Some teams ship product. Great teams ship experience.
The difference? You can feel it in the flow. In the trust. In how many sharp edges were smoothed out before launch, not by accident, but by intention. Most teams still treat design like a last-minute coat of paint. Others let it guide the process. And that’s the difference between a sprint and a win.
1. What Great Teams Actually Do
I’ve worked on teams where communication felt like a tug-of-war. Product didn’t trust design to talk to stakeholders. They’d read out spreadsheets instead of letting us show the story visually — the same story, just better told.
But once we got honest, once they realized we weren’t trying to derail the meeting, just help it land, the dynamic shifted. Design stopped being an afterthought. We got buy-in without wasting time.
Trust doesn’t happen by magic. You earn it by delivering. And by treating the how as seriously as the what.
2. Beyond “Make It Pretty”
A lot of designers still think the job is about dribbles and dropshadows. And some companies let them think that. But teams that ship thoughtful products know better.
It’s about how things work, how users move, how information shows up in the right place, at the right time, for the right person. It’s not just about looking good. It’s about functioning well, reading well, flowing well.
If your designs can’t be built, understood, or used, you didn’t design a solution. You made a poster!
That shift from polish to purpose is what levels you up.
3. Evidence Over Instinct
When I was starting out, I trusted my gut too much. I thought good design came from good taste. But good UX comes from user evidence. From asking questions, listening hard, and being willing to change direction.
Now I start with research. I test assumptions. I check the journey, not just the screens. I run usability sessions that actually show me what’s working and what’s falling flat.
Design that looks good is easy. Design that holds up under pressure — that’s the work.
Need help shaping your UX story?
From product strategy to accessibility and execution, I help teams and individuals clarify their vision and elevate their work. If you're serious about improving your UX outcomes, let’s talk.
Book a Free Consultation4. Why AI Doesn’t Get a Seat at This Table
AI can fill in the blanks. It can speed up grunt work. But it doesn’t get people.
UX is messy. Contextual. Shaped by emotion, tension, behaviour, bias — all the things a language model can’t truly hold.
Can AI help a designer? Sure. Can it run a team workshop, rebuild stakeholder trust, or advocate for a user who wasn’t in the room? Not even close.
We work in the space between the tech and the task. Between what people say they want and what they actually do. That space is human. And it’s where the real work happens.
5. What Soccer Taught Me About UX
Soccer taught me everything I know about resilience. You lose. You train. You lose again. You keep showing up.
UX is the same. You launch a feature and it doesn’t land. You test a prototype and users miss the point. You pitch an idea and it gets shelved. But the game goes on. So you adjust. You pass more. You listen harder. You stop hogging the ball and start looking for open space.
As a designer, I don’t see myself as a solo striker. I’m midfield. I orchestrate. I support. I keep the game moving.
6. What Great Hiring Managers Really Look For
It’s not the prettiest portfolio. It’s the one that shows you think.
That you collaborate. That you know when to push and when to pause. That you can build trust without begging for it, by making things clearer, smarter, more inclusive.
The best teams don’t just look for skills. They look for chemistry. For empathy. For curiosity. For someone who sees the work as bigger than a screen.
I help organizations design inclusive, scalable products and I teach the next generation of designers how to do the same.
Start a UX Conversation