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Why Friction Is Your Most Expensive Business Problem
Craig NishizakiFriction quietly drains productivity, increases costs, and limits growth. Learn how modern organizations identify and reduce it.
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Are You Measuring the Right Customer Experience Metrics?
Craig NishizakiMost organizations have no shortage of customer experience data, but modern organizations need an experience intelligence strategy, not just a dashboard. Customer satisfaction scores, support metrics, website analytics, product usage reports, employee surveys, operational KPIs, and CRM dashboards generate a constant stream of information. Yet despite having more data than ever, many organizations still struggle […]
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Designing for Participation in Modern Digital Ecosystems
Craig NishizakiOrganizations today face a common challenge: delivering digital experiences that not only attract users but also encourage meaningful participation. Whether you’re operating a customer portal, partner platform, knowledge-sharing ecosystem, community experience, or service marketplace, long-term success increasingly depends on your ability to turn passive users into active contributors. The most successful digital platforms understand a […]
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Native, Hybrid, or PWA? Choosing the Right Mobile App Strategy
Craig NishizakiMobile is no longer a channel. It is the primary way many users interact with digital products. Whether you are building a customer-facing app or an internal enterprise tool, the decisions you make about how that experience is built will directly impact performance, adoption, and long-term scalability. One of the first and most important decisions […]
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Legacy Systems Are Costing Banks More Than They Realize
Craig NishizakiFor years, traditional banks have relied on legacy systems to power their digital experiences. These systems were built for stability and compliance, not for speed, usability, or modern customer expectations. That tradeoff is now catching up with them. When Rocket Mortgage launched its fully digital mortgage experience, it challenged one of the most complex and […]
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Can Enterprise UX Help Solve the Workplace Engagement Crisis?
Craig NishizakiA disengaged workforce is no longer just an HR concern. It is a measurable business risk with significant financial consequences. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report, low employee engagement costs the global economy trillions of dollars annually, representing a meaningful portion of global GDP. Behind that number are missed opportunities, underutilized talent, […]
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Managing Legacy Systems: When to Upgrade, Replace, or Rebuild
Craig NishizakiEvery organization relies on core technology systems to run its operations. These systems may range from simple cloud tools used by a small team to large enterprise platforms supporting hundreds or thousands of employees. Over time, however, even the most reliable systems begin to show their age. Technology evolves, customer expectations shift, and businesses expand […]
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Elevating User Satisfaction Through Conversational UX
Craig NishizakiIn today’s digital ecosystem, conversational UX is not a novelty. It is an expectation. Customers interact daily with AI assistants, chat interfaces, and voice-driven tools across websites, mobile apps, customer portals, and connected devices. These experiences shape how people perceive a brand’s competence, reliability, and relevance. When conversations with technology feel intuitive and helpful, trust […]


