About me
At Work I am a UX Product Designer, Design Strategist, User Researcher and Workshop Facilitator with experience working in digital since 2008. I’ve worked across many different industries and sectors, including The Guardian, GOV.UK (DHSC), The NHS, The BBC, ustwo, Dext Software, Aviva, SuperUnion, ATG, Findmypast, Which? and Big Sofa (Now LifeStream).
I lead and work with multidisciplinary teams to create digital products around an authentic understanding of user motivations and behaviours. Bringing user centred experiences to life using research, storytelling, problem solving and empathy.
I have developed deep expertise in my field and have years of experience leading and mentoring diverse teams to deliver change and innovation.
Outside Work I throw myself into many different groups and experiences. This has helped me grow and see life with a different perspective.
I’ve found that with the courage to go out and meet new people, I have discovered magical things. This has given me the confidence I've needed to meet and work with new and varied groups of people.
I love folk music and through this have found my community, we sit round fires and sing and swim together in the wild. I also love travelling to new places and being with new groups, hiking and discovering new places.
My Experience
I began my career in 2008 pioneering the UX and product development of BigSofa (now LifeStream), a platform for qualitative researchers. Whilst there I managed a team of designers and developers to build the product from scratch. This gave me foundational craft skills in user research and digital product development, and I won a Ginny Valentine Bravery in Research award for my work on it.
After BigSofa I honed my UX and UI expertise by working in Agile/Scrum teams at Findmypast and BBC Music & Radio.
In 2017 I started working on roles with more focus on design strategy and leadership. I lead a UX, service design and research project at Aviva. After that I lead the registration, sign in and personalisation strategy for the Identity team at The Guardian.
I carried my research and strategy skills on to NHS Digital and worked as a Lead User Researcher on a strategy to help users find the right covid test during the pandemic. I then moved on to helping with the transformation of the NHS Change4Life brand to Better Health brand online.
Since then I have developed my skills, experience and knowledge of design & research frameworks to lead projects.
Timeline of my experience
2024
Lead the User Research for the Design Systems and Content Management Migration for Cambridge University, ran a UX discovery for MyArtBroker with an experienced user group, lead the UX Design & Research for the Campaigns team at Camden Council. I also started lying the foundations for my company - Foothills and got a place on the Barclays Eagle Labs programme.
2023
Lead the UX strategy for Pricing & Packaging at Dext Software. Travelled to India to run Design Sprints with a start up company in Bangalore. Lead a Service Design project for The Scottish Government.
2022
Lead a digital strategy for SuperUnion and Lead the B2B team at ATG.
2021
Worked on a strategy for GOV.UK Test & Trace and moved to being Lead Researcher & Strategist for NHS Digital Campaigns.
2018
Lead the UX & Research strategy for The Guardian Identity team.
2017
Started developing strategic UX experience whilst working for Aviva - transformed Aviva UK Life & Health products
2014
Developed and honed UX & UI expertise at FindmyPast & BBC Music & Radio - contributed to the early formation of BBC Sounds.
2008
Pioneered and lead the development of Big Sofa, now LifeStream.
Leadership
I have experience leading and working with a range of diverse teams across many organisations.
It's important to me to work collaboratively with teams and inspire and lead others. Good design comes from bringing all minds together to solve a problem as it leads to better and faster innovation.
I have experience providing the right support, environment and tools for designers and researchers to do their best work. I also have the expertise to advise, give guidance and work with teams to set a vision.
I have helped young people get into the industry and I also do mentoring in my spare time.
It means a lot to me to support people with their career growth. I try to lead with empathy and empowerment to utilise skills within the team so that they have autonomy and ownership over the direction of their work.
