Selected work

Enterprise UX and research at Torpedo

As UX Director at Torpedo I lead UX and user research strategy across complex B2B programmes for organisations including Autodesk, Panasonic, Epson and PETRONAS. I work with senior stakeholders, strategy, content, development and account teams to shape experience strategy, research programmes and delivery approaches.

I also lead and develop UX capability within the agency through coaching, recruitment, resource planning, methods and ways of working. The examples below are a selection of projects delivered with the designers, researchers and developers I have led and supported.

SketchUp Hub

SketchUp Hub is a B2B microsite aimed at architects, commercial interiors and people working across the construction industry.

The project included personas, customer journey mapping, wireframes, content, UI design and front-end development. My role was to direct and support the UX approach, working closely with the designer and wider project team through to delivery.

Autodesk Tandem

Autodesk Tandem is a digital twin solution that enables building owners and operators to understand and manage the performance of physical spaces through digital models and connected systems.

We designed and built the marketing and support experience through user research and iterative design. My role was to shape and support the UX process, coach the designer leading the work and ensure that user needs remained central to the delivery.

Panasonic Connect

Panasonic Connect is Panasonic's European B2B digital estate, supporting a broad range of products and solutions across different business sectors.

My team developed and tested a modernised experience with users from multiple sectors. I supported the UX approach, coached the designer leading the work and helped plan and facilitate usability testing.

Autodesk Workshop XR

Autodesk Workshop XR is an immersive virtual reality experience that enables teams involved in the design and construction of buildings to experience and collaborate within a space before it is built.

We designed and built the website supporting the product, with a strong focus on communicating the value of an immersive experience through the web. My role was to guide the team as a servant-leader, coach and mentor and to help maintain a clear user-centred approach throughout delivery.

Autodesk Research

Autodesk Research showcases research projects and future-thinking work across Autodesk's research and development community.

I worked closely with the project designer and stakeholders across Autodesk, conducting user and stakeholder interviews, facilitating workshops and running usability testing. We developed personas, customer journeys, wireframes and responsive interface designs based on the evidence gathered.

Digital transformation at The Open University (2002–2021)

At The Open University I worked across a large and complex digital estate supporting hundreds of thousands of distance-learning students. I led UX and digital student-support work spanning research, content, service design, product delivery, accessibility, governance and web standards.

Much of this work formed part of a wider shift towards more user-centred, evidence-led digital services, with a particular focus on reducing complexity and avoidable contact by enabling students to complete more tasks successfully online.

1. Help Centre — led UX design for the consolidation of multiple student-support websites and large numbers of FAQs into a single knowledge base. Introduced accessible and inclusive user-centred design, feedback mechanisms, behavioural analytics and continuous improvement processes.
2. Tutorial booking system — led design work using agile UX sprints to deliver incremental improvements for students, including waiting lists, cancellation, venue information, accessibility requirements and fallbacks for service failure.
3. StudentHome — sole designer for the 2009 redesign of the bespoke portal used by students to access study and administration services. The work introduced user-centred design, web standards, high accessibility and responsive layout to a service used by more than 200,000 students each year.
4. TutorHome — sole UX designer, creating HTML, CSS and interface designs and running collaborative workshops with Associate Lecturers and staff tutors. Worked closely with the Associate Lecturer Executive and other stakeholders throughout the design process.
5. OUICE design component library framework — conceptualised, designed and developed a CSS framework supporting rapid delivery of accessible, responsive and brand-consistent OU websites.
6. Countdown to study — led UX design for an interactive tool helping new and returning students understand what they needed to do before beginning their studies, including financial, disability-support and induction tasks.
7. Complaints and appeals — led design work alongside external consultants to research, evaluate, design and test a service intended to work better for students and the teams processing complaints and appeals.
8. MyStuff ePortfolio — sole UX designer working with learning-design developers to translate complex conceptual models into interfaces aligned with student mental models.
9. Module chooser — led the original conceptual design, content, HTML and CSS for the service used by OU students to select and register for modules.
10. Careers Advisory Service — redesigned the digital service around user needs rather than organisational structure.
11. Services for disabled students — introduced a highly accessible approach designed around the needs of blind and partially sighted students, people with manual dexterity difficulties and people with cognitive impairments. The approach influenced wider accessibility practice across the organisation.
12. Skills for OU Study — led the design and development of a consolidated study-skills service bringing together previously fragmented guidance and support.
13. Study with the OU — lead designer on the online prospectus, including redesigning course information around prospective-student and student needs.
14. Student profile — redesigned the front-end experience, providing a clearer gateway over older underlying technical systems.
15. Staff profiles — designed the front-end experience using the OUICE framework.

Service design work

I also worked across a range of end-to-end student services, including:

1. Requesting disability support
2. Requesting special circumstances to be considered in assessment
3. Taking a break from study
4. Withdrawing from study
5. Requesting careers and employability guidance
6. Requesting additional study support
7. Requesting a reference from the OU
8. Requesting extra support at a residential school
9. Requesting to take an examination at home

Digital publishing at Johnston Press / Central Counties Newspapers (2000–2002)

As Senior Web Designer I worked across nine regional newspaper titles during the shift from print-first publishing towards a more mature digital presence.

I was responsible for leading the overall digital design of the newspaper websites and for creating bespoke advertising and brochure websites for commercial customers.

1. Buckingham and Winslow Advertiser
2. Brackley Review
3. Brackley and Towcester Advertiser
4. Daventry Express
5. Hemel Gazette
6. Rugby Advertiser
7. Leamington Courier
8. Bucks Herald
9. Banbury Guardian

Freelance work

I have also undertaken freelance digital and UX work since 1999 for organisations including:

• Silvernet
• Pod Racer
• Honey and McAlpine
• Stone Monkey
• Word
• Web Happens
• Experience UX
• Food Sprint
• Forage