CV

A designer of apps and web-based software. Over 25 years’ experience of making technology work for people, based in Leeds, UK. A specialist in UI design, with a strong background in UX design. Designing simple and usable digital products, bringing a human-centred design approach. A creative problem solver with versatility, interpersonal skills, and technical understanding.

SENIOR INTERACTION DESIGNER - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Leeds, Aug 2024 - Present

Interaction designer specialising in designing web-based data visualisation dashboards. Designs include local outcomes, deprivation in England, and land analysis websites. The role includes:

• Prototyping: Designing new data-led products, content, and end-to-end experiences in Figma and HTML.
• Design communication: Communicating complex ideas, problems, and decisions clearly with others.
• Designing for everyone: Turning complexity into simple, inclusive, accessible, ethical and usable designs.
• Designing strategically: Advocating user-centred design to meet business goals, innovating solutions. Designing new components and patterns. Mitigating risk and adapting to change in an Agile team.
• Designing together: Leader in design workshops, connecting across teams. Engagement and feedback.
• Evidence based design: Working with user researchers. Improving designs based on their evidence.
• Iterative design: Changes based on user needs. Working in Agile methods. Designing at the right fidelity to test hypotheses. Applying evidence-based changes to prototypes based on research. Improving designs from feedback. Using existing components and patterns and creating new ones to test.
• Leading in design: The lead designer in the team. Supporting other designers. Promoting user-centred design to senior leadership. Able to understand complex services and simplify for the user.
• Creative problem solving: Analysing options. Sketching, brainstorming. Creativity and design thinking.
• Standards based design: Using Government Digital Service (GDS) best practice, quality, and accessibility.
• A department prototyping champion: Promoting ways of working with GDS Prototype Kit and Figma.
• An accessibility expert: A member of the department accessibility working group. Promoting standards, such as WCAG and the Equalities act. Passionate about empathy, compassion, and inclusion in design.
• Trained in design service assessments: Involved in design critiques and guidance across MHCLG.
• Curiosity: Lifelong learning, continuous improvement, research, fact checking, critical thinking.

FREELANCE UI/UX DESIGNER, Leeds, Dec 2023 - Aug 2024

SENIOR CREATIVE DESIGNER (UI/UX designer) - KPMG, Leeds, Apr 2016 - Dec 2023 (Redundancy)

UI/UX product designer and visual designer. Designs include dashboards, surveys, mobile prototypes, policy apps, AI chat, product ordering, and HR systems. All sold successfully to well-known brands. The role included:

• Designing high fidelity mock-ups: Creating prototypes, using brand guidelines, with Figma and Sketch.
• Graphic design skills: Creative problem-solving layout, branding, typography, colour, hierarchy and grids.
• UI design: A passion for meeting user needs, with intuitive, user-centred, responsive designs.
• UX design: Low fidelity wireframe design and task flows. User personas, user journey mapping, information architecture, and white boarding layouts. Usability and user journey improvement.
• Accessibility and usability: Incorporated into all designs. Conforming to WCAG and the Equalities Act.
• Human-centred approach: Creating designs with empathy, ethics, simplicity, accessibility, and usability.
• Design system creation: Including component and pattern library design for KPMG UK.
• Communication skills: Clear, confident communication. Soft people skills, listening, copywriting.
• Collaborating: Cross-functional Agile teamwork and negotiating. Handing over designs to developers.
• Creative thinking: Imagination, new ideas, and challenging assumptions. Identifying improvements.
• Research activities and ideation: User research, using data, scoping, sketching, creative brainstorming.
• Planning and prioritisation: A design leader in Agile/Scrum teams. Time and deadline management.
• Presentation and workshop skills: Presenting to clients and stakeholders. Leading workshops.
• Design leadership: Mentoring and supervisor of junior colleagues. Stakeholder engagement.
• User testing: Usability testing designs with users, iterating from user research feedback.
• Logo, icon, and print design: Branding for software products. Design of training manuals.
• Understanding front-end code: HTML, CSS, SEO, browser testing.
• Technical understanding: Knowledge of the software development life cycle and processes.
• Attention to detail and best practice: Proof reading, quality control. Diligent checking of content.
• Responsive design: Mobile first and desktop design. Occasional building in HTML and CSS.

FREELANCE UI/UX WEB DESIGNER - Leeds, Sep 2012 - Apr 2016

SENIOR WEB OFFICER - Leeds Metropolitan University, Dec 2005 - Sep 2012

E-CONTENT OFFICER - Derbyshire County Council, Oct 2004 - Dec 2005

WEB DESIGNER - Peak Net, Derbyshire, Jun 2001 - Oct 2004

WEB DESIGNER - Textile and Clothing Network, Leeds University Textiles Department , May 2000 - Jun 2001

IT HELPDESK - Leeds University Information Systems Services, Apr 1998 - May 2000

IT TRAINING CONSULTANT - LINK Multimedia Learning Centres, Leeds and Wakefield, Feb 1997 - Apr 1998

Software: Figma, GDS Prototype Kit, Adobe CC, Mural, Miro, MS Office, Affinity Designer, Visual Studio Code.

Marketing and event management: Having previously run and promoted a successful club night. This was as a spare time business. Skills include, digital marketing, print design, advertising, and staff management.

1993-1996: BA (Hons) Degree Sociology and Public Media (Grade: II i). Trinity and All Saints, a College of the University of Leeds.

1991-1993: Brighton University Certificate in Foundation studies Art (pre BA). Hastings College of Art and Technology.

1991: A-LEVELS; Sociology (A), Art (C), Politics (C). William Parker School, Hastings.

Video gaming, seeing bands, hobby art and design projects. A Sci-Fi and Fantasy fan.