I’ve always had a keen interest in design, whether it’s illustration, interior design, painting or photography. Previously I worked in IT for over 17 years, and eventually my problem solving skills and interest in design led me down a path towards UX.
My time spent as an IT Trainer (and before that on an IT Helpdesk) really made me see first hand how users struggle with systems that are confusing or badly designed, and I think this frustrated me as much as the users.
I moved into a technical support/development role, designing and creating internal web solutions. This allowed me to develop my UX skills and take on various project management responsibilities. I then decided to take the leap and find a role where I could focus fully on UX.
Core Values
Empathy
Good UX Design requires empathy, to actually care about the end users and the product, and to take the time to discover what the users really need (which is often different to what they want or what they think they need). This often results in being proved wrong – and being reminded that we are not designing for ourselves, but for other people with different ideas and beliefs.
Openness
This is especially important when it comes to research – to make sure the team you are working with has visibility of the results so they can see things from the user’s perspective, and for everyone to be part of the design process.
Curiosity
To keep learning, to question whether a new feature is really needed, to carry out research in the first place – a good designer should have the desire to want to scratch beneath the surface.
Skills
Coding (HTML and CSS)
Copywriting for the Web
Graphic Design
Information Architecture
Persona Creation
Project Management
Prototyping
Site Mapping
Stakeholder Management
Usability Testing
User Research
Wireframing
Tools
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe XD
Balsamiq
Google Analytics and Site Catalyst
InVision
Lucidchart
Marvel
Sketch
Trello
Wordpress