Personal profile

I studied Writing, Fashion & Culture at university, focusing on magazine journalism with a fashion angle. The program included modules like reportage, PR, fashion history, cultural studies, and web/editorial design, which ultimately inspired my path in design.

My first role as a content editor for a trend forecasting company gave me deep insights into trend cycles across industries, beyond just fashion.

Since 2010 I’ve worked in a variety of in-house and agency roles, freelanced for about seven years and began focusing on product design in 2019.

My role

As a Lead Product Designer, I champion customer-centred design, support my team, and handle all aspects of product design.

I conduct research, collaborate with Product teams to address customer needs, create polished UI adhering to best practice, create design systems, and work closely with engineers across platforms.

Approach to design

My design approach is rooted in logic and systems thinking, focusing on each element as part of a wider organism.

By abstracting problems into logical components, I establish a strong foundation that allows for scalable solutions. I work iteratively with cross-functional teams and thrive when collaborating effectively. While I value design systems and streamlined production, I’m also adept at Figma for clean, fast UI execution.

Approach to leadership

I’m passionate about mentoring and supporting my team, with a strong belief in trust-based management. I avoid micromanagement, both giving and receiving; it stifles growth and never leads to the results you’re looking for.

While I see myself as accountable for my team’s development, I encourage them to take charge of their own paths, with me providing guidance as needed. My feedback style is adaptable, with a preference for real-time calls for in-depth discussions.

Working style

I don’t really have a preferred time of day to get things done, although meetings in the morning usually mean that you’re bringing your most energised and alert self. Meetings after 3–4pm tend to feel less productive.

My work is collaborative in the early project stages, but once we have a direction, I prefer focused individual work. I value efficient collaboration, but I’m always wary of times when it leads to excessive ‘design by committee’. When facing uncertainty, I favour making informed assumptions, which I find accelerates decision-making.

Operating principles

I believe that trust and proactive input are crucial when working in groups. I welcome diverse perspectives but expect respect for expertise boundaries. While processes are essential for clarity, I’m open to flexibility when necessary.

I believe in learning from mistakes, but we must always strive to understand and address the root causes to prevent them happening again.

Communication

I prefer Slack for communication, especially in public channels for transparency, and aim to respond promptly.

Emails are fine for detailed topics, but I rely on Slack and calls for most conversations, respecting others’ ways of working unless urgency dictates otherwise.

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