Overview

Eleven years design oversight

Background

As Head of Interaction and Design for over 11 years, the role entailed a dynamic blend of player-coach responsibilities, encompassing UI/UX design, insights, and research. This tenure was marked by constant adaptation to software changes, managing a team through significant organisational shifts, and leading by example in both design and stakeholder engagement.

Vision and Strategic Thinking

Long-term Vision

Established a long-term vision for the design department focused on creating user-centric designs that drive business growth and enhance customer satisfaction. This vision was communicated and reinforced through strategic planning sessions and regular team meetings.

Impact on Business Goals

Led initiatives that directly contributed to business objectives, such as increasing user engagement and improving conversion rates. For example, a redesign of the online banking interface resulted in a 25% increase in user engagement and a 15% boost in conversion rates.

Innovation and Creativity

Innovation Initiatives

Fostered a culture of innovation by organizing hackathons and design sprints that encouraged creative problem-solving. One such initiative led to the development of a new view of what "Digital" meant to both customer and bank, adding a feature to on-boarding that increased app usage by 20%.

Creative Problem Solving

Addressed unique challenges with creative solutions, such as implementing a design thinking approach to overhaul the customer service portal, resulting in a 30% reduction in support calls.

Team Development and Culture

Diversity and Inclusion

Actively built a diverse and inclusive team by implementing unbiased recruitment practices and promoting an inclusive work environment. This diversity led to a broader range of ideas and perspectives, enhancing creativity and innovation within the team.

Team Success Stories

Mentored several team members who went on to achieve significant milestones, such as leading major projects or receiving industry recognition. For instance, a junior designer under my mentorship was awarded "Rising Star in Design" and moved from a Junior (B4) position to a VP of design in under 3 years.

DesignOps and Process Optimisation

Standardising Workflows

Inconsistencies in design processes and methodologies across different projects and teams required standardised workflows and processes to ensure consistency and efficiency. Developed templates, checklists, and best practice documents to streamline design activities.

Resource Management

Efficiently managing design resources and balancing workload across the team was crucial. Implemented a resource management system to track project assignments, monitor team capacity, and ensure optimal distribution of work. Regularly conducted resource reviews and adjusted allocations to meet project demands.

Collaboration and Communication

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Facilitated regular cross-functional meetings and workshops to align on goals, share insights, and co-create solutions. Promoted a culture of open communication and feedback across teams. Ensured that all members of the design team (whatever grade) had an open door policy for discussions and teaching.

Stakeholder Engagement

Developed a structured stakeholder engagement plan, including regular updates, presentations, and feedback sessions. Created clear communication channels to keep stakeholders informed and involved throughout the project lifecycle.

Design Culture and Team Development

Fostering a Design Culture

Organised design events, hackathons, and design thinking workshops to promote innovation and collaboration. Encouraged knowledge sharing through design critiques, lunch-and-learn sessions, and internal newsletters.

Professional Development

Supported the growth and development of the design team by providing opportunities for continuous learning through training programs, conferences, and certifications. Established a mentorship program to support junior designers and foster career growth.

Measurement and Impact

Design Metrics and KPIs

Developed design metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the effectiveness and impact of design initiatives. Regularly reviewed these metrics to identify areas for improvement and demonstrate the value of design to stakeholders. Provide quantifiable results, such as improved user satisfaction scores, increased conversion rates, or reduced time to market.

Adaptability and Learning

Adapting to Change

Successfully led the team through major changes, such as the transition from Barclaycard to Barclays, by implementing comprehensive retraining programs and adapting the design system to fit the new organisational context.

Continuous Learning

Ensured the team stayed updated with the latest design trends and technologies by encouraging participation in industry conferences, webinars, and continuous education programs. I drew extensively on my network of industry leaders to facilitate external viewpoints and influence.

Stakeholder Management and Influence

Influencing Senior Leadership

Successfully influenced senior leadership to adopt design-centric approaches by demonstrating the business value of design through governance, reporting, presentations and case studies of successful projects.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Fostered strong collaborative relationships with other departments, leading to successful project outcomes. Worked closely with the marketing and development teams to launch a new product features that exceeded user adoption targets by 35%.

Key Achievements

Transition from Barclaycard to Barclays

Successfully managed the transition from Barclaycard to Barclays. This involved retraining teams and adapting the design system to fit the new organisational context. Championed and taught the Barclaycard design system to the Barclays team, ensuring a smooth transition and integration.

Building a Robust and Flexible Design System

Developed a robust and flexible design system capable of adapting to amendments, changes, and integration into separate design entities. This design system facilitated seamless updates and ensured compatibility with various business units and external partners, maintaining design integrity and coherence.

Establishing a DesignOps Function

Successfully established a dedicated DesignOps function to streamline operations and improve efficiency. Enabled the design team to focus more on creative work by reducing operational overhead and improving process consistency.

Establishing Design in Learning

Integrated design principles into the bank's learning programs, fostering a broader understanding of design's role and value. Elevated the design team's profile within the bank, promoting design thinking across various business units.

Major Projects and Case Studies

Innovative Banking App Design

Led the design and development of a new banking app that enhanced user experience through innovative features and intuitive design. Achieved a 30% increase in user engagement and a 20% rise in customer satisfaction scores within the first six months of MVP/test app launch.

Accessibility Initiative

Spearheaded an initiative to improve accessibility across all digital platforms, ensuring compliance with industry standards. Improved accessibility scores by 40%, making digital products more inclusive and user-friendly.

Awards and Recognition

Recognition

Received multiple internal awards personally and as a team for design excellence, including the coverted "best team to work for" 6 years running

Team Achievements

The team received ongoing recognition for their work on various projects, contributing to the organisation's reputation as a leader in digital design. The team were the most highly recognised on the internal recognitions system. Gaining over 60% of recognitions across each quarter.

Leading as a Designer and Director

Player-Coach Role

As Head of Interaction and Design, balanced leadership responsibilities with active participation in design projects. This dual role ensured practical insights into the team's challenges and opportunities, fostering a hands-on, supportive leadership style.

Direct Design Contributions

Actively contributed to key design projects, providing detailed UI/UX designs and insights. This involvement demonstrated commitment and expertise, serving as an inspirational example for the team.

Pragmatic, Flexible, and Structured Approach

The successes and achievements in this role were only possible through a pragmatic, flexible, and structured approach. This balance allowed for adaptability in dynamic environments while maintaining a clear and consistent vision. This approach ensured that the team could navigate changes effectively, integrate new methodologies, and continuously improve processes, ultimately driving the organisation's design vision forward.

Conclusion

Over 11 years, the role of Head of Interaction and Design required a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on involvement, and adaptive problem-solving. By focusing on continuous improvement, stakeholder management, and fostering a culture of excellence, significant achievements were made in building a resilient and innovative design team capable of navigating constant change and driving forward the organisation’s design vision. This approach, grounded in pragmatism, flexibility, and structure, ensured the team remained adaptable and effective in a constantly changing environment, driving forward the organisation’s design vision and achieving significant business outcomes.

Role

Head of Interaction Design - Barclaycard

Team

Digital Experts / UI / UX / Data and Insights / Research / Business Analysts (BA)