IBM Design

Due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter, content & projects please Contact me to discuss my experiences & time at IBM. Below you can read a little about what I do day-to-day & the teams I have worked with.

Project Overview

IBM & me

Design Thinking

Before I had started at IBM I was strictly a visual designer & I was making things 'pretty', I always felt that there was something missing in my work. I had always found myself considering the humans at the other end. Who are they, why they might be using 'this' & what problem were we really solving? The lines between UI & Visual design have always been a little blurry & if I am being honest, I've never been able to just make something look good without consider how it is being used.

IBM connected all the dots for me. IBM Design was building a culture, teams & education around a 'Design Thinking'. I have been steeped in IBM Design & Design Thinking, its something that is a part of my design DNA. IBM has given me a whole new toolset to explore, evolve, teach & perfect for the rest of my career.

My role

During my time at IBM I have had a few titles, however I have held Design Team Lead longest. In context to IBM this means that I am directing the day to day activities of my design team(s) toward achieving strategic priorities & deliverables. Outside of IBM the equivalent role would commonly be referred to as an ACD.

In addition to managing a multi-disciplinary team I am very hands on in every step of the process. Quite often I am sketching, creating wireframes, prototypes, visual design & producing production assets.

This really only scratches the surface of what I might do day to day.

Workshops, facilitation & alignment

Make together is only part of the equation & before we start making we all need to be aligned. Getting to know who you work with is great, but starting off problem solving together is even better.

Looking at where a product is & how best to address its needs in a workshop is no small task. Planning takes time but when the outcome is a shared understanding & next steps it is well worth the time.

Process & the human at the other end

Observe, Reflect, Make. If you've looked into IBM Design or seen any of the countless videos & interviews with studio leaders over the last five years you have undoubtedly heard those three words & what they mean.

It's all about working together as a multidisciplinary team & the recognition that good ideas can come from anywhere. Once you have a team together, we rally around the humans who will be the end user.

Collaboration is key

I like working with other people & I really like finding ways to help people work more efficiently. That goes for the end user's of a product I am designing & everyday I am always looking for ways to improve the teams or my understanding of the; subject matter, user(s), workflows or tools.

If you would like to talk more about my experiences at IBM please reach out, I would love to grab a tea or beer & chat about all things design.

Projects I lead