User experience architect
Clarify. Simplify. Engage.
I help companies create clear and simple digital products that people want to use.
Research: Planning and implementing appropriate research techniques and analysing the results.
Creative problem-solving: Finding the right solutions, to the right problems.
Telling the story: Producing clear, detailed design documentation to share and explain thinking.
A corporate onboarding tool for Barclays Bank
My work tackled multiple, complex processes and made them easier to track, manage and complete. The time taken to onboard corporate clients went down from months to weeks.
User research and testing
UX strategy, product vision
Process transformation
Information architecture
Interaction design
A new app concept for Orange Money, Africa
I was UX lead on a project to envision a new 'super-app' that would make financial services available to millions of 'unbanked' people in Africa.
Analysed and distilled customer research into product scope and requirements
Simplified back-end processes to enable clear digital task flows
Created fully-functioning prototypes for remote user testing and feedback sessions.
Read the case studies:
Award-winning UX for Gatwick Airport
As part of a re-platforming project I was asked to re-imagine the digital experience of interacting with the airport. I considered physical aspects like journey and buildings, emotional aspects like excitement and anxiety, and designed a website to support travellers needs – with everything ordered around the flight number.
User research and testing
Information architecture
Content design, writing and editing
Interaction design
EpiServer 'Best B2C Website of the Year' 2013
Applying information design principles to e-commerce
Given a brief to 'improve UX where you can' at Screwfix, I led a project to redesign the whole site following a rigorous application of clear typography, plain language, and clarification of navigation and search including filters and facets. Checkout completion increased by ~20% and customers loved the simplicity of browsing, finding and buying products. Ten years on, the work is still live.
Defined UX vision and design principles
Led UX, visual design, and front-end dev
Led user testing and research
Created all design documents including prototypes for testing and a site blueprint for devs and stakeholders
Testimonials
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
"Working with Steve I soon came to realise that his approach to a project is firstly one of research. Understanding the situation before making comment or opinion is this first step that many miss, and it allowed Steve to pinpoint the areas for improvement we needed."
Lead UX Designer, Screwfix
VISION & STRATEGY
"You brought a lot of expertise in our projects, set up the foundation for the new Orange Money concept which is a strategic goal form the business and helped on Orange Bank which would be very difficult to achieve without you."
Lead Design Manager, Orange XD Lab
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
"Steve has worked tirelessly to develop our core navigation principles. His efforts ensure that we have a consistent experience throughout the app, and set the foundations for a scalable design moving forward. Achieving the most simple solution always requires an incredibly complex and often frustrating process. Thanks for your hard work Steve"
(Award Nomination Details)
Product Owner, Nationwide
INTERACTION DESIGN
"Steve is one of the most calm and considered individuals I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Nothing seems to phase Steve and this is reflected in his work; his meticulous approach demonstrates his expert knowledge as a user experience architect. He really is a great thinker and this produces fantastic results which are extremely well thought out. I have worked with Steve on various projects and not only was he a joy to work with, he really does have a great understanding of his field. His greatest strengths lie in his ability to understand quite complex scenarios and define creative solutions for them."
Senior Digital Designer, Agency